AJ Castillo Revives Dying Genre

Flashing lights, video screens, and an accordion kept San Angelo on the dance floor Friday night when the Knights of Columbus of Saint Mary’s Catholic Church hosted their 9th annual Valentine's Dance. 

“In the past the event brought out a lot of people from our church community, but this year people from throughout San Angelo and the surrounding areas are coming,” Ernest A. Garcia, a member of the Knights of Columbus said.

Garcia said he has been involved in several events, however has never seen one sell out and be in such demand as this dance has. All 600 tickets for the dance sold out this year for the first time ever.

“What happened is we decided to bring in bigger and better talent,” Garcia said.

Performing for the dance at the Knights of Columbus Hall were Romaldo & Grupo Fuerzzo with special guest Cacy Savala and AJ Castillo.

Garcia said, “AJ is defintley number one right now in Tejano music. He offers a new sound and a new feel.”

The crowd showed their agreement with Garcia’s statement. As soon as AJ Castillo hit the stage, cameras were out, photos were being snapped and the dance floor was occupied by dancers, viewers, and even a kid impersonator of the up-and-coming accordion player.

But for AJ Castillo its not about the fame or the fortune; its all about the passion for music.

“I’m not the kind of person that wants all the spotlight or needs it to be just about me,” Castillo said.

He said, “It's about the passion I’ve always had for the music, the accordion, the Tejano lifestyle, the people. Its always about the music, but you know, I think a lot of times people want to measure your success by whether or not your shows are sold out.”

Castillo, who first started playing around the age of 10 and has already won a number of awards within his genre, says he does not have time to measure his success.

“I think when you stop to take time to think about all the things you’ve done you're wasting time and you're not really maximizing your potential for the future because you are so concerned with all the things you have already done. I just try not to think of that and just keep moving and looking forward to what is next,” he said.

The 27-year-old from Austin has a lot to look forward to in his future. After only four years of touring with his band, Castillo has traveled throughout Texas, as well as other states including Arizona, California and Wisconsin.

Even more exciting for the musician who is reviving a dying genre-- his first international show this summer in Monterrey, Mexico.

"I have a new single out, its called 'Trón in My System,'" he said. "It's like a Trival cumbia and it's different because a lot of Tejano people will say, ‘thats not Tejano that’s Mexican, thats Trival’, but my thing is I’ve already done cumbias and I’ve already done Tejano songs,” Castillo said on how he is trying to widen his audience in order to reach people that may not listen to Tejano.[[{"fid":"3051","view_mode":"default","fields":{"format":"default"},"type":"media","attributes":{}}]]

Castillo explained that he is bringing Tejano back by revolutionizing the genre. “I am incorporating different styles of music into my show. Now I have fans that are little kids--that is what is important and where Tejano kinda of left off.”

But he also noted something else that sets him apart from the other artists, “I have screens, I have lights,  we put on an actual show. We talk to the fans, we do interviews, we take pictures, we give everything to the fans, we give our all and we came to perform. The fan base is everything.”

Castillo said, “A lot of the older artists who might be in their 30s, 40s, 50s forgot about that. They think that they are stars but they are playing at the same venues as me, yet I have more people.”

Another challenge Castillo said is seen within both the Tejano and Hispanic communities is the lack of support. However, Castillo doesn’t follow that lead. Instead he developed his own campaign of encouragement.

“I started ‘The New Movement’ about two years ago. My definition of the movement--support new music, supporting new artists, new shows, giving the fans everything,” Castillo said. But after so many have claimed to be a part of ‘The New Movement’ Castillo said the meaning has been oversaturated-- he is now starting ‘The Real Movement’.

Castillo, who earned a degree in business management from the University of Texas at San Antonio, has also become an advocate for education.

“As a young Hispanic the most important thing right now is education. It so important to  go to school and follow through,” he said.

With a rapid growth in the Hispanic population, Castillo noted the importance of education in order for Hispanics to have a stronger role in politics and society.

“I think a lot of times people forget how important it is to read. Reading is everything. The more you read the better a reader you are and the further you are going to get,” he said. 

And Castillo has gone far. “My dad had a band and as a little kid, [and] I would go to the dances and stand at the stage and I knew I wanted to do that--to perform in front of people, to perform for other Tejanos. It’s just growing and growing. Never would I have thought that I would be here right now.”

On the recognition he has attained through his music, Castillo says, “I don’t deserve any of this. I can't even tell you how I’ve been blessed.”

For more information on AJ Castillo visit his website at ajcastillo.com