Manuel Donley
Manuel "Cowboy" Donley was a Mexican-born pioneer of Tejano music.
In the 1940s, Donley, who had dropped out of school in the 7th grade, took a pioneering role in the orquesta sound, combining Mexican and American popular music elements and inspired by big band. He toured the Midwest and Texas for decades. In 1955, he began playing with his band Las Estrellas. During his career, he recorded over 150 singles.Personal life
Manuel Donley Quiñones was born in Durango, Mexico to Ramón Donley and Dolores Quiñones. He had eight siblings.Awards
In 2014, he received the National Endowment of the Arts heritage fellowship. He was inducted into the Tejano Music Hall of Fame in 1986.
