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Author Archives: hsames
Jitney Jungle – A Work in Progress
We are working hard to restore the Jitney Jungle in historic downtown Laredo. If you go by the location on Iturbide and San Bernardo you will see that much progress has been made. It is going to be a great live music venue for Laredo with capacity for 1000 fans of live music. The plans now call for us to open three nights a week and include a bar, a great sound system, and both general and VIP seating areas. We are also creating a restaurant space that will open at a future date.
We are now in the process of searching for a General Manager to run the operation. They would have to have experience running a bar and a live music venue and possibly a restaurant. We would also entertain proposals to lease the whole location- restaurant, bar, and music to a person or group who would buy into our vision of what downtown Laredo should be. Please pass this information on to anyone you think might be interested.
We also need input as to what type of live music Laredo would like to hear. We think that possibly we could have different types of music on different nights. Maybe on Thursday Independent Rock, on Friday Country Music, and on Saturday Latin Music. We would like to hear from you, the public, as to your preference. Please post your comments here, or contact me by email at hsames@sames.net
Thank you in advance for the input. This is the start of something great for downtown Laredo.
Hank Sames
Jitney Jungle Reborn
Back in the 60’s there was a great grocery store in downtown Laredo called the Jitney Jungle. It was a very popular store, especially with people who would come from Mexico to get food items that could not be found in their country. The Jitney Jungle had a gourmet shop which was known all over Mexico. As kids, we were fascinated by some of the strange items, such as canned snails. The store always did well, but the chain finally closed down and that was it for the Laredo Jitney Jungle. Since then the building has sat empty; a sad reminder of what once was in downtown Laredo.
A few years ago I bought the building and have been planning what to do with it. The roof was caving in so we decided to tear it down and leave the walls, creating a large outdoor patio. We are building a stage and plan to hold concerts at the Jitney. We left standing an old historic house that was part of the property. It was build in the 1880’s and we have plans to restore it and make it a downtown restaurant and bar. Capacity for the whole property is around 1000 concert goers so we can have some very good talent come to Laredo and perform. 
All this is made possible by the vision and hard work of Elizabeth Sames and Bill Luft, who together are creating a space that all of Laredo can be proud of.
The first concert is planned for May 3rd and will feature Gringo Barrio and Hotcakes. The concert is a benefit show for the Laredo Area Community Foundation. Tickets are selling like, well, hotcakes.
Gringo Barrio
Who is Gringo Barrio
What is Gringo Barrio? First off, it is the name of a new band in Austin, Texas that is producing an album to be released in September 2013. We are trying to create a new genre of music that incorporates the sounds of Mexico with Texas folk-country music. The closest comparison might be Doug Sahm or the Texas Tornados; but not exactly. We are creating our own sound and telling stories of life growing up in Laredo, Texas in the 1960’s and 1970’s. We are gringos (sort of) who grew up in a predominately Mexican culture; lived and loved every minute of it. So I guess the real name of the band should be “Gringos del Barrio”, but it does not roll off of the tongue as nicely so we shortened it.
We have written eleven original songs about life on the Border. Each song tells a story or is about…
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“Latin American Beauty Queen” performed by Gringo Barrio live at Stubb’s
Here is a live version of “Latin American Beauty Queen”
“Tickrider” live at Stubb’s
A Tick Rider is a government inspector who rides the banks of the Rio Grande on horseback. He is looking for cattle that have crossed over from Mexico. Some of these cattle carry a fever tick and they can infect cattle on the US side. This is a real “cowboy” job. He spends all day on horseback and retires at night to a government provided shack near the river. It is a lonely job and he had better have his head on straight.
A few years ago, a group of tick riders were sent to Paris, France to teach their job to the French, who were having an outbreak of fever tick.
“Catholic Schoolgirl” live at Stubb’s
Why are bad boys attractive to good girls? It goes all the way back to Adam and Eve. The forces of good and bad tugging at each other has been around ever since God gave us free will. Just like a magnet, sometimes the forces are repelled but just as often they attract.
I Ride Alone
Sometimes it’s lonely out there. You have to clear your head. Especially after a heartbreak. He is alone with his horse, on the way from San Antonio to Laredo. He meets a special woman. But he is not ready. “Someday I’ll be your guiding light, but for now, I ride alone.”
Find Gringo Barrio songs on ITunes
Ernie and Justine
A lament about true love and how far a young man will go to prove his love for his woman. This is a song about how innocents get caught up in the drug business. For love, for money, and for a mirade of reasons young people ruin their lives and futures when making bad decisions for what seems like noble causes.
Ropin’ Tips
A little ropin’ lesson from your friends at Gringo Barrio
Gringo Barrio 