The June 20 drive-in concert featuring Grupo Solido set to take place at the outside of Payne Arena in Hidalgo, Texas, was postponed indefinitely on Thursday due to a new city order that prohibits social gatherings of more than 10 people through July 6 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The city also enforced a curfew from 12am to 5am. Get more information on the city’s updated rules on their Facebook page.
Solido was to perform Saturday, June 20, 2020, as part of “Drive-In RGV,” a concert series that would have featured Texas country music artist Aaron Watson on Friday, June 19, and Solido the next day but the Payne Arena was closed by the city in a June 18 announcement.
According to the concert series’ website, organizers said ticket purchasers will be refunded and concerts will be rescheduled for a later date and different location. The organizers stress they are committed to bringing live music back to the Rio Grande Valley.
Solido is scheduled to perform with Intocable at a drive-in concert in Hockley, Texas outside of Houston on July 9 at the Showboat Drive-In. Tickets and information are available at GrupoIntocable.com.
Intocable performed a successful drive-in concert at the Payne Arena grounds on June 7, following their first drive-in concert in Poteet, Texas, on June 6.
Visit www.DriveinRGV.com for the latest updates on the drive-in concert series.
Destiny Navaira comes from Tejano music royalty as the niece of the late Tejano superstar Emilio Navaira, who together with the iconic Selena, brought Tejano music to the masses during the 1990s. But with the spring 2020 release of her solo debut album, La Preferida, Destiny has taken her own musical path with a more regional Mexican sound inspired by a variety of genres and with soaring vocals that excel at passionate expression and belting out emotional lyrics.
However, the young, talented vocalist, honors her family roots and did just that on her debut album when she recorded one of her uncle’s first hits “Pienso En Ti.” The video for the song will premiere at midnight on Monday, June 22, 2020.
The song, “Pienso En Ti,” from the early 1990s, will sound a bit different as Destiny puts her own spin on it, but singing along with her father, Raulito Navaira, she pays tribute to her family, and especially Emilio, who paved the way before her.
Destiny spoke with Tejano Nation about the recording, the video, and what it has meant for her both personally and professionally. “I really wanted to do a cover of my uncle but change it up,” she said. “He did everything with so much grace and so much talent I knew I couldn’t compete with the way he did it. But I think putting a twist on it was something that is special to me.”
Instead of the heavy keyboard that is reminiscent of the early 1990s Tejano sound, Destiny wanted a more regional Mexican feel to the song.
“When we heard it, I was like, this would be perfect to kind of give it that Ramon Ayala feel and change the style of it,” Destiny said. “And I think it worked really well for the album.”
Destiny chose “Pienso En Ti” from her uncle Emilio’s large repertoire of hits not only because of the new style she envisioned for it, but because the song was special, as it was one of the first major hits for Emilio in Mexico, a country that is also embracing Destiny’s music. Destiny said music from her debut album is getting airplay in areas like Monterrey, Coahuila, San Luis Potosi, and generally in the northern part of Mexico.
“You know, just doing the solo album and starting my solo career, it’s all so special to me and I feel like I’m following in his footsteps,” Destiny said, of her uncle. “’Pienso En Ti’ was one of the first songs that hit really big for them in Mexico and it’s kind of what I’m doing as well.”
“And it’s just kind of like a continuation of the legacy and it makes me proud that I can add that on my debut album,” Destiny continues.
As for the video, Destiny says she thinks people will enjoy it.
“It’s a really fun, cute video and it really kind of shows who we are together,” Destiny said. “It’s a family-oriented video. My whole band is in it and it’s a lot of fun.”
Destiny also reminisced about the song and the memories she has attached to it along with her family’s younger generation.
“I definitely have a lot of memories to that song with my cousins and playing band and imitating our dads,” she said. “So it’s definitely a special song.”
Special Note: For those who listen to Destiny’s album, La Preferida, in its entirety, they can enjoy a special song titled simply, “Interlude,” that precedes “Pienso En Ti” and is an homage to her uncle Emilio. The sweet, sad melody and lyrics are sung beautifully by Destiny and the song was written by her aunt Yvette Navaira, who originally wrote it in 2003 for the passing of Destiny’s grandfather. Guitar on the song is performed by Grammy winner Juan Treviño. A video for “Interlude” was released on the anniversary of Emilio’s passing and Destiny commented on the video and song: “There’s a lot of symbolism in the video. It was an emotional song for all of us. It kind of leads into ‘Pienso En Ti’ perfectly. It’s one of my favorites on the album.”
Destiny is already at work on her sophomore album but for now, fans can expect a video each month as the vocalist filmed videos for each of the 10 songs on her debut album.
Tejano superstar Patsy Torres released a song and music video dedicated to fathers titled “Papasito Mio” just in time for Father’s Day.
The award-winning singer spoke about the emotional song during a video shared via Facebook this week. “I want to thank all of you that have been making comments about my new song ‘Papasito Mio’ and the video that I did,” she said. “It means a lot to me the comments you said. You talked about crying and your comments made me cry. Of course, I cried when I wrote the song, I cried when I did the video and I cried when I saw the video. That’s because we love our daddies and we miss them. And for those of you that are lucky enough to have your papasitos with you, cherish every moment you have with them.”
Torres also spoke about the estranged relationship with her father that was mended before he passed away, according to the video.
The singer plans to produce custom music videos for fans with submitted photos of their fathers just in time for Father’s Day.
Self-taught singer and songwriter, Emanuel J, originally from Colorado, moved to San Antonio just two years ago to follow the passions and desires of his heart to pursue his dreams of becoming a solo artist in Tejano Music.
Some might be familiar with him as the frontman for Behind The Scenes Band from his time in Colorado realizing only he could set his limits once in San Antonio, Emanuel joined LaDezz where he was able to showcase his distinctive accordion and keyboard skills.
