22/07/2025
"𝑨 𝑯𝒂𝒕, 𝒂 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒕 𝒇𝒖𝒍𝒍 𝒐𝒇 𝑺𝒐𝒏𝒈𝒔, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒂 𝑻𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒔𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑴𝒆𝒎𝒐𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒔: 𝑾𝒂𝒍𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝑺𝒖𝒉𝒓’𝒔 𝑻𝒓𝒊𝒖𝒎𝒑𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒕 𝑹𝒆𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒏 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑺𝒖𝒑𝒆𝒓 𝑩𝒐𝒘𝒍 𝒕𝒐 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑰𝑮𝑨 𝑺𝒕𝒂𝒈𝒆"
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐜𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐝 𝐇𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐧-𝐛𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐡𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐬, 𝐩𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐛𝐮𝐭𝐞𝐬, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐫𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐟𝐞𝐥𝐭 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐚 𝐟𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐲 𝐫𝐞𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐨𝐧.
Like a treasure chest brimming with riches, Guatemala’s finest offerings require effort to uncover. Sometimes that means braving traffic to reach stunning landscapes—other times, it’s venturing to a theater to witness one of the country's hidden musical gems. Last week, those who made the trip were rewarded with just that.
Walter Suhr is one of Guatemala’s standout artistic talents. Few can match his decades-long career on international stages, and his recent performance at Teatro del IGA (Guatemalan-American Institute’s Theatre) proved why he deserves that spotlight. His show allowed us to witness his charisma, talent, and cultural pride—an experience any music lover, especially fellow Guatemalans, should celebrate.
Walter is the only Guatemalan artist to perform during the Super Bowl, taking the pregame stage at Super Bowl ###VIII in Houston—an event that became out-of-this-world when astronauts from the International Space Station introduced him, linking the moment to the city’s ties with NASA. Because Houston is where he has built his legacy. For over 25 years, Walter has been the go-to band for city celebrations—from mayoral inaugurations to elite venues—earning his title as the unofficial party king of H-Town.
A proud Guatemalan at heart, Walter has never strayed far from his roots—releasing albums in Spanish and, after years of planning, returning to perform in Guatemala City for only the second time in his career.
For this special homecoming, he teamed up with some of the country’s top musicians and welcomed renowned producer and arranger Miguel Ángel Villagrán as his guest—an industry heavyweight whose work has fueled millions of album sales across Latin America.
True to his style, Walter opened the night with eight original songs that showcased his range—from high-energy Latin dance tracks to heartfelt ballads and breezy mid-tempo tunes. But this concert wasn’t just about music—it was about connection: to country, to friendship, to the joy of performing.
He shared stories between songs, each one deepening the personal feel of the night. Recalling the music that once filled his childhood bedroom in Guatemala, he launched into vibrant renditions of classics by The Beach Boys, Elton John, and Santana—delivered with all the energy those legends demand.
Then came moments of intimate storytelling. “Mi Sombrero y Yo” ("My Hat and I") paid tribute to the hat that’s been with him for 35 years onstage. A video behind him rolled through candid photos with global music icons—Walter’s signature hat and radiant smile ever-present.
The emotional core of the show came with “Compañeros de Pupitre” ("Schooldesk Classmates"), accompanied by touching images of lifelong friends—many of whom were in the audience. Walter paused often to recognize them individually, thanking those who had traveled from several States down to Guatemala. At times, it felt like the most joyful classroom reunion ever staged.
That spirit of friendship defined the night. We were in the presence of a world-class performer, yes—but also a man whose greatest reward is the smile of a listener, not a spotlight. As Walter presented the video of him performing at the Superbowl and brought the very same shirt and musical medley from that moment to the stage in front of us, he could have closed with that upbeat moment with the full band and remind us of his incredible success story abroad. Instead he chose the more intimate piano performance of the Carole King classic You’ve Got A Friend that had many eyes in the audience expressing their emotion with tears.
And so, the lid was gently placed on a treasure chest of songs, charisma, and rhythm. As Walter Suhr returns to his whirlwind schedule of performances far from his homeland, those of us in the audience are among fortunate to have been part of this rare homecoming. For one energetic night, we witnessed not just the music, but the man—his hat, his craft, and above all, his enduring love for friendship, country, and the stage.
