The Baca Family band was formed in 1892 by Frank Baca, the son of Joseph Baca, who had left Moravia for Galveston, Texas in 1860. This was a common move for Czech people at the time due to discrimination against them from the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Frank would officially form the band in Fayetteville, a town located a ways to the west of Houston that was frequently called “The Cradle of Czech Immigration” in Texas. The band was the first recognized Czech orchestra group in Texas, and included not only the talent of all thirteen of Frank’s children, but several others from central Texas as well.
Musical prowess would become a running theme in the family, with Frank himself being proficient in several instruments as a child and spreading his love of music down to his children. When he eventually passed away in 1907, Joe Baca, bearing the same name as his grandfather, took control of the band, likely being seen as the most qualified of the siblings. He would maintain the group until he also passed thirteen years later in 1920, at which point his brother, John Baca, would succeed him, continuing the family’s tradition and legacy.
Unlike his predecessors, who had no recorded interest in affiliating with labels or distributors to any large extent, seeing that they didn’t have any recordings at all until their first in 1929, John’s version of the group was very prolific. They played for the Houston radio station KPRC, and recorded music for several recording labels, those being Brunswick, Columbia, and OKeh records. These associations would each contribute to the rise in popularity of the band as they gained access to a broad audience.
Czech Immigration into Texas would result in a defined Czech subculture that thrived in the new environment, certainly much better than if they had stayed in Czechoslovakia. Many of these migrants would settle nearby Houston, creating a notable population of Texas Czech people in the area in a way that can still be seen today.
Most of the music that was produced by the Baca Family band was fairly inoffensive dance music. In my own opinion, these recordings give off the energy of a friendly social gathering, as was their function. The content of the recordings is not especially deep or meaningful, but their intended use as dance music does not require particular attention to the lyrics or any message at all.
Works Cited
Brandy Schnautz and Laurie E. Jasinski, “Bacas of Fayetteville,” Handbook of Texas Online, www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/bacas-of-fayetteville.
Louis J. Polansky and David S. Walkup, “Fayetteville, TX (Fayette County),” Handbook of Texas Online, www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/fayetteville-tx-fayette-county.
Strachwitz, Chris, “The Texas-Czech, Bohemian, & Moravian Bands” Arhoolie Folklyric. 1993, folkways-media.si.edu/liner_notes/arhoolie/ARH07026.pdf.