As the magic happened in the making of this album, another household name decided to invite the talent to make something already great even more enjoyable. He quickly attracted attention from well-known names in the Tejano industry like Gilbert Velasquez, multiple Grammy-winning producer and owner of Velasquez Studios in San Antonio, who immediately recognized his talent and encouraged him to pursue a solo album.
“Part of being a songwriter, I have a little more control of how the music will sound,” Emanuel J told Tejano Nation. “As far as this album, I created most of the music. Produced reference tracks, or pre-production tracks for Gilbert Velasquez. Once he got the music, he added his flavor to it and changed a few things around to make it a little more colorful.”
Emanuel also gives credit to his twin brother Emiliano, who has always been very close to growing up sharing the same love for music.
Emanuel says Emiliano was not only very helpful in the album process, but also his career bringing creativity and new ideas. “When we write together, the song is so much better than when I make the music alone. It’s like the saying, two minds are better than one,” he said.
“Growing up, we learned how to play our instruments by ourselves. Self-taught musicians. We were always told to never stop learning. There’s no ceiling to the knowledge of our craft. We can’t settle.” Emanuel added.
Emanuel was invited to join David Lee Garza Y Los Musicales to play a keyboard where he gladly still participates in making amazing music.
“I learned a lot from playing with La Dezz and DLG y Los Musicales,” he said. “Both groups are highly respected. My time with the Musicales has probably been more educational. Learning the ways of the industry from the guys that have been doing it for 50 plus years has been resourceful. Being on the road with them is always a good time.”
Lately, things have been looking quite bright for this talented young Tejano artist’s future as he continues to bring a refreshing sound and consistency with his new album entitled, Palabras De Amor, released on May 19, 2020.
Instantly, the listener can evoke strong emotions as they hear Emanuel J’s phenomenal voice for the first time and even get hints of Jay Perez and Ram Herrera-like influences that are highly honored by the young artist.
In the tracks “Solo Tu” and “Regalo De Dios,” Emanuel’s vocals voluntarily display how deep his love is for her that is so dreamy and romantic leaving the listener wanting to cater to their partners every need and enjoying the presence of each other with admiration and gratitude.
Another track, “No Se Porque” displays feelings of sorrowfulness and abandonment as he sings about her leaving him broken-hearted. She has found someone else and never says goodbye or gives him any type of closure on the relationship.
“Por Amarte Asi,” tells the story of one loving and yearning for someone but it is forbidden. The person desires to kiss and touch them but cannot because of certain circumstances.
As a songwriter, I try to keep my lyrics as personal as possible,” said Emanuel J. “Pieces of my love life experiences put together; like one moment in time here and another there. Ex-girlfriends in the past or summer flings have helped influence many of my songs.”
“Every person that has entered your life is a life lesson. Good or bad, they leave something for you to remember,” he added. “Sometimes I would use the experiences of others around me that I am witnessing. I try to make the lyrics as relatable as possible for the listeners to connect with.”
This masterpiece of an album is now available on all digital platforms for fans to enjoy and to appreciate the unique vibe presented by Emanuel J as he continues to grow as an artist and release more pleasurable music.
“I want my fans to experience love and heartbreak when listening to my music,” he said. “I want them to feel some relatability listening to the words. But I also want them to experience joy, excitement, and the craving for love. The music, you can dance to. It is upbeat and fun. so find yourself a lifetime dance partner and fall in love listening to my new album, Palabras De Amor.”
It’s a special Father’s Day Tex Mex celebration with the Tejano America: Homestyle Edition web series for an episode scheduled to air on Sunday, June 21, featuring music, comedy, and tributes.
The Father’s Day episode of Tejano America: The Homestyle Edition presented by AARP airs Sunday, June 21 at 7:00 p.m. CT via Tejano Music National Convention and Vegas Tejano media channels. Season one will air ten episodes on Sundays bi-weekly through September, with air dates of May 24, June 7 and 21; July 5 and 19; August 2, 16, & 30, and September 13 and 27.
“Pienso En Ti” is the latest music video from Destiny Navaira and her solo debut album and features a fun, family atmosphere that is especially timely for the release date on the day after Father’s Day as she is joined on vocals and in the video by her fan-favorite father Raulito Navaira.
Destiny chose to remake the classic early hit from her famous uncle, the late Emilio Navaira, but with a different sound that leans more toward her unique style.
The young performer’s debut album, La Preferida, highlights Destiny’s mature, polished voice and range, and “Pienso En Ti” is no different as her smooth vocals give new life to a Tejano classic.
Destiny appears comfortable in front of the camera as she sits with her family inside a restaurant, sways to the music on the dance floor, and jokes with her father and brother, RigoNavaira. According to Destiny, her comfort level with the camera during video shoots grew over time.
“At first, it was uncomfortable because I’m not big on acting and theater or anything like that,” Destiny said. “But you play the song and you kind of just imagine yourself on stage and you put yourself in the story and the video plot.”
Dressed in a stylish, black, sleeveless outfit set off by a flashy, rhinestone belt and sporting large hoop earrings, Destiny looks at ease in the “Pienso En Ti” video and she credits her father and brother with helping her hone her acting skills.
“I think it just kind of comes naturally and with the help of my dad and my brother, it was a fun experience,” she said. “I think when we’re ready to make another video, I’m ready for it now after these ten videos.”
In an interview last week with Tejano Nation, Destiny said she recorded a video for each of the 10 singles of her debut album La Preferida. This has allowed the rising solo artist to provide her fans with new material during the COVID-19 pandemic that has silenced live performances for several months.
The videos were recorded by Bunch Punch Productions once the album wrapped and Destiny said she is thankful she can present them to her fans as they wait out the indefinite pandemic quarantine.
“I feel blessed that we do have these videos to share during the time that we can’t go out,” Destiny said.
This is the sixth video release off of Destiny’s solo debut album La Preferida, with the others, including: “Inolvidable;” “La Preferida;” “Entregate, Entregate;” “Te Fuiste;” and “Interlude.”
Tejano newcomer Cynthia Bustamante released “Perdóname,” the latest single from her upcoming debut album.
