Late Tejano music star Johnny Canales is being remembered in Houston this weekend with the premiere of a new documentary about his life and legacy.
The film, titled “Take It Away,” will be shown at 8 p.m. this Friday, March 20, at the 10th annual Houston Latino Film Festival located at 3400 Main Street, Houston, TX. The film is named after his famous catchphrase he often said during “The Johnny Canales Show,” which was broadcasted in multiple regions across the United States and Mexico for over four decades.
Nina Martinez from our sister station, KAJA Telemundo, spoke to Nora Canales, the widow of Johnny Canales, about the project. Nora said the documentary took five years to create and features her late husband’s final recordings.
“We have the last recordings of him giving us his personal story of what it meant for him to, to be able to do this amazing journey of him doing the Johnny Canales show,” Nora said.
The documentary highlights the challenges he faced and the legacy he leaves behind. It explores how his show served as a bridge for Tejano, Cumbia, and Norteño music, and made viewers feel at home every Sunday.
“But most important thing is the story behind it. How the struggle ended up being a beautiful empire, a beautiful dream,” Nora added.
Fans can expect to see interviews with several artists, including Michael Salgado, Intocable, La Mafia, and Bobby Pulido. The film also features Johnny's sister, and his daughters, Miroslava and Seleste Canales.
While organizers are currently working on bringing the documentary to Corpus Christi, Nora encourages anyone in the Houston area to go out and support the film's premiere.
“Take your kids, buy popcorn, sit down and just enjoy this beautiful, beautiful documentary that has a lot of history,” she said.
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