Music from the Heart

Through the years, versatile musician Pete Hamer has always enjoyed listening to and playing various styles of music. Growing up in New York City, he became familiar with a lot of different styles. But three years ago, in Texarkana, he heard a style of music he had never heard before. It captivated his heart.

When Hamer was growing up in New York, the first instrument he learned to play was the accordion and in high school he played upright bass and taught himself guitar.

"I played at dances, parties, weddings, bar mitzvahs. In the summers I would play in restaurants," he said.

He has been influenced by professionals such as the late Chet Atkins, Andres Segovia, Barney Kessel and Jhonny Smith.

Hamer and his wife, Jean, moved to Texarkana in 2007. He joined the choir at St. Edward Catholic Church, led by singer and guitarist Michelle Karam. Hamer still enjoys playing guitar in Karam's choir, along with accomplished musicians Karam, Jim Moser on bass and Rose Moser on flute. Various singers also participate.

Several years passed before Hamer heard St. Edward's Hispanic choir on a Sunday afternoon at the Spanish-speaking Mass. Describing his first exposure to Hispanic worship music, he said simply, "I fell in love with the music."

Hamer inquired about joining the Hispanic musicians.

"Aurora (Sanchez), a singer in the choir, allowed me to sit in on a practice, and that was IT," he recalled.

From that day forward, Hamer started playing with the excellent Hispanic musicians at the Spanish-speaking Mass. He continued to play for Karam's choir as well.

"At first the Hispanic choir wanted a bass player, so I played bass," he said.

One day Maria Leyva, young singer and guitarist, asked him, "Mr. Pete, can you teach me to play bass?" So on Saturday mornings, Maria came to Hamer's house for bass lessons.

"After three lessons she could play the bass," he said with pride.

Maria brought her brother Kevin along, who took guitar lessons from Hamer.

Last year, Hamer began teaching guitar to Angel Paz and Elizabeth Parra, both 11.

"We started them in November and now they play for the Spanish choir. Maria and Kevin, Elizabeth and Angel all came to my house for lessons. They are all regulars in the choir," he said.

Maria took over the bass, and Hamer plays guitar unless it is the Sunday Maria serves at the altar. On that Sunday, Hamer plays bass.

"We have so many guitar players that the little ones have to take turns," he said.

Hamer has always enjoyed sharing his musical knowledge and expertise. For example, as a youth in New York, he taught his mother to play the accordion. He taught his godfather, a violinist, to play guitar.

He aids the Spanish-speaking choir at St. Edward in several different ways.

"I'm always coaching the guitar players and showing them little tricks," he said.

Hamer also maintains the strings, explaining, "I change the strings for the players. I have a ton of strings at my house."

And he is a source of encouragement to the singers, reminding them, "Sing with passion.You are telling God you love him."

He said with conviction, "Whatever I do for the choir, I get back 10 times over."

Hamer has grown to love and appreciate the Hispanics.

"The two most important things in their life are family and church," he said.

And since choir members Maria and Kevin Leyva's grandparents are in Mexico, Hamer and his wife, Jean, have "adopted" them.

"Maria is a straight-A student at Texas High," he said proudly, sounding like a grandfather.

He appreciates the way the choir members harmonize spontaneously, saying, "They have a great feeling for the music. We have got some wonderful singers. And choir member Jose Perez leads the congregation in singing the Sunday's Psalm. He also helps organize the music, making copies for everybody. Jose is a bridge between Anglos and Hispanics. He speaks both languages fluently." Smiling, he added, "Aurora's mother (also named Aurora) sings with passion, sometimes bouncing a baby on her lap while she sings."

Hamer never tires of praising the Hispanic choir.

"Alexis Contreras, the drum major at Texas High, is an excellent musician on clarinet and guitar. Jose El Tigre Reyes sometimes plays trumpet and is a super guitar player. Manuel Camarillo is an older man who has played forever. He was one of the first ones to form the choir. He's very dedicated, and plays wonderful guitar."

If there were space in this story, Hamer would gladly compliment all 25 or 30 participants of the choir.

Hamer said the Anglo choir uses music notations; the Hispanic choir uses a sheet of paper with only the words on it.

"They learn the melody by listening to it during practice," Hamer explained. The choir practices on Wednesday evenings. He said a lot of the music comes from Mexico.

"Most of the Hispanic congregation are familiar with the songs. There is a lot of tradition in their songs," he added.

Michelle Karam's choir practices 1 1/2 hours before each Mass. The ages of her choir are 40-plus. The Hispanic musicians' ages range from 9 years old to 76 (Hamer).

"What draws me to the Hispanic choir is the passion," he said.

And in addition to the Spanish Mass, Hamer said the Hispanic choir plays and sings for special occasions such as the celebration when a girl turns 15 and rededicates her life to the church and to God. Other special liturgies during which the choir participates include weddings, first communion and confirmation.

Hamer is also proud of his own two daughters. Cathy McSwain is a civilian lawyer with the U.S. Air Force, and is a full colonel in the U.S. Air Force Reserve. Jennifer Radomski lives in Texarkana with her husband and three sons. Radomski is assistant swim coach at Texas High School.

With grandfatherly pride Hamer said, "My grandson, Christopher Radomski, won the Texas state championship in swimming a few years ago."

Hamer excels in whatever he does. He joined the U.S. Army in 1962, and served his country as a second lieutenant in Germany and Vietnam. He also served in Fort Lewis, Wash., and Fort Hood, Texas.

After leaving the Army in 1973, he earned a bachelor's degree at Mary Hardin Baylor University in history and political science. He then earned a law degree at Baylor Law School.

He served as prosecutor in Bell County for 15 1/2 years, then went into private practice.

Later he became assistant director of training at the National College of District Attorneys, a national training arm of the National District Attorneys Association. Hamer put together schools for them. In 1997 he supervised 40 detectives in the Criminal Investigation Division, Fort Bend County, Texas, Sheriff's Office. He retired in 2001. He has been certified as a Texas Peace Officer since 1977, and has worked in that capacity.

Never abandoning his music during those years, among other musical activities, he played second banjo in a polka band while living in Bell County. Polkas, jazz, classical-he enjoys them all, but finds something special in Hispanic worship music.

He said of the Hispanic choir, "They are my new family. They are beautiful people."