This is the first song penned by the Rio Grande Valley native and the main reason why this single is so special to the singer and songwriter.
“It’s very dear to me because it’s one of the first songs I’ve ever written,” Bustamante tells Tejano Nation. “I wasn’t a writer before that, I didn’t even know I had it in me, so when I got home and started writing, that song is very, very close to me because of that.”
The latest release was produced by Eric “E-Rock” Avalos at The Music Vault Studios in Seguin, Texas, with additional production by Brandon Ortiz.
“The song is about a girl that is dating a guy obviously and they’re having issues in the relationship,” she said. “He decides to leave because he wants to try to avoid the drama and not got through the humiliation. She is basically asking him, ‘You know I’ve been thinking about it and let’s try to work things out and I’ve been listening to the radio and everything reminds me about you and it’s so hard to get over you. You taught me how to love you but you forgot to teach me how to forget.’ She’s basically trying to express herself through the song.”
Bustamante plans to release her debut album titled Renacer in July. “Perdóname” is available to stream at CynthiaBustamanteMusic.com.
Nacido is a band of seasoned musicians that begins their journey with an original single titled “Quiero Ser,” released via Discos Solcar on May 26.
Derek Aguilar formed the San Antonio, Texas-based group after spending many years as a veteran musician and vocalist. His start began at the age of 18 in his hometown of Dilley, Texas, where he befriended another musician, Carlos Rodriguez of Carlos Y Los Cachorros. Aguilar joined the group for a few years before joining the band of Grammy Award winner David Farias, as well as a member of Zamorales.
“Quiero Ser” is an original romantic cumbia with a great beat, strong lyrics from Mexican songwriter Yvonne Garcia, and a catchy melody featuring the vocals of Aguilar. He shared details on recording the song in an interview with Tejano Nation‘s DJ Peaches. “It was funny because the first time that I was going to record this song, I was going down a totally different route with it,” he said. “I kind of got halfway and through and I was like, ‘Uhh, not feeling it.’ So, I said we’re going to make it sound like a monster.”
Grupo Nacido’s band members include drummer Luis Cespedes, percussionist Raul Murillo, accordionist Samuel Perez, and Aguilar for lead vocals and bajo sexto.
Nacido plans more singles for us to enjoy during this pandemic. Aguilar’s positive outlook on the pandemic is refreshing, he states that its a good time to sit back, slow down, and enjoy the music. The band looks forward to performing for all the Tejano fans soon but is enjoying being in the studio.
“Anything that I’m going to bring to the public is going to be of good quality sound, good quality song and that’s my main goal,” Aguilar said. “I just want to make some good music that people can listen to and that’s basically what the goal is with Nacido.”
“Quiero Ser” is available at all digital music platforms. Learn more about Nacido on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, just search Grupo Nacido Official.
As if skillfully defying any one genre for three decades wasn’t enough, the GRAMMY-award winning band, The Mavericks, will soon reach an entirely new audience as they perform their distinctive Tex-Mex, country, rock and soul blend in a reverse crossover of sorts with an all-Spanish language album due out Aug. 21, 2020.
En Español will transport this super group, led by vocalist, founding member and lead songwriter Raul Malo, into an entirely new realm of listeners but keeps the band’s distinctive sound, grounded by the sultry baritone of Malo.
Tejano music fans likely know of The Mavericks, formed in Miami in 1989, either from their early hits in the 1990s, including, “All You Ever Do Is Bring Me Down,” that featured legendary accordionist FlacoJimenez and was one of the group’s most successful singles. Or they may know of Malo from his time, during a break from The Mavericks, when he participated in the Tex-Mex collaborative Los Super Seven in the early 2000s that also featured artists like Ruben Ramos, Rick Treviño, and David Hidalgo and Cesar Rosas of Los Lobos fame.
The lead single from En Español is “Poder Vivir” and was released June 12 with an accompanying live performance video. The song gives listeners a taste of the original and catchy sound and haunting lyrics that will appear on En Español. Malo, a first-generation Cuban American, sounds completely at ease singing in Spanish and penned in whole or in part, all five of the original tunes on the album. The rest of the album will feature classic, Latin standards, such as the timeless “Sabor a Mi,” “No Vale La Pena,” and “Sombras Nada Mas.”
Malo said, in a press statement, that the record is one that he has long wanted to create. “Some of these songs are songs my family would play and sing on weekends at family parties and get-togethers,” Malo said. “But it’s not all nostalgia either. There are plenty of new original songs that put this record squarely in the moment for us.”
Malo is backed by veteran musicians, fellow Miamian and charter bandmember Paul Deakin on drums and vibraphone; Jerry Dale McFadden, who joined in 1993; and Eddie Perez, a Mexican American guitarist from Los Angeles, who is the band’s youngest and newest member, becoming a Maverick in 2003.
Tejano fans will find it interesting that Flaco Jimenez will come full circle from his first collaboration with The Mavericks and be featured on En Español on the “mariachi-flavored rendition” of “No Vale La Pena.”
Keep reading for more news to come on The Mavericks historic foray into the Spanish-language music world with En Español.
Theexcitement from Elida Reyna for the June 26, 2020, premiere of her live medley music video is immediately evident, however as the two-time Latin Grammy winner talks, more somber emotions emerge as she realizes how much she misses her fans, her band, and touring, which stopped since the pandemic hit in March.
Reyna spoke exclusively with Tejano Nation on June 24 about current music, business, and personal developments in her life.
“We’ve done several live videos, but this one’s special,” Reyna said, as she talks about her performance of the hits, “Prefiero Morir” and “Adicta,” from her September 2019 San Antonio concert filmed for her live DVD due at the year’s end.
“This one is pretty special because we put a lot of time and effort in,” Reyna said. “We cared. We put a lot into production and the lighting and just putting the whole show together. Wardrobe and all of that was really important to us.”
Reyna explains that the attention to detail was why the video wasn’t released earlier.
