Esteban Carrillo Founder of Mariachi Cobre Receiving Walt Disney Legacy Award

Walt Disney Legacy Award Honors Esteban Carrillo, Co-Founder of Mariachi Cobre

For over four decades, millions of guests at EPCOT’s Mexico pavilion have been delighted by the warm, traditional folk music of Mariachi Cobre. Since opening day on October 1, 1982, this world-famous group has been a cherished part of the World Showcase, sharing beautiful music filled with stories of life and love. This year, the Disney community is celebrating a monumental achievement for the group’s co-founder and director, Esteban Carrillo, who has been named a recipient of the prestigious Walt Disney Legacy Award.

This unique honor is reserved for cast members who are nominated by their peers for exemplifying Walt Disney’s timeless values of Dream, Create, and Inspire.

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A Legacy of Creating Happiness

Over the last 40 years, Esteban has become a treasured fixture at EPCOT, touching the lives of both guests and fellow cast members. He is known for his ever-present smile, with peers noting that, “If anyone doesn’t have one, Esteban will make sure they do by the end of the day.”

Esteban’s history of “creating happiness” at Disney stretches back even further than EPCOT’s opening. He fondly recalls his very first performances at Disneyland in 1968 as part of a youth mariachi group. During those early days, he even had the dream-like experience of flying in Walt Disney’s personal plane.

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Inspiring the Next Generation

With over five decades of sharing mariachi music and Mexican American culture with the world, Esteban has had a profound impact on the mariachi community. In fact, some of the very band members who nominated him for the Legacy Award were first inspired by him as children.

Mariachi Cobre member Rene Aguirre Garcia, who hails from Esteban’s hometown of Tucson, Arizona, grew up with posters of Esteban and his brother/co-founder, Randy Carrillo, on his walls. “As a kid, he was the director of many of the workshops I would go to and he was definitely one of my idols,” Rene says. “I always looked up to him and aspired to be part of the group one day. I never thought I’d be playing alongside him, but the last few years have been a dream come true.”

A Forever Legacy

Esteban is proud to join the select group of Walt Disney Legacy Award recipients, including his brother, Randy Carrillo, co-founder of Mariachi Cobre, who recently retired and remains one of Esteban’s biggest inspirations.

The Legacy Award is not the only high honor Esteban has received. In 2022, he served as the inspiration for one of the five Mariachi Forever stamps released by the United States Postal Service, which honored the global cultural importance of mariachi music. Despite his numerous accolades, Esteban remains humble, admitting he’s still surprised to receive letters and cards accompanied by a stamp with his photo.

“It’s quite an honor. I’m very proud they’re putting mariachi out there to a bigger demographic to promote our music and our culture,” he says.

An Ambassador for Disney and Culture

Whether he is sharing a special song with a guest or mentoring newer members of the band, Esteban dedicates his time to creating joy. As Rene Aguirre Garcia notes, “He goes above and beyond for all of our guests here at EPCOT and I believe he embodies exactly what Walt Disney wanted a cast member to be like.”

Though excited to wear his new blue Legacy nametag, Esteban credits his success to the entire Mariachi Cobre group. He emphasizes that he shares this honor with them, stating that without the band, he wouldn’t be the musician or person he is today.

From his signature smile to his cheerful confidence, Esteban Carrillo truly makes Walt Disney World feel like home for all who visit. Congratulations, Esteban, and thank you, Mariachi Cobre, for continuing to share your beloved culture, traditions, and música with the world! Sources