BPLSV mourns the loss of Roger Contreras.
March 19, 1959 - January 5, 2021.
January 5, 2021 was a Tuesday like any other for most people, but for all of us at BP Lighting Sound & Video it was a very sad day. One of our own passed away. Roger F. Contreras. My name is Brent Fields and even though most of my work is done sitting in front of a couple of computer monitors is still had the opportunity to work alongside Roger for a short period of time. But in that time, I got a real glimpse of this kind soul. One of our colleagues Alex Scheilke shared with me something that was something I always knew but never put into words and when Alex told me his thought I instantly agreed with laughter. Alex said about Roger “You always heard him just before you saw him.” Roger was cool, and I still remember these voice characters he came up with while working around the warehouse. He was always making me, as well as many others, laugh. After talking with others, I found out a lot more about Roger that I didn’t know. A fellow bassist that not only was an accomplished songwriter but a Grammy Award winning musician. He also had a caring and loving family with so many friends that all cared about him. His look on life was unique as I learned from and article that was written about him from a good friend of mine Hector Saldaña who a former staff writer for the San Antonio Express/News named. Here is that article from 2013.
In the fall of 1976, Tejano songwriter Roger Contreras was a 15-year-old choirboy, literally.
Life for the Edgewood High School sophomore revolved around music and his girlfriend, Aurora. Then one afternoon after walking her home from school, life changed one block away on Abshire Street. “Wrong place, wrong time,” says Contreras, who was attacked by teenagers from a rival school hassling some friends. “They thought I was with them.”
He was stabbed five times, receiving wounds to his torso and right arm, cutting arteries. Bleeding profusely, he managed to stagger back to his girlfriend's home on Chulita Street before losing consciousness.
He nearly died on the ambulance ride to the hospital. His right arm was paralyzed. He required a transfusion of 5 pints of blood. Unfortunately, it was tainted and he contracted hepatitis-C. The resulting liver damage has been devastating. But there is light at the end of the tunnel.
Contreras, 53 — whose songs such as “Entre Cantina y Cantina,” “Poquito a Poco” and “Con El Tiempo” were giant hits for Ram Herrera, Jay Perez and David Lee Garza — received a new liver in December.
He'd been on a waiting list for years and battled liver cancer during that period.
That brings the story to Sunday's Tejanos For Tejanos benefit concert/dance at Pueblo Hall, 3315 Northwestern.
The lineup includes Conjunto Sereno, 5-Star Band, Grupo Maravia, Henry Lee & The Tribute Band, Texas Latino, David Marez & People, Ram Herrera & the Outlaws and David Lee Garza y Los Musicales.
Music runs from 6 p.m.-midnight. Admission costs $10. Food plates will also be sold to help with medical bills. Call 210-434-0872.
“I've written a lot of songs for these people,” said Contreras, acknowledging his appreciation. “I'm blessed with so many people supporting me. There are times when you have cancer, when you feel like giving up. If I didn't have the support of people coming to me constantly and asking me not to give up and keep fighting, I wouldn't have made it. It kept my spirits up and made me believe.”
He admits that the stabbing left him angry for years and “mad at the world.”
“I was in a state of shock. The next thing I know, I'm in the hospital, and they're working on me. They said that I had died in the ambulance and that five seconds later I wouldn't have made it,” he said.
But the incident also informed his early songwriting. The bass player had lots of time to ponder. “I always had a way with words,” Contreras said. “After the stabbing, I decided to write about love.”
He really couldn't imagine the road ahead or the upbeat '80s and '90s hits.
“Oh, man. My biggest payday was getting heard on the radio. You can't believe the chills that went through my body,” Contreras recounted. “I was so green in the industry I didn't even know they paid you for songs.
“All of a sudden I became real popular. The Tejano music world is all about being original and trying to (stand out) and sound different. They're constantly looking for good songwriters and I became that person. I was kind of astonished.”
What happened to Aurora, the girl he walked home that fateful day in 1976? She became his wife. They've been married 21 years. “She actually stuck by me. She's been an inspiration to me all this time.”
Roger F. Contreras is laid to rest at San Fernando Cemetery II on Tuesday, January 19, 2021. Services with close members of the family were held at Castle Ridge Mortuary.
His obituary said:
On January 5, 2021, Roger F. Contreras was called home at the age of 61.
Roger was born and raised in San Antonio, Texas. He grew up on the Westside of town and lived his entire life on Estrella Street. His love for music started when he was a young choirboy. He began to write love songs that quickly became popular and made him a well known icon in the Tejano Industry. His songs will continue to live in the hearts of many.
Roger wore many hats and acquired many titles such as: Mentor, Friend, Icon, Legend, Coyote, and Colonel Rog.
To his family he was known as Brother, Dad, "Babydoll", but the one that he held dearly was Grandpa “Popo”.
Roger is preceded in death by his parents Enriquetta Flores and Roberto Contreras; brothers Rudy, Ruben and Raymond Contreras. He is survived by his loving wife Aurora “Babydoll”, Daughters Roxanne Ramirez, Jeanette Contreras (Michael Richardson), Nicole Farmer, Stephanie Garza (Richard Jason); Son Frank Bautista (Marsha); Grandchildren Jenica Wynne Cerda, Samantha Rae Ramirez, Jackson Rhyder Richardson, Aubri Jaisyn Garza; Brothers Richard Contreras (Robert Mooney), Robert Contreras; Sisters Diana Alvarado (Frank), Jo-Ann Contreras Price (Luis Estrada)
You left us beautiful memories, your love is still our guide and though we can not see you, you’re always by our side!
Livestreaming (OneRoom) of the Services, will be available through the following link; please click on link below:
(Tuesday, January 19, 2021 at 11:00 a.m. - 2:05 p.m.)
The Obituary can be found at the following link…
https://www.oneroomstreaming.com/view/authorise.php?k=161016572994409
Sadly for us, Roger returned to his heavenly home on January 5th, of this year and he will be missed greatly by many. Roger will be in all our hearts and prayers of us all at BP Lighting Sound & Video.
Descansa en Paz, Roger