“That’s why it took us so long to put it out so I’m really excited to share it with all our fans,” Reyna said. “And I really miss them. I really miss seeing them at the shows. I miss talking to them. I miss signing autographs after my show.”
Reyna then goes on to express how she misses her busy touring schedule as well.
“I really miss the traveling,” Reyna said. “I miss my band. I miss all of that.”
Friday’s premiere of the live medley video will be the first of more to come as part of the promotion for the live DVD, according to Reyna, and the initial video actually reveals the start of the show.
“It’s the intro to the new live DVD that we’re going to be releasing probably at the end of the year…and so for now, we’re just going to put out certain songs and then at the end of the year, we’ll put out the entire DVD,” Reyna said.
The next video in promotion of the live DVD will be Luna Llena,’” she said.
In addition to the live project, Reyna is currently at work on an album of new music.
“We’re working on the next single because the first single was ‘Alas Rotas,’ a brand new song, and so now, we’ll be working on the next single,” Reyna said.
Reyna said she is selective when choosing songs for her albums but “Alas Rotas” stood out for her.
“’Alas Rotas’ was one of those songs that I can’t stop listening to it,” Reyna said. “I can listen to that song over and over and I don’t get tired. That in itself is a sign that it’s going to do well and I think it has for us considering it’s already been on the airwaves for several months.”
A new, follow-up single is in production but a title has not been confirmed.
“We’re working on the music as we speak,” Reyna said. “The entire album is almost done, but again, I just felt like this album needed something and I think we captured it with this new single that we’re working on.”
In addition to all of the activity in her musical life, Reyna’s personal life recently changed dramatically as she sold her home and moved from her beloved Rio Grande Valley to San Antonio. And she wants to make the reason for the move clear for her fans or anyone who may wonder about it.
“Many have been asking, ‘Well, what was the whole move to San Antonio (about), because as you know, I’m a Valley girl and we just recently moved to San Antonio,” Reyna said. “And a lot of people thought that we were moving up there because of music because we were going to probably broaden our horizons in the music industry but to be honest with you, you know I don’t know how much longer I plan to be performing. I love it, I mean with all my heart. But at the same time, one of the main reasons we decided to move up was to concentrate on our new business venture.”
“We’re excited to finally be putting all the pieces together,” Reyna said. “Everything has finally been finalized and like I said, we’ll be posting it on our social media what it is that we’ve been doing, what we’ve been up to these past couple of months.”
Reyna announced June 24 via Facebook that her husband Lalo Reyna is starting a landscaping and pressure washing company, Gypsy Curb Appeal.
Reyna also said the recent pandemic proved eye-opening for her as an entrepreneur.
“COVID taught us a very valuable lesson: You’ve got to have a back-up plan,” Reyna said. “And so luckily, we were already one step ahead and we were already thinking ahead, like ‘What’s next?’”
But Reyna promises that she is by no means, leaving the music world.
“It’s just a way for us to venture out and try other things and see what else we’re good at aside from the music business,” Reyna said.
As if her life weren’t busy enough, Reyna has her own makeup line, “Colores,” which has two lipsticks coming out soon, and manages an event venue, Casa de Reyna in Mercedes, Texas.
Her most important role and one that has been somewhat complicated by her move to San Antonio is that of being a mother to a high school graduate, a college student and a precocious 13-year-old.
“To be honest with you, my two oldest, they’re still here in the Valley,” Reyna said. “My daughter, who just finished up her semester in college and my son just graduated so I’ve been back and forth.”
While Reyna has family in San Antonio, where she was born, she is partial to the Valley.
“My heart is in the Valley, obviously, but you know like they say, ‘Home is where the heart is,’ and right now, I need to be in San Antonio with my husband,” Reyna said.
Together with her husband, Lalo, Reyna has a 13-year-old daughter who has already shown a knack for the entertainment business with dancing, singing and acting skills.
“It excites me when I see what she can do and everybody tells me that she’s just got something special,” Reyna said. “She reminds me a lot of me at that age. So I can see where this could possibly be going for her.”
As Reyna turns back to Friday’s video premiere, she again thinks about how much she loves and misses her fans and the music.
“I can’t wait to premiere this new video and I think that they’re going to love it,” Reyna said. “I don’t know about you, but just watching that little clip made me miss the road and just made me miss the music.
“I can’t wait to share that with everybody and just have them feel that same excitement that we did the day that we recorded it.”
Reyna thinks the video will also get fans longing for the day when they can return to live shows by their favorite artists.
“I think people, after watching this, they’re going to miss being out at the shows,” Reyna said. “Not just our shows, I mean the music in general, just being out there.”
“But for now, we understand we all have to be safe. And we look forward to the day where we can all finally enjoy a show and not have to worry about getting sick,” she added.
Oscar de la Rosa of the legendary, Grammy award-winning group La Mafia was the latest artist to join another powerhouse group Intocablefor the Tejano/Norteno band’s series of Friday quarantine music videos. The frontman for La Mafia joined Intocable lead vocalist/accordionist Ricardo Muñoz in a La Mafia hit and Cornelio Reyna classic, “Si Tu Supieras.”
The two artists’ voices blended well with Muñoz’s strong, raw sound and De La Rosa’s smooth, seasoned vocals evoking the passion of the original song.
In addition to the unique pairing of De La Rosa and Muñoz, Muñoz’s accordion licks stood out and stole the show. A seemingly ageless De La Rosa looked slim and sleek in a black shirt and black jacket, wearing a black baseball cap and black-rimmed glasses.
Since May 29, Intocable has hosted the live performances on Friday as a way for fans to enjoy music amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Several artists have joined Intocable lead vocalist and accordionist Ricardo Munoz for duets, mostly of Intocable hits, but today’s video featured a La Mafia standard, “Si Tu Supieras.”
Other artists who have joined Munoz and Intocable include Eliseo Robles, Luis “Louie” Padilla, and Oscar Ivan Trevino.
