José Pedro Infante Cruz was born on November 18, 1917 in Mazatlán, Sinaloa. Last Saturday there was a tribute to him at the Pedro Infante Monument, a picture of which is above. The motorcycle is to commemorate his role in the movie A Toda Máquina. Pedro died young, at the age of 39, in a plane crash in which he was the pilot in Mérida, Yucatan. You can learn more about Pedro Infante here.
Paul and I wanted to attend, and were able to enjoy the tribute and some adult beverages from the front patio of the always-a-good-idea Water’s Edge. We had beverages, appetizers, a lovely sunset, and the tribute to enjoy. Can’t beat that!
While it was still light people started arriving – none looked old enough to have known Pedro (he would have been 94, after all) but there were probably some family members in attendance. We did notice Raul Rico, Director General of Cultura Mazatlán. The group gradually grew and around sunset they gathered together in a sort of service. A bit later a band arrived (and in Mazatlán, when you say BAND you mean BANDA) and played a few numbers, one of which is the always necessary Corrido de Mazatlán.
My video of the event is below: (If you have decent internet change the setting from 360 to 480 for a better picture)
Here’s a video of Pedro Infante singing Cucurrucucu Paloma.
Below is a video slide show of Jose Alfredo Jiminez singing Corrido de Mazatlán:
CORRIDO DE MAZATLAN José Alfredo Jiménez
Hoy que el destino me trajo hasta esta tierra
donde el pacífico es algo sin igual es
necesario que suene la tambora para cantarle un
corrido a Mazatlán
Yo sé que debo cantar con toda el alma
para esta gente que es puro corazón a ver
si llega mi canto a la montaña y hasta en
el faro se escuche mi canción.
Ay que bonito paseo del Centenario ay que bonita
también su catedral aquí hasta un
pobre se siente millonario aquí la vida se
pasa sin llorar.
Yo soy fuereño nací de aquí
muy lejos y sin embargo les digo en mi cantar que
tienen todos ustedes un orgullo el gran orgullo de
ser de Mazatlán.
Esas mujeres que tienen por mujeres ante las
rosas se pueden comparar porque el aroma que
tienen los claveles lo tienen ellas y tienen algo
más
Y de sus hombre pos’que podría decirles
que son amigos y nobles en verdad y sin que
olviden sus típicas arañas que lindo
es todo lo que hay en Mazatlán.
Ay que bonito paseo del Centenario ay que bonita
también su catedral aquí hasta un
pobre se siente millonario aquí la vida se
pasa sin llorar.
Yo soy fuereño nací de aquí
muy lejos y sin embargo les digo en mi cantar que
tienen todos ustedes un orgullo el gran orgullo de
ser de Mazatlán.
ADDED 11-24-2011
Ty, of My Merida Life sent me the following picture of the Pedro Infante monument in Mérida. Thanks so much, Ty! And be sure to check out their blog, at http://mimeridavida.blogspot.com/
Photo courtesy http://mimeridavida.blogspot.com/
November 22nd, 2011 at 4:22 pm
I’ve never heard “Corrido de Mazatlan,” but “Cucurucucu Paloma” is my very favorite song. Stop in at El Cid hotel and have dinner on a Wednesday night, and you will be treated to the “Fiesta Mexicana” made for tourists, I’m sure, but the talent is extraordinary, especially Oscar Gomez. I was thrilled that he sang my favorite song when we were there last month. The man has quite a set of pipes! Go to the main dining room, the one that looks out on the beach. The buffet is quite a bit better than the theater and the show is the same.
November 23rd, 2011 at 7:52 am
I can always rely on your to improve my knowledge of Mazatlan. Thanks for explaining the story behind this monument, I always wondered.
November 23rd, 2011 at 12:12 pm
Marty, Once you listen to Corrido de Mazatlan you’ll realize you hear it everywhere. I have to admit I have never been in El Cid hotel, I hear that other hotels do a Fiesta Mexicana, too. Next time we have visitors here we’ll investigate and check it out.
Contessa, One project I’m still planning is to take a photo of the monument every minute or two for several hours one night, so many people hug him, get on behind him, take pics of him, it would be great done into a slide show.
November 23rd, 2011 at 8:41 pm
I read your blog and enjoy it very much. I’m especially interested in this post. We live in Mérida. I was reading the wikipedia info about the statues erected in Pedros honor. The one in Mérida is about 2 blocks from our house in a very small little plaza. It is in the very south end of Centro at Calle 62 x 91, not far from the airport. The locals use the Plaza but it is probably virtually unknown to expats (not many gringos in our part of town, lol). They say his plane crashed very near there and there is a plaque on the house that he crashed into but we haven’t seen it. I do have a picture of the statue but not a good one of the Plaza. We pass it everytime we walk to the store. Thanks.
November 24th, 2011 at 11:04 am
Hi Ty,
We met your wife at the bloggers conference and enjoyed visiting with her a lot! I love the Pedro Infante connection between Mazatlán and Mérida! Hope to meet you one day!