You’ll never just happen to drive through Chacon, a little village at the end of a mountain road in northern New Mexico, unless you take a wrong turn in Mora. And you have to try pretty hard to end up in Mora, which makes your chances of ended up in Chacon even slimmer.
Our dear friend, the late Roberto Martinez, was born in Chacon and he spoke highly of the stomping grounds of his youth so it’s been on our list of sites to see so we took a day trip back over there.
The scenery in the Mora Valley is breathtaking. Views for miles. And every town has a quaint church. I could easily imagine maybe he spent time at this little chapel, Capilla de San Antonio.
Roberto was a massively talented folk artist who we had the privilege to know for the final years of his life. You can find his work at the Smithsonian Institute Folkways. He was the composer of many wonderful New Mexican ballads and his impact on New Mexican folk music is beyond measure. He so graciously welcomed us into his circle of friends. We think about him often but today I especially remember his gentle kindness and his delight in music. We really miss him.
Here’s more from our day trip:
Karen Alma 