Pedro M. "Pete" Perez

Corpus Christi accordion legend, Pedro M. “Pete” Perez, passed away on March 4, 2022, at the age of 79 after a long illness. Pete, who was born in 1943, was a lifelong accordion player who began playing professionally in the late 1950s and continued playing well past his 70th birthday.

Pete began playing the accordion at the age of 12 after spending part of his school summer vacation in the Rio Grande Valley being tutored by his uncle, Narciso “El Huracan del Valle” Martinez.

Within a couple of years, Pete formed his own band, Los Pavos de Pete Perez. By the time he was 15, he and his band had become regulars in the nightclubs and cantinas in the Coastal Bend area. Pete and Los Pavos made the jump to performing at weddings, quinceaneras, and Sweet 16 parties after a classmate of his, Josie Campos (Fernandez), hired Los Pavos to perform at her Sweet 16 birthday dance.  Josie eventually became Pete’s sister-in-law after he married her younger sister, Ida Campos (Perez), several years later.

From that point forward, Los Pavos (who included some of Pete’s younger brothers) were in high demand for anyone who had a wedding or quinceanera in the Corpus area.  Pete and his accordion playing became well known and his flamboyant personality and performance style led many locals to label him as the “Mexican Elvis.”

Eventually, the group was comprised of all of Pete’s younger brothers and the group was renamed Los Hermanos Martinez Perez. Pete (accordion), Joe (drums and bass), Pablo (drums, organ, and accordion), Jesse (saxophone and lead vocals), Narciso (drums and bass), and Raymond (drums), played together throughout the 60s, 70s, and into the early 80s.

Los Pavos and Los Hermanos Martinez Perez recorded many songs during their time together, including Flor Marchita, Reyna de Nuestro Hogar, Miguel Blanco, Soy de Valle, and Mi Corpus Christi.  Flor Marchita received rave reviews and became a national hit and was on the Spanish music charts for several weeks. Mi Corpus Christi was a big hit for the group, and it highlighted the talents of the Perez brothers’ father, Leandro Perez, who wrote the song. The music business became a true family affair for the group with their mother, Epiphania Perez, serving as their manager and booking agent.

Pete proudly served his country in the U.S. Army and was a veteran of the Vietnam War.  He loved high school football and spent Saturday mornings each fall checking football scores from around the state.  As a proud Miller Buc, Pete loved regaling the great Buc teams of the 60s.  Pete made a living as a welder and later as a long-haul truck driver. The latter took him to nearly every state in the country.

Pete’s sons would like to thank their aunt, Dolores, and their uncle, Israel, for the care and comfort they provided to their dad, especially during the last few months as his health was declining.

Pete is preceded in passing by his beloved wife of 51 years, Ida Campos Perez; his parents, Leandro Perez and Epiphania Martinez Perez; his brothers, Leandro Perez Jr. and Narciso Perez; and his sisters, Epiphania Perez and Maria de la Luz Perez.

Pete is survived by his sons, Pedro (Ronnie) Perez Jr. and Martin L. Perez; his granddaughter, Tori Perez; his siblings, Dolores Perez (Israel) Barrientos, Joe M. (Rosalinda) Perez, Jesse (Colleen) Perez, Pablo (Mary Ann) Perez, San Juanita Perez, and Raymond (Yolanda) Perez; as well as numerous nieces and nephews.

The family will receive condolences on Monday, March 14, 2022, from 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM, at Trevino Funeral Home, 3006 Niagara @ Port Ave; with a Holy Rosary to be recited at 7:00 PM. A funeral cortege will depart the funeral home at 8:00 AM on Tuesday, March 15, 2022, for a Mass of Christian Burial at 8:30 AM at Sacred Heart Catholic Church. Rite of Committal and Interment will follow at Coastal Bend State Veterans Cemetery at 10:00 AM.

In lieu of flowers please consider making a donation to the Wounded Warriors Project, www.woundedwarriorproject.org in memory of Pedro M. “Pete” Perez.

Face masks must be worn, and social distancing must be practiced while attending services at this facility