I coordinated two different programs held in Special Collections for Hispanic Heritage Month in 2016. I worked with Socorro Carrizosa of the Chicano Hispano Center on the planning. Dan’s talk was the first one. The second program was another “Noche de Corridos” evening. I’ve known Dan Buckley since my days as a member of the Board of Directors of the Tucson International Mariachi Conference in the mid-2000s. He’s been a long time supporter of the Tucson International Mariachi Conference and his writing for the Tucson Citizen on the festival was always something one could eagerly look forward to reading.

Click here to listen to the audio of this program.

Local documentary producer, writer and music critic, Daniel Buckley, will share the story of the Tucson youth mariachi movement. He is currently in production on his eighth documentary, “The Mariachi Miracle,” which traces the impact of youth mariachis and folklórico dance groups on the social economic, educational, political and artistic fabric of Tucson, Arizona.

Producer/director Daniel Buckley is currently in production on his 8th documentary film, The Mariachi Miracle, which traces the impact of your mariachis and folklorico dance groups on the social, economic, educational, pollitical and artistic fabric of Tucson.

Buckely spent over 30 years as a music journalist, and later multimedia developer for newspapers in Tucson, Arizona and national magazines. During his nearly 23 years with the Tucson Citizien, de developed a deep interest in Tucson’s traditional Mexican and Native American cultural expressions.

In 2013, the Tucson International Mariachi Conference inducted Buckley into its Mariachi Hall of Fame, and in 2014 he was named Artist of the Year at the Arizona Governor’s Arts Awards for his work as a writer, composer, filmmaker, performance artist, and photographer.

Click here for more information on Buckley’s Mariachi Miracle project .