Roberto Estrada Salinas

Roberto Salinas, 79, of San Antonio, Texas, entered Heaven on Saturday, June 13, 2020. Roberto was born to the late Martiniano Salinas, and Trinidad Estrada, September 09, 1940 in General Treviño, Nuevo León. He married the beautiful Carolyn Grace Guerra in 1960 and had 6 children together.

Roberto is joining his son Robert Eloy Salinas Jr with our Lord in Heaven, and he is survived by Melodie Ann Longoria, Rodney Edward Salinas, Russell Elbert Rene Salinas (Denise Salinas), Robina Satia-Gay Salinas, and Bettina Carrie Cisneros (Hector Cisneros Jr). He also is survived by 12 grandchildren and 4 great-grandchildren. He is preceded in passing by 2 brothers, 1 sister, as well as 2 living sisters, many aunts, uncles, nephews, nieces, cousins, friends, and his very loved fellow musicians/bandmates here on Earth and in Paradise.

Salinas began to play the guitar and piano-accordion in his early life at local churches, dance halls, including cantinas. Salinas played with the duet Estrella for some time and Chelelo from 1958 to 1959 before moving to the U.S.
In the 1960’s to early 1970’s, Salinas became very popular for his polka conjunto style of music and performed special events including at the popular Tony de la Rosa Bar and National Ballroom in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, well known Latino (Mexican-American-Tejano) social epicenters.
Salinas along with other Mexican-American and Tejano musicians were very instrumental in keeping the polkas, rancheras and cumbias including the culture alive in those historic days where Latinos sparked the movement for civil rights, social change, equality, job opportunities, bilingual education and higher education in Milwaukee and throughout Wisconsin.
Salinas later moved to Texas where he performed with other groups known as conjuntos. He also played with the late Steve Jordan, another conjunto legend who played Mexican-American and Tejano conjunto style of venue (polkas).
Salinas also recorded songs with Eloy Bernal, El Macho Solice, Juan Sifuentes, Armando Peña, Joe Ramos, Heriberto Lopez, and Cha-Cha Jimenez.
El Maestro del Acordeon Chromatica Piana

El creador de la Polka Analfabeta, un pieza de arte músical
A TEX-MEX Legend Beto Salinas is a man of integrity with noble morale, true to everyone, and kind in spirit.
Sleep With the Angels