Tish Hinojosa - With a Guitar & a Pen (2024)

This new album was recorded in Austin, TX with a good many originals & a few covers which Ms. Hinojosa chose to record that reflect where she’s been, where she is & where she dreams of going. The San Antonio, Texas artist has been at this work since 1969 & she’s a master singer-songwriter with an expressive vibrato voice that continues to be prominent, luxurious & as rootsy as it should be.

These 10 affirming compositions nurtured on With A Guitar & A Pen produced by Marvin Dykhuis (acoustic/electric & classical guitars/bajo sexto/bass/mandolin/percussion) & Tish (vocals/guitar) with arrangements by Mr. Dykhuis & Chip Dolan (piano/accordion) lays out a set of diverse & precise tunes.

I bought her Homeland LP in 1989 & purchased Ms. Hinojosa’s music without listening to it first. She was an artist who was guaranteed. A well-distinguished voice with strong material & tonality & even the Spanish songs were gently melodic & consistent. If I can listen to Los Lobos in Spanish & enjoy music like “Guantanamera” & Joe Cuba’s “Bang, Bang” (not understanding the lyrics since I’m not Spanish) – I learned I never had to understand all the words because when the music was that infectious it translated itself.

16 albums deep in her long career the music may sound more mature, but the signature sound of Tish’s music is still relevant. Perhaps because her voice is vaguely retro – she sings in a purely country-traditional & Latino ferment rather than the current pop-country mix. Closer to the country muscle of the 60s where Loretta Lynn, Tammy Wynette & Brenda Lee resided. And while Tish doesn’t sing exactly like they did she’s a reminder of that rendition of song.

Even the stylistic backup vocalists are significant. The sound isn’t soaked in commercialism or mainstream fanfare. What’s unvarnished is the wonderful Blaze Foley cover “If I Could Only Fly,” as well as “Luna Traviesa (Mischievous Moon),” an old-world Spanish ballad style with its ever so slight Tex-Mex accordion & acoustic guitars that are delicious with Tish’s reverently smooth vocal. Where’s Freddy Fender when you need him?

The most commercially broad tune is the short & poignant “Because of You” which concludes the set with style & substance. Tish fits comfortably between Mary Chapin-Carpenter, Emmylou Harris, Kathy Mattea & Linda Ronstadt –who covered Tish’s song “Adonde Voy (Where Am I Going),” on her “Winter Light” album.

This album has musical breadth & lots of authenticity firing on all cylinders.