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Lalo
Guerrero: The Father of Chicano Music
by Mark
Guerrero
After having written
seven articles featuring Chicano musical
artists, I think it’s about time I write about my dad,
Chicano music legend, Lalo Guerrero. Lalo Guerrero is
rightfully recognized as the “Father of Chicano Music”
because no other Chicano artist has come close to
writing and recording more great songs in virtually
every genre of Latin music, including salsa, norteña,
banda, rancheras, boleros, corridos, cumbias, mambos,
cha cha chas, socially relevant songs, swing, rock &
roll and blues. He has also created children’s music,
comedy songs and parodies, in addition to being a
world-class singer. Generations of children in Mexico
and the U.S. grew up with his “Ardillitas” (squirrels),
and his parodies such as, “Tacos for Two,” “Pancho
Claus,” “Elvis Perez” and “There’s No Tortillas,” have
brought laughter to Chicanos and Anglos alike. His songs
about Cesar Chavez and the farm workers, the braceros,
martyred journalist Ruben Salazar, and the plight of
illegal aliens, have chronicled Chicano history and
inspired his people. He’s the only Chicano I know of who
has written songs that have become standards in Mexico.
His “Cancion Mexicana” was covered by legendary singers
such as, Lucha Reyes and Lola Beltran, while “Nunca
Jamas” was recorded by the equally legendary Trio Los
Panchos, Javier Solis and Jose Feliciano. As Jesus Velo,
bassist for Chicano rock band Los Illegals, recently
quipped, “Lalo’s the first Chicano to cross back” (as
opposed to cross over). His Pachuco music of the late
40s and early 50s provided the sound track to Luis
Valdez’ late 70s play and movie, “Zoot Suit.” All the
above offers just a glimpse of over 700 songs
he’s recorded since his first record in 1939.
He has performed all
over the United States, Mexico and in Paris, France. He
has received countless awards, including being declared
a National Folk Treasure by the Smithsonian Institution
in Washington D.C., the National Endowment of the Arts
Fellowship, the Nosotros Lifetime Achievement Award and
the National Medal of the Arts, presented by President
Clinton. He has been invited to the White House three
times, by Carter, Bush and Clinton. This is not bad for
a kid who was born and raised in the Barrio Libre
section of Tucson, Arizona to a large family with
limited financial means. His father, who was born in La
Paz, Baja California, worked for Southern Pacific
Railroad as a boilermaker. Lalo didn't finish high
school due to the depression and had no formal musical
education. His first group, Los Carlistas, represented
Arizona at the New York World’s Fair of 1939 and, while
in New York, appeared on the Major Bowes Amateur Hour on
national radio. He appeared in a few Hollywood movies,
including, “Boots and Saddles” starring Gene Autry and
“His Kind of Woman” starring Robert Mitchem and Jane
Russell. When he moved to Los Angeles in the 40s, he
recorded about 200 songs for Imperial Records, as a
soloist and with the Trio Imperial. He performed as a
solo front man for years at the legendary Bamba Club
near Olvera Street and later, in the 50s, formed his own
orchestra and played for years at the Paramount Ballroom
in East L.A. and toured extensively around the
southwest. In the 60s, with the proceeds from his
national hit, “Pancho Lopez,” he bought his own night
club called “Lalo’s,” where his orchestra regularly
performed. In 1972, after ten successful years, he sold
it and moved to Palm Springs, California, where he still resides.
My musical
relationship with my dad goes all the way back to the
60’s when my teenage band, Mark & the Escorts, backed
him on several records and even toured with him a few
times around California and Arizona. It was great
experience for a bunch of 14 year olds. The most
successful song we recorded with him in that era was “La
Minifalda de Reynalda.” It was a big hit in the
Southwest and has been covered by many artists in
Mexico. In the late 70s and early 80’s, I collaborated
with him on many of his children’s records, “Las
Ardillitas de Lalo Guerrero.” Typically it would go
something like this: I would write the music of a song,
usually rock, and he would write the Spanish lyric.
I
would put together a band and cut the tracks. We’d fly
to Mexico City, where his label, EMI Capitol, was based,
and do the vocals. Yes Virginia, I would be one of the “Ardillitas.”
We’d stay a week, recording and enjoying the great city.
My dad has also written Spanish lyrics for some of my
rock songs, such as the all-Spanish version of “On the
Boulevard.” We also collaborated on a ballad entitled,
“Receta de Amor,” which was my music and his lyric.
Also
in the early 80s, during the Fernandomania era, we each
wrote a song about Dodger pitcher, Fernando Valenzuela.
It was released as a 45 and sold at Dodger Stadium.
Dad
did the vocals on his “Ole Fernando” and my “Fernando,
El Toro.” The arrangements were done by Jose Hernandez ,
founder and leader of the great mariachi, Sol de Mexico.
In 2001, these recordings were used in a documentary on
Fernando Valenzuela entitled "Fernandomania"
on the ESPN Classic cable network.
As far as live
performances with my dad are concerned, we performed in
1985 at the Southwest Museum in Highland Park,
California, where I did a set of my material, followed
by him doing a set of his. The program was entitled,
“Two Generations of Mexican-American Music in L.A." In
1990, we performed with the same format at the Barnsdall
Art Center Theater in Los Angeles. In 1998, my dad asked
me to perform with him in Paris, France at the Cite de
la Musique. We put together a small band, in which I
played lead guitar and was musical director. I also
performed two of my songs. The tremendous response we
received from the French audience led to enlarging the
band to six pieces and performing about once every
couple of months throughout ‘98 and to the present time.
We’ve performed at the new Getty Center in L.A., the
Annenberg Theater in Palm Springs, my alma mater, Cal
State L.A. and my dad's hometown, Tucson, Arizona, to
name a few. At every concert, I do two or three on my
songs in the show. I feel very
fortunate that circumstances have made it possible for
me to perform with my dad. We call the group Lalo
Guerrero with Mark Guerrero and the Second Generation
Band. It’s amazing that at the age of 84, my dad can
still perform at a tremendous level and give a great
show that can captivate and thrill an audience. He has
deservedly become an icon to the Chicano people and a
living legend. Update:
In 2002, his autobiography, written with Sherilyn Meece
Mentes, was published by the University of Arizona
Press. (You can read about it on my
"Miscellaneous Writings" page). Also in
2002, he performed at legendary Notre Dame University
and has a new 60s compilation CD, entitled "Lalo
Guerrero, El Chicano Inolvidable," due out in May.
Lalo Guerrero has a
parody CD out entitled, “Lalo Guerrero’s Greatest
Parodies” on the Sounds of Sancho label, which includes
his classic “Tacos for Two,” “Elvis Perez,” “Pancho
Claus” and “No Chicanos on TV.” It's available at Tower
Records or you can order it from Q Entertainment: (626)
449-5460. Their website is:
www.sanchoshow.com.
He also has a great new CD out called, “Lalo Guerrero:
Vamos a Bailar Otra Vez.” It’s a collection of new
versions of some of his greatest songs, including,
“Vamos a Bailar,” “Marijuana Boogie,” “Nunca Jamas” and
“Barrio Viejo,” to name a few, as well as his latest
song, “El Carnalito.” This album has world-class
musicians and arrangers, with a big band composed of
some of the members of the Brian Setzer Orchestra.
It’s
available on Break Records. Visit their website at:
www.break-records.com.
Real
Audio Sound Byte
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El
Chicano
Lalo
Guerrero 1977
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Lalo Guerrero sound bytes click here
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Contact me at: info@markguerrero.net
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