San Antonio professors lead project to preserve West Side Sound

San Antonio – Two professors from the University of Texas at San Antonio hope to preserve the West Side’s musical heritage through “The West Side Sound Oral History Project.”

Professors Gloria Vasquez Gonzales and Sylvia Mendoza are collecting interviews, photos, and recordings of some music produced from the west side of San Antonio.

Mendoza said the West Side sound consists of many elements including R & B, Conjunto, and Swamp Pop.

They have interviewed over 10 local citizens, including artists about their memories and experiences with the genre of music that comes from the west side.

“It was important for us to do this because we are losing a lot of these people that actually created it and who better to tell the story than them,” Gonzales said.

The professors also interviewed a local business owner, Jaime Macias. Macias is the owner of, Jaimes Place, a music venue on the West Side known for attracting artists.

“Something that we are learning in the interviews is that folks do want to have their legacy, their contributions documented. Especially from our Mexican American community,” Mendoza said.

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