Intocable’s drive-in concerts are another way the group is keeping live music around during the quarantine. Visit the group’s website and social media for upcoming dates, including a July 25 show at Lone Star Park in Grand Prairie, Texas.
In addition to top sound quality, Latin Grammy winner Elida Reyna of Freddie Records wanted the look of her new video to be just right for her fans as she worked on her upcoming live concert DVD. The first video, which gives a look at the live concert filmed last September in San Antonio, premiered today.
The live medley featured Elida performing the ranchera “Prefiero Morir” and the catchy cumbia “Adicta.”
“We really put a lot of time and effort behind this live DVD,” Reyna said in a recent interview with Tejano Nation. “I mean it’s something that we’ve been talking about for months and then to finally see it all come together. And then of course, most important is the visual. I mean we’re all visual people so it was really important for us to make it look and sound great.”
Elida added fans can look forward to more video peeks at the live DVD, due out at the end of the year, but they’ll have to wait for the full DVD to see all the magic captured at the live concert recorded at The Rock Box in San Antonio.
“We’ll be releasing more of the live videos off the live DVD,” Reyna said. “But we’re not going to give it all away.”
For now, fans can enjoy “Prefiero Morir,” which won Song of the Year at the 2011 Tejano Music Awards and is featured on the 2010 Latin Grammy-winning album, Fantasia, and “Adicta,” won 2016 TMA Song of the Year.
The next live video planned from the DVD is “Luna Llena.”
Houston, Texas (June 29, 2020) – Tejano artist Lucy Rodriguez released her new single “Golpes En El Corazón,” for radio airplay today.
In an exciting collaboration with Grammy-winning producer Lorenzo Banda, Rodriguez and Banda challenged themselves to provide their own unique sound to this classic. When asked about why this song, Rodriguez shared that “interpreting, not just singing, a personal favorite through my life experience, is something that many musicians want to explore at one time or another”.
Rodriguez went on to state that “her producer encouraged exploration of her voice with different rhythms”.
The selection of the song is also a nod to long-time personal friends, Los Tigres del Norte, who got to hear the single prior to release.
“Golpes En El Corazón” follows the 2018 release of her album, Si Mañana, and single “Asi es el Amor,” last February.
“Golpes En El Corazón” is immediately available for radio release for terrestrial and internet stations via email at info@edilumusicpublishing.com and all digital platforms on July 14, 2020.
The Navaira family musical legacy continues as the second generation makes their names known. In addition to the success of the debut album, La Preferida, from Destiny Navaira, niece of the late Tejano legend, EmilioNavaira, and daughter of his younger brother, Raulito, Emilio’s sons will promote an album next month on a national stage.
The Last Bandoleros, whose members include Emilio IV and Diego Navaira, announced via social media Friday that they will appear July 15 on ABC’s Good Morning America telecast.
The quartet, rounded out by fellow San Antonio native Jerry Fuentes and New Yorker Derek James, currently promote their album, Live From Texas, released April 17, and which features performances from a live concert at John T. Floore’s Country Store in Helotes, Texas.
The Last Bandoleros lively sound combines Tex-Mex, rock and pop influences, and the first release from Live From Texas is a remake of the Texas Tornadoes’ hit, “Hey Baby, Que Pasó.” The rest of the album’s songs are written or co-written by the band members.
On the group’s Facebook page, the band members speak, in a segment called, “Behind the Song,” about the Tex-Mex anthem and first single off of their new album, “Live From Texas.” Emilio and Diego specifically talk about their famous Dad’s influence regarding the song.
“I started playing it with my Dad when I was a teenager playing with him,” Emilio said.
Diego adds: “Back in his heyday, which was the 90s, he would do this song, ‘Hey Baby, Que Pasó,’ every once in a while in his set.”
Emilio continues: “In our version, there are incorrect lyrics, but they’re not completely incorrect. Me and my brother are just singing it the way that our dad and Raulito used to do it, which is they made up their own words. And I kind of like their version, so it’s a little tribute to them, too.”
Diego adds that the song brings back fond memories of his father: “When we do it live now, it reminds me of being a kid or being on stage with him, so I love doing the song live.”
More to come on Warner Music Nashville artists, The Last Bandoleros, their latest album, “Live From Texas,” and the group’s national appearance on Good Morning America.
In the meantime, check out The Last Bandolero’s weekly Facebook Live show at 7:30 CT every Wednesday called “Around a Neon Cactus.”
One of the most influential bands in Latin music, La Mafia, with roots firmly planted in Tejano, celebrates 40 years in the business in 2020, and the multiple GRAMMY-winning group has risen to the top by ignoring the rules and bounding beyond genres from Tejano to grupero to regional Mexican and more.
While touring is currently at a standstill due to the pandemic, fans can next catch vocalist Oscar De La Rosa and La Mafia in a virtual July 4th performance with the Houston Symphony during Freedom Over Texas, airing on ABC 13 Houston. De La Rosa posted on social media that he will perform a tribute to country icon Kenny Rogers with a performance of the late crooner’s hit “Lady.”
An ABC 13 interview with De LaRosa and producer/musician Armando Lichtenberger, Jr. aired June 27 on the Houston affiliate and recounts La Mafia’s musical legacy. Viewers can watch the interview on the group’s Facebook page or on ABC 13.
De La Rosa and Lichtenberger first met at a cantina owned by De La Rosa’s father and formed La Mafia in the 1980s, playing hardcore Tejano tunes.
“In the 80s, we had several hits,” De La Rosa told ABC 13. “(The) 80s was all Tejano for La Mafia.”
As times changed, so did La Mafia’s style and the 1990s brought listeners a fresh sound that proved a massive success.
“We were trying new things, trying to give the younger generation something new,” De La Rosa said. “‘Estas Tocando Fuego’ opened doors for us worldwide. That was the beginning of what we created. The Tejano industry did not approve of it.”
“We were accused of abandoning our culture,” added Lichtenberger.
