Arturo Turo Lomas Garza

A professional percussionist, Turo was one of the original members of the legendary Austin band Beto and the Fairlanes. He also performed and recorded with Tish Hinojosa, Shirley Dominguez, Dan Del Santo and the Professors of Pleasure, The Starmen, Pressure, Joel Guzman and Sarah Fox, Conjunto Bernal and many others. Turo also loved production, and served as VP for Fable Records. Music was his heartbeat, and for years he would work a full week and perform Thursday through Saturday nights.

In recent years, he turned his talents to videography, producing the award-winning documentary Paper Cutouts to Steel; projects documenting the World War II experience of his father Mucio Garza and Gilberto Lorea; and countless music videos with Infynit Media. By day, for thirty-five years he designed printed circuit boards, first for 3M and then for Cirrus Logic, where he also played in the Logic 55 band to benefit HAAM. He retired from Cirrus Logic in December 2015.

Turo loved to travel, especially to the Yucatán, Mexico, and was looking forward to another trip to Tulum later in May. His visits to the Yucatán began in the early 80s, when Playa del Carmen was only a lighthouse and a palapa or two on the beach.

A native Tejano, Turo took great pride and pleasure in his rich Mexican American culture and family. He was born September 12, 1950, into a family of artists in Kingsville, TX, where he first began playing and studying music. Bilingual, he was deeply engaged in Chicano art, music and culture, and the social issues and politics that affected his community. In 1971, he moved to Austin, where he wove his life into the city’s culture and iconic venues for forty-five years.

Turo is predeceased by his father Mucio Barrera Garza, and by several of his Beto and the Fairlanes band brothers: Mambo John Treanor, Bobby Bellemans, Bob Meyer, Tony Campise and Henry Gonzalez.

Turo is survived by his wife Katherine Durham Oldmixon Garza; his mother Maria Lomas Garza; his sisters Carmen Lomas Garza, Margie Garza, and Mary Jane Garza, and his brother Mucio Garza, Jr, as well as by nieces Melissa, Kimberly, Rebecca and Xochitl, nephews Eric, David, Manuel and Victor, stepsons Seth and his wife Sarah, Jonathon and his wife Chu, stepdaughters Mary and her husband Travis, and Leah and her husband Joshua, and five grandchildren: Adelyn, Bennett, Colin, Dylan and Nikki. He also leaves behind many beloved grandnephews and grandnieces, cousins and countless friends, including close friends of 40 years, Michael Mordecai and Robert (Beto) Skiles.

The Celebration of Life will take place on Sunday, May 22, 2016, at 2 p.m. at Symphony Square, 1101 Red River Street, Austin, TX 78701.

In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to the Pan Foundation, Patient Access Network [http://www.panfoundation.org/index.php/en/about-us]