Mariachi Tapatío de José Marmolejo

José Marmolejo was called "El Hombre de la Eterna Sonrisa"(The Man with the Eternal Smile). He was well liked and was considered by many the ideal group leader. Under José Mariachi Tapatío became Mexico's premiere Mariachi from the mid-1930's to the mid-1940's and one of the most popular groups in the history of Mariachi music.

José Marmolejo Ramírez was born in Tecolotlan, Jalisco, in 1908, son of Cosme Marmolejo and María del Carmen Ramírez. José's father played trombone and other brass instruments; his uncle, Cirilo, played vihuela and guitarron. In 1922, José journeyed from Tecolotlán to the nation's capital in search of his uncle, who took him under his wing. In 1933 Mariachi Coculense performed at the Chicago Worlds Fair. After this trip José left his uncle's group to organize his own ensemble which would be know as "Mariachi Tapatío de José Marmolejo". A Tapatío is a person from the state of Jalisco. Many of the groups early recordings bear the slogan "El Auténtico".

During the 1920 and 1030s Mariachi groups had a very difficult time making a living. This is where patrons came into the picture. Tapatío's patron was Eusebio Acosta Velazco the wealthy owner of the Autobuses de Occidente bus line. When the group would play in the patron's home town of Molango, Hidalgo he would not ask them how much they charged, he would just hand them a giant roll of bills.

Many Mariachi musicians still remember José Marmolejo's single-story tenement at 39 Manuel Doblado Street about 10 blocks east of Mexico City's Plaza Garibaldi, where the group rehearsed daily during the 1930s and '40s. Great future singers could be seen rehearsing with the group: Jorge Negrete, Pedro Infante and Vicente Fernández.

Musically, the group was far ahead of its time. In the early years it was very difficult to find Mariachi musicians that had any formal training what so ever. But, Mariachi Tapatío had many performers that read music and two of the members were accomplished Maestros who knew music theory.

There are many controversies as to when the trumpet became a part of the Mariachi Band. But, Mariachi Tapatío featured trumpet from its inception. Jesús Salazar was the greatest of the early Mariachi trumpet players and can be called the "Father" of the Mariachi trumpet.

It was José's laid back attitude that was the downfall of this early beacon of Mariachi music. He did not discipline his members for missing rehearsals or chambas.

In 1958 José Marmolejo died. A series of Tapatío members continued the group for the next few years. In 1968 the group disbanded permanently.

Jose and his sisters c. 1941