“At the end of the day, this album sold more than a million, 1.5, when it came out,” said De La Rosa. “I said, ‘We’re not doing anything wrong. If we’re doing something, we’re doing it right.'”
The album, released in 1991, became the first Tejano album to receive platinum status. La Mafia followed it up with the album, “Ahora Y Siempre,” with the monster hit, “Me Estoy Enamorando,” released in 1992, which spent nine weeks on top of the Billboard Latin Albums chart.
“To be honest, we didn’t think ‘Me Estoy Enamorando’ would be the hit that it turned out to be,” De La Rosa said.
“That song is probably the reason we’re still around right now,” Lichtenberger said.
The group went on to record several GRAMMY-winning albums, such as “Un Millon De Rosas,” in early 1996, break records at the Houston Astrodome performing at the Houston Stock Show and Rodeo in 1992, 1996 and 1998, and the two La Mafia founders even discussed De La Rosa’s trademark bolero-style black hat that fans adored.
“I remember doing that tour with ‘Rosas,’ and I decided I was going to do the tour without the hat,” De La Rosa recalls. “Oh man, by the middle of the show, I was putting the hat on.”
Then, enter Mexico and La Mafia’s fame soared even higher.
“We started going to Mexico,” De La Rosa said. “It was a new market for us.”
“We’d been to borders,” Lichtenberger said. “El Paso, McAllen, Brownsville, and we’d always wondered…”
“Why aren’t we performing over there?” De La Rosa interjected. “And we started opening the doors for Selena, for Emilio, for every artist that came out of Texas.”
La Mafia then talks about the group’s influence on genres of all types and that spanned across generations.
“La Mafia has influenced a lot of generations,” Lichtenberger said. “Our music has been covered in salsa, in Norteno, in banda.”
“When you see someone else singing your song, you’re like, ‘Wow, that’s my song,’ but it’s playing to a whole different generation,” De La Rosa said.
The band’s 2018 release, “Vozes,” marked another milestone as the group collaborated with major superstars from various genres, including Cristian Castro, Pedro Fernandez, Shaila Durcal and Ricky Munoz of Intocable.
In 2019, La Mafia released a live album, “Live in Mexico,” and the playlist includes the band’s signature songs, such as: “Me Estoy Enamorando,” “Un Millon De Rosas,” “Vida,” “Ahora Y Siempre,” “Nuestra Cancion,” “Alas De Papel,” “Nadie,” and “Como Me Duele Amor.”
“Last year, we recorded a live album in Monterrey, Mexico but the amazing thing is that (the audience) is singing the songs,” Lichtenberger said.
“A whole new generation of fans is singing our songs in other countries,” De La Rosa added, summing up the impact that La Mafia and fans are celebrating after 40 years.
“I didn’t even think we would last 40 years,” De La Rosa said. “But here I am, 40 years later, and still the front-man for one of the greatest bands, not only to come out of Houston, but one of the greatest bands out of Texas.”
Ricky Muñoz, lead vocalist and accordionist for Grupo Intocable, announced today that the majority of the band, except himself, have tested positive for COVID-19.
The group had performed two successful drive-in concerts on June 6 in Poteet, Texas, and June 7 in Hidalgo, Texas, and had planned for more drive-in concerts in July in the Houston and Dallas areas.
The members who tested positive include drummer Rene Martinez, bassist Felix Salinas, percussionist Sergio Serna, bajo sexto player Johnny Lee Rosas, and Juan Hernandez, group motivator/rhythm.
Muñoz tested negative, along with staff drivers and office employees.
In the less than two minute video delivered in Spanish, Muñoz said the affected members had received medical attention and were now quarantined. He advised fans to check social media for updates and information on concert ticket refunds.
It is unclear how this information was verified, but Muñoz said the band members became infected in their spare time and not during Intocable performances.
National media reports today indicated concern by the head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as cases rise in several states. According to data from the USA Today, Texas is one of the states with rising COVID-19 cases “with 38,916 for the 7 days ending June 29 compared to 27,579 the 7 days prior.” The state has halted re-opening plans, imposed new restrictions to bars and banned gatherings of more than 100 people. The Austin American-Statesman detailed Monday that “state health officials reported 5,913 COVID-19 patients in Texas hospitals Monday, a record for the state and a 416-person increase from the day before.”
Below is a video blog of Intocable’s Poteet drive-in concert where some of the affected members were interviewed.
Guerrero shared the news via social media along with a photo of the new bundle of joy. He announced Alexandria Heaven Guerrero was born early Sunday morning, “Daddy’s little princess came into this world with tears rolling down my eyes watching my Queen @liagallardomusic giving birth naturally with no epidural was very hard to see,” he said. “That pain of giving birth naturally after seeing it I would not wish on anyone. I have a newfound respect for women.”
“I know Tony ‘Ham’ Guerrero and Bobby Butler, a.k.a. ‘Charro Negro’ are our angels up in heaven guiding us,” Guerrero told Tejano Nation. “We are currently working on our next album, where Lia and I will be re-recording all of Tortilla Factory’s greatest hits.”
The next generation of Tortilla Factory will pay tribute to the original band, the three-time Grammy-nominated band that emerged in the 1970s with their signature sound of Latin soul featuring red hot rhythms and brassy Tejano melodies lead by trumpet player Tony “Ham” Guerrero and vocalist Bobby Butler, a.k.a. “El Charro Negro”, who have both since passed away. The Tortilla Factory legacy continues.
Brothers Emilio IV and Diego Navaira, together with their band, The Last Bandoleros, want to bring Tex-Mex music to the world, just as a generation of brothers before them did.
The difference is in the sound but not the spirit behind it.
While their father, iconic Tejano superstar Emilio Navaira, and younger brother, Raulito, performed Tejano music, sung in Spanish, and eventually, country music in English, on major stages nationally and internationally, the second generation of Navaira brothers want to spread “a new wave of Tex-Mex music.”
