A Niece’s Song Tribute to Her Aunt, the Late Eva Garza

The late Eva Garza was a Texas-born singer and a huge star in Mexico from the 1940s through the 1960s.

Here in the United States, Eva Garza is remembered as one of the first Latina crossover artists for the Decca Records label.

But that was decades ago. Today, Eva Garza’s music is largely forgotten. But her niece wants to change that.

Leticia Rodriguez pays homage to her Aunt on the album “La Americana.” The CD includes covers of many of the songs first made famous by her Aunt Eva.

Leticia Rodriguez doesn’t really remember her aunt, but she certainly knows her through the music.

Rodriguez says, “my mother played her LPs constantly. They were obviously her favorite. And I can still see my mother dancing with my father in the den and crying, laughing, and telling me stories about Eva.”

Eva Garza died in 1966. She was in her 40s and is buried in Mexico City.