Hola Texas. Yo soy Uriel Ramos-Renteria con el cantante Pepe Aguilar, hijo de Antonio Aguilar y Flor Silvestre. Pepe, primeramente (first) thank you for taking time to answer a few questions. Muchas gracias. It is an honor and my pleasure to share with our North Texas readers a little about yourself.
Fun fact, my mother Concepcion Ramos-Renteria is from Tayahua, Zacatecas, Mexico. Ademas (furthermore) my wife, Penny and I baptized our son, Gavino, there in the Aguilar Hacienda (beautiful history). I mean what an honor to be able to share this unique connection with one of Mexico’s most famous couples, Don Antonio Aguilar y Doña Flor Silvestre (RIP). Y hora (and now), I get to connect with the son, Pepe Aguilar! Classic!
Before we go to the interview, I must share that I also had the pleasure of attending the concert at the Choctaw Casino & Resort, Grand Theater-FUN, FUN, FUN. It was a packed house that began with Lupita Infante opening with a voice Grandfather Pedro Infante would be proud of. Followed by the legendary performance of Pepe Aguilar and Mariachi Zacatecano. As Pepe delivered every song with emotion (que tocan el corazon), I couldn’t stop thinking over his reference- “fame is temporary, but legacy- you have to carry that with dignity”. El conceirto ended with the classic song, ‘Un Puño de Tiera’. La canción (the song) has never sounded better, “y lo digo sin estar pedo”. Bueno, who can ignore drinking a few with PepeJ. I walked out thinking, “Mi Suerte Es Ser Mexicano” (my luck is being Mexican) -Pepe Aguilar.
Hola Texas Magazine Interview: Pepe Aguilar
Can you share with us what it was like growing up with famous parents?
It was intense—but not because of fame. My parents weren’t just admired, they were committed. My father, Antonio Aguilar, was building something bigger than a career—he was carrying a culture. My mother, Flor Silvestre, had this emotional honesty in her voice that went straight to the heart. Growing up like that taught me something simple but powerful: fame is temporary, but legacy—you have to carry that with dignity.
2. Naciste in San Antonio, Texas? That is very interesting. Tus fans, especially Texans must be thrilled knowing this. Do you think most people know you are a native of San Antonio? I have heard that your mom was performing the day of your birth. Is that correct?
Así es. I was born in San Antonio, right in the middle of a tour. My mom was on stage that day, working, like always. That’s how I came into this world—surrounded by music, movimiento, and devotion to the craft. I don’t know if everyone knows I’m from Texas, but that duality—being born in the U.S., raised in Mexico—has always been part of me. I’m not “between” cultures. I am both.
3. Imagino, since you grew up surrounded by so many famous and talented people, did you feel pressured to follow in your parents’ footsteps? And did you ever consider another career path?
I didn’t feel pressure—I felt the weight of a legacy. So I carved my own path. Before music, I was fully dedicated to charrería—competing, training, winning. It wasn’t a hobby; it was a serious passion. My father didn’t agree with it at the time, but for me, it was a way to connect with tradition and identity on my terms.
Music came later, when I had something real to say. I didn’t step into this to follow anyone—I came in to contribute something of my own.
4. How old were you when you first performed on stage or en caballo with your father? And what was that first experience like for you?
I was three when I first got on stage, five when I first rode in front of a crowd. And from the beginning, I understood it wasn’t just a show—it was representation. It was culture in motion. Being next to my father in that space was like being part of a ritual. That respect for the moment has never left me.
5. Fun question 😊 Tengo que preguntar. Tequila o whiskey? What is your preference?
Both have their place. I enjoy a good whisky—aged, elegant, deep—but if you ask me what runs through the veins of my roots? Tequila. Not just to drink, but to honor. It’s part of our land, our ritual, our memory.
6. Tell me a little more about your rock band origin.
Rock was my rebellion—but also my education. I had bands, toured, recorded… long hair, distortion pedals, the whole thing. It gave me freedom to discover who I was outside of my last name. And that exploration helped me build the artist I became. I never turned my back on our music—I just needed to arrive to it on my own terms.
7. I personally grew up listening to Antonio Aguilar corridos—de caballos, de gallos, etc. ¿Qué música te gusta escuchar? (What music do you enjoy listening to? In your youth and now.)
Esos corridos de mi padre son parte de mi ADN. But my musical taste has always been wide. I grew up listening to José Alfredo, Chavela, Vicente… but also The Beatles, Pink Floyd, The Cure. I still listen to a bit of everything—flamenco, jazz, música de raíz, experimental sounds. I don’t care about genre. I care about honesty. If it moves something inside me, I’m in.
Anything else you’d like to add?
Yes— “Mi Suerte Es Ser Mexicano” is more than just my latest project. It’s a statement. A celebration of identity, of lineage, of everything that has shaped me. This isn’t nostalgia—it’s living tradition. It’s me saying: I know where I come from, and I carry it forward with pride, without dilution.
That album marks the beginning of a new phase for me. A conscious expansion. I’m not interested in chasing numbers or fitting into formulas. I’m here to build symbols, to open emotional and cultural terrain, and to leave something with meaning. Because at the end of the day, this isn’t about entertainment. It’s about transmitting something alive—un eco vivo—that connects generations and transcends borders.
Author, Uriel Ramos-Renteria (aka- Coach)