The band, The Last Bandoleros, which includes another San Antonio native, Jerry Fuentes, and New Yorker Derek James, plays a pop-tinged, country-rock blend, often with a Latin fusion, that gets fans moving and never forgets its roots. The band shares lead vocal duties and four-part harmonies.
“To me, the music is very Texas,” Emilio said. “That’s what it is. It’s Texas.”
The Navaira brothers spoke with Tejano Nation on June 30, on the heels of the national announcement that the Last Bandoleros will perform July 15 – from San Antonio – on ABC’s Good Morning America.
With Emilio back home in San Antonio and Diego at his home base in Nashville, the two spoke about their sound, the legacy of their famous father, their musical goals, and even their relationship as brothers who are just 18 months apart. Emilio, who is engaged, just turned 30, while Diego, 28, is married.
The Navaira Brothers: Diego and Emilio IV
THE SOUND
First, Diego wants the fans to know that despite the English music they perform, the style is influenced by a wide array of genres from country to rock and even Tejano.
“I think it is part Tejano, because obviously, we were raised with Tejano music around us with our dad being who he was,” Diego said. “And I think that’s something that spills into our music.”
The Last Bandoleros’ current album, Live From Texas, consists of 10 tunes performed during a December 14, 2019, concert at Floore’s Country Store in Helotes, Texas, just outside of San Antonio. Except for a remake of the Texas Tornadoes classic, “Hey Baby, Que Paso,” the songs were written all or in part by the band members, along with some of rock and country music’s top songwriters. The songs don’t fit squarely into any one genre but all share a folksy, pop-rock flavor.
In trying to define the Last Bandoleros’ sound, Emilio asks fans to imagine standing in the center of San Antonio’s historic Market Square where multiple bands play various genres on different stages.
“There’s a blues band playing on one side, a country band playing on the other, a Tejano band over here, and a rock band over there,” Emilio said. “And we’re somewhere in the middle of that. It’s just an amalgamation of all the music that Texans grow up listening to.”
THE LEGACY
Growing up with their Tejano superstar father meant the boys were exposed to all types of music, especially Tejano, but said their father, who passed away in 2016 at age 53, never pressured them to follow in his famous footsteps.
While some fans did remark that the Navaira brothers should perform Tejano music, their dad urged them to play what they loved.
“He was the one that pushed us, like, ‘You’ve got to follow what you want to do. You’ve got to follow who you are as an artist and what you do, it should be natural,” Emilio said of their father’s advice. “And that’s what happened in Last Bandoleros, because there is some of his music in what we do. And it’s natural, it’s not like us trying to do it, but we’re just doing our own thing. We’re doing our own spin on Tex-Mex music.”
In February 2019, Diego did perform an Emilio tribute concert with the San Antonio Symphony, where he sang his father’s top Tejano hits, also accompanied by his father’s original Rio band, but said at first, he was unsure about the prospect.
“I don’t ever really get nervous performing, but I’m always nervous saying yes to confirm those shows just because still, it’s so weird playing and hearing those songs on stage, and him, obviously, not being there,” Diego said. “But then, once the show’s done, I’m always so glad that we’re able to do those shows for his fans. And also, I don’t realize how therapeutic it is for me as well. So I really enjoy doing those, and hopefully, when things start to get back to normal, we can do more.”
This summer, Diego said he was to perform with David Lee Garza y Los Musicales, a band where his father got his start, at the Las Vegas Tejano music convention. He said he hopes, for the fans’ sake, the show can be done at a later date.
“What’s cool is I was planning on actually jumping on stage with David Lee Garza as well and doing a few of my dad’s early songs,” Diego said. “I think his fans would really enjoy that. And that’s why we do those shows is for his fans. I think he was taken too soon, I mean not only from us as his family, but I think his fans. No one was ready to stop hearing his music.”
Both brothers expressed pride in their cousins, Destiny and Rigo Navaira, and their uncle, Raulito, upon the recent release of Destiny’s debut album, La Preferida, which included a remake of her uncle’s early hit, “Pienso En Ti.”
“They just did a version of my dad’s ‘Pienso En Ti,’” Emilio said. “I thought that was very cool. I love watching my uncle in videos. I think he’s one of the greatest video actors of all time.”
The brothers believe their cousins, like them, also continue the family’s musical legacy, albeit via different genres.
“I’m in contact with them,” Emilio said. “They’re working on a new record right now. They’ll send us stuff and we’re sending them stuff. I talk to Rigo quite a bit and it’s funny because I feel like we’re both doing versions of what we grew up on. It’s just different mediums and different styles of it.”
“Aside from their stuff is a little more traditional and in Spanish, I feel like we’re both sort of doing the same thing because we grew up on the same stuff. So I think that it’s cool that we’re both kind of carrying on our dads’ legacies in our own way.”
THE BOND OF BROTHERS
Working together as brothers has not proven too difficult for Emilio and his younger brother, Diego, who find that most of their battles center around music.
“Diego and I, we’re only 18 months apart so I don’t know life without him,” Emilio said. “So we’ve been kind of, or we’ve been super close this whole time and I think what’s funny is we don’t normally fight but what we (do) fight about is music stuff…But we might fight once a year maybe.”
Diego agrees with his brother and said except for one instance when they were in their young teens, the two have not had any major blowouts.
“There’s been one time, I can recall, we were maybe 14 or 15 years old, and we were rehearsing in our dad’s garage with another rock band we had,” Diego said. “And I believe I socked my brother.”
“I was a mean kid,” Diego jokes. “But I was probably right, just for the record, I was probably correct.”
Emilio responds in a joking manner: “My words are vindictive and Diego just uses his hands sometimes.”
In all seriousness, Diego says the two mainly fight about music as that is what they hold dear.
“But no, Emilio is spot on,” Diego said. “As adults, we’ve hardly ever fought or get into any confrontation, but when we do, it’s in the recording studio or in a writing session. And I think it’s because we’re both so passionate about music.”
THE LAST BANDOLEROS
The Navaira brothers’ way to spread the Tex-Mex sound and culture that they love is with The Last Bandoleros, a band who has already experienced major exposure and experiences.
