Lemme throw some names at you:
- David Hidalgo
- Louie Pérez
- Cesar Rosas
- Conrad Lozano
Chances are, 99 out of every 100 people won’t recognize those names. Heck, it might be more like 999 out of 1,000. And that’s a shame. Because those are the dudes that have been together in the band Los Lobos for more than 50 years. They were joined by the “newbie” Steve Berlin in 1982, and have been a fantastic five-some ever since.
If you’ve never heard of Los Lobos, that’s a shame. If you’ve only heard their cover of “La Bamba” that’s OK, but you’re still missing out on so much great music.
They are a self-proclaimed “Just another band from East L.A.” But they’re so much more than that. This paragraph from their bio really sums them up nicely:
Los Lobos has sold millions of records, won prestigious awards and made fans around the world. But perhaps its most lasting impact will be how well its music embodies the idea of America as a cultural melting pot. In it, styles like son jarocho, norteño, Tejano, folk, country, doo-wop, soul, R&B, rock ’n’ roll and punk all come together to create a new sound that’s greater than the sum of its parts.
Amen to that! You could rightfully argue that they are the quintessential American band. Children of immigrants (Conrad, Louie, David) or immigrants themselves (Cesar), joined by a kid from the East Coast (Philly) who had moved to the West Coast to pursue his music dreams.
Last night I saw Los Lobos in concert. I’ve seen them many times and they always crush it.
They opened for Little Feat, a band that has only one original member left. If it were up to me, the roles would be reversed. But I get the sense that the members of Los Lobos don’t really care about “headliner” status. They’ve come a long way from being a wedding band.
“If you were married between 1973 and 1980 in East L.A., we probably played your wedding.”
Louie Pérez
They’re not in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Now there’s a real shame.
While regarded as highly influential and deserving by many, the iconic East L.A. band Los Lobos has surprisingly not yet been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame after being eligible for almost 20 years
They haven’t gotten what they deserve – but that’s out of their hands. Instead, they use their hands, hearts and voices to always give the fans what they deserve: a stellar set of music.
Will the Wolf survive? Heck yeah! Not just survive, but thrive!
You done said…