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Thursday, March 13, 2008
On the way back from Raton, New Mexico with my Uncle Joe and Aunt Angie, We stopped in Aguilar, Colorado to visit with Georgia Abeyta. My Grand-Mother is Georgia's God-Mother.
Aunt Angie and I had visited before but this was the first time for Uncle Joe. Well, after 60 years, no introduction was necessary. They spoke of times and people I knew very little or nothing about.
Georgia said she liked going to Grandma's house because the kids could play and nothing would bother grandma. Such was not the case at home.
Uncle Joe said there was a pretty lady at Georgia's home one day. He said he used to peek in her room and talk to her. Uncle Joe asked Georgia "who was that lady?" Georgia immediately knew who she was. The lady had taught Georgia how to sing.
The lady and her family were in Raton to perform. While she was in Raton she stayed at Georgia's home.
The lady's name is Lydia Mendoza.
Lydia Mendoza died last year, December 20. 2007. Georgia showed us the obituary she saved from the newspaper. The clipping stated that she sang at President Carter's Inauguration and was recognized by President Clinton.
In 1982 Lydia Mendoza was recognized by the National Endowment for the Arts with an NEA National Heritage Award. Bill Munroe was also recognized that year. In 1999 she was awarded the National Medal of Arts at a White House ceremony. She shared that stage with Aretha Franklin.
I asked, why did Miss Mendoza stay at with Georgia's family? Georgia said "so nobody would bother her." I did not ask anymore about it, though I did find another answer online at WorshipGuitars.org
She was called "la alondra de la frontera" - the lark of the frontier or "the lark of the border."
Check the links below.
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