The group was noticed and admired by rock icon, Sting, with whom they subsequently toured in the spring of 2017 on his “57th and 9th” Tour in North America, Europe and South America. The band has also toured with The Mavericks, Dwight Yoakam, and Los Lobos. Signed with Warner Music Nashville, the Last Bandoleros were described in late 2017 by Rolling Stone as “a group who vie for the title of most thrilling new live band.” The band released an EP in 2017 and singles in 2018 and 2019. In 2018, Diego sang lead on “What Would You Be Doing,” which was a poignant tribute to his father.
As current touring is halted due to the pandemic, The Last Bandoleros currently reach their fans via social media and a live weekly show at 7:30pm CST every Wednesday on Facebook called, “Around a Neon Cactus,” where they welcome special guests and perform. During one late April episode, the band jammed with reggae-pop artist Shaggy of “It Wasn’t Me” fame.
Emilio admitted that some of the band’s brushes with fame and major celebrity can leave him in awe but more gratifying is the respect earned from these successful musicians.
“It’s very surreal sometimes and a lot of times I’m saying, ‘Pinch me, is this real?’ because we’ve done some crazy things,” Emilio said. “But … it’s really, really cool and gratifying knowing that people of this caliber, your Stings and your Shaggys, are excited about what we do musically. And for me, I think that that is – more than just hanging out and partying with them – is something that sort of makes you feel good about what you’re doing.”
He adds that the band’s role as ambassadors of Tex-Mex music makes these experiences even better.
“I also love it because we’re bringing South Texas music to people that normally wouldn’t hear it,” Emilio said. “So that in itself, that’s the most satisfying part to me. It’s bringing our culture to people that normally wouldn’t listen to it or have any idea what it is.”
This introduction of Tex-Mex music to the masses is what Emilio and Diego hope to accomplish on a national stage this July 15 when they perform on “Good Morning America.”
“We love embracing our culture and where we’re from and I think the way we do it, I think that’s an easier way for maybe people to discover something they didn’t know before,” Diego said. “And then maybe from there, they’ll pick up an Emilio album or a Selena album. Then, they’ll discover Tejano music. I think we always love doing that and embracing where we came from.”
Emilio agreed and goes further to stay that introducing Tex-Mex music to the world is the goal.
“I want (fans) to tune in to watch us on “Good Morning America,” because, like we’ve been talking about, like Diego said, we love embracing our culture and we love bringing it to people that don’t understand it or normally wouldn’t even give it a chance,” Emilio said. “So I think that what’s very cool about this is that we’re going to do it in San Antonio. We’re going to show the U.S. how to live with our music, how to move to it, what it sounds like, what it feels like, what it’s like to be in South Texas. We’re going to put that on a national platform. That’s our goal.”
Emilio added that he wants mainstream America to watch “Good Morning America” on July 15 so that they can experience the joy of the Tex-Mex experience.
“We want everyone to understand what’s going on here in South Texas and that it’s fun,” Emilio said. “And come and join the party, we’re waiting for you.”
A live stream concert and a new studio album is in the works for The Last Bandoleros and fans can visit the group’s Facebook page and website for the latest updates. Watch “Around a Neon Cactus” at 7:30 p.m. every Wednesday for performances and laughs with Emilio, Diego, and The Last Bandoleros.
“He Tratado De Olvidarte” is the brand new single from multi-talented Grammy Award winner J.R. Gomez. Taking a quick break from his massively popular Conjunto Bandits, Gomez ventures back into familiar territory with this classic-sounding Tejano ranchera.
Produced by the extraordinary Mario Ortiz (musical director for Jay Perez) and released on his Baby Grand Records label, “He Tratado De Olvidarte” is an updated version of the Roger Contreras-penned final track on David Lee Garza’s iconic 1392 album. Interestingly, this arrangement even sounds like what would have happened if DLG had opted to do the original song ranchera style instead of the slow jam hardcore fans remember from the album, right on down to the saxophone.
The production boasts some of the best in the business, all of whom have Grammy pedigrees of their own: Chente Barrera on drums, Eddie Perez on bajo sexto and bass, Valentino Maltos on saxophone, with Ortiz on keyboards and Gomez on accordion and vocals.
For many years, it’s been impossible to pin one particular style on Gomez. His versatility and musicianship lends him to all the different flavors of Tejano and Conjunto, and his ambitious, positive attitude makes him relentlessly pursue something new. His resume is proof, as evidenced by his time with the innovative and edgy Kumbia All-Starz to Tejano superstars like Jimmy Gonzalez y Grupo Mazz and Jay Perez to his labor of love, the high-energy J.R. Gomez y Los Conjunto Bandits, not to mention a list of duets and collaborations a mile long with fellow musicians of all kinds.
The sound of “He Tratado De Olvidarte” is pure Tejano and is guaranteed to be a dancefloor favorite among longtime fans of the genre, instantly evoking images of twirling cowboy hats and neon lights. Request it on your favorite Tejano station and look for it soon on all digital outlets.
Latin pop artist Frankie J premiered the video for “La Farsante,” a song off his album released in May, Canciones Que Recuerdo, a collection of timeless standards that jump genres from mariachi to bolero to ballads.
Frankie J’s third single and video from Canciones is the emotive mariachi tune, “La Farsante,” made famous by the late iconic Mexican singer Juan Gabriel that speaks from a scorned lover’s perspective.
In Frankie J’s version, he belts out the notes with power and passion, even throwing in a growl, as he promises to teach his lying lover a lesson for her misbehavior and treachery.
The video, shot in Los Angeles, includes scenes in the historic Miracle Mile, where Frankie J walks, as he sings, among ivory columns. He is dressed in a checkered, tweed suit and looks suave, even driving a glossy red Lamborghini through the nighttime city streets.
Like a mini Hollywood movie, complete with fast edits, pained expressions, and gorgeous model/actors, the video entertains and excites with Frankie J as the focal point.
