If you could talk to the boys.......

[teresadawn]

what would you say/ask?

I would ask

Do you guys write your music in English or Spanish? (first draft)

What comes first the lyrics or the music?

Jojo: when you're playing and singing what goes through your mind? I played bass in my youth, and it was all I could do to play the music much less sing on top of it.

Do you guys read music?

Are your wives musical?

What was the last CD you listened to?

If you could meet and talk to anyone in the world who would it be?

What is your favorite LLB song?

I hear you like fishing, Have you ever gone fly fishing?

there's a start. :)

[j9]

Usually, I'm tounge tied, but this last time I told Henry that I loved him and that I'd seen him six times. No logical thinking process was available to ask a question. :o But I did manage to speak which was an improvement. I think I'd ask him how the heck he plays like an angel!

[RosieJeanne]

Wow Teresadawn! That's a BIG LIST! But I would LOVE to know the answers to the same questions! And Janine, I always know what to say to the boys, but when I get near them, it all goes out the window. I can't think of one thing to ask when I'm near them! i JUST TURN TO mush!!! But last summer they played "Born on the bayou/Suzy Q" and the next night when I saw Jojo, I asked him "Did you guys have that on the setlist, or did you just start playing it for the hell of it?" He said they were just JAMMING! He said if they don't have to be out at a certain time, they can just jam. That was cool that I actually spoke that time. It's like when I got married. My dad talked to me all the way down the aisle, and I have no idea what he said...Still to this day! LOL! Rosie

[bernadettemanza]

Funny stories, Janine and Rosie. I'd like to ask how they came to write each song. We all know the story about Heaven and My Way, but I'd like to know what they were thinking and going thru when they were writing each song.

[cre8ivepoet]

Jamming is always so fun. I played music all thru junior and high school. There were a few standouts, a drummer, bassist, congos, trumpet, keyboardist...(not me of course). One night we all got together at the bassists house who lived on the coast along the canals...they jammed so hot, all the neighbors that lived across the canal were out on their patios dancing and yelling for more.

Jamming is definitely cool.

I've met the Garzas...and let's just say all they got from me was cricketts chirping. I was tongue tied. I was scared to talk. Though Henry commented on my light-up sunglasses. :p

I would ask if they give guitar lessons.

[teresadawn]

no fair, you all have actually talked to the boys.
oh well, in my dreams.

[RosieJeanne]

Teresadawn, Give it time. It'll happen sooner than you think. Now if they'd only put up some more dates! Any shows coming your way? I'm not sure where you're from.

[teresadawn]

nope, I'm in Denver

[j9]

Yeah, they are so sweet, they usually come out around the bus after shows. If I were you TeresaDawn, I'd locate the bus when you arrive at a show, and immediately after it ends, hightail yourself there asap. Thats pretty much how its done. Dont forget your list of questions, because you wont be able to think straight! ;)

[senoRita]

I've met all three Lonely Boys and their dad but don't ask me what I said to them because it's all very vague to me now.

I'd like to hang out with the boys during a jam session or a sound check but I doubt I'd ask them anything. I'd just sit quietly and be entertained.

[RosieJeanne]

nope, I'm in Denver

With Pat? (Chicqui)

[teresadawn]

I haven't met her yet and we've been to 2 concerts at the same time!

[senoRita]

I'd ask them which songs are going to be on their new CD. :D

[cyberfan]

I'd ask if they'd do more songs with Daddy!! :cool:

Trish

[mmmbopnmommy]

I can rarely remember ALL that was said right after I've talked w/ ANY of the Boys!!LOL It's just SO exciting, that I go blank when someone asks what we talked about!
usually it comes to me within the hour or so.... :) (and then I try to write it down!!!! hahahaha :p )

I ALWAYS get giddy, my heart in my throat, and I think I'll do the chirping thing Cree does!! lol....but then THEY start talking, and that makes it better.
Course, the HUGGING helps ALOT too! they smell WONDERFULLY!!!! hehehe, and it rubs off on to you for later!!!!
But I just enjoy talking about my family to them-- as H is interested in my oldests' cartoon drawings of them, Ringo inquires about my older boy's drumming...that kind of thing. joey, well,never mind what I talk to him about---hahahahha.......
but you just have to remember that they are only human. Plain & simple.

Rosie, I cn't believe YOU get tongue tied around them!! You don't seem the type to me!!! LOL Especially after last summer! :p

And Rita- You've met them a bunch of times---YOU get flustered by them STILL????
Well that settles it then-----
These guys just have the power to make us SPEACHLESS!!!!!! :D :D :D

[mmmbopnmommy]

Well, I'm pretty sure there are a few people who can answer a few of these questions for you-------
watch some of their interviews, they hint around at alot in them, never coming right out saying, but hinting at ALOT!!! LOL
Here goes what I can tell you (but you can ALWAYS ask them yourself when you see them!!! LOL)

what would you say/ask?

I would ask

Do you guys write your music in English or Spanish? (first draft)english

What comes first the lyrics or the music?depends on the song. mostly words first-the idea

Jojo: when you're playing and singing what goes through your mind? I played bass in my youth, and it was all I could do to play the music much less sing on top of it.

Do you guys read music?No,never learned to read it(really)

Are your wives musical? does humming count? LOL

What was the last CD you listened to?

If you could meet and talk to anyone in the world who would it be?

What is your favorite LLB song?

I hear you like fishing, Have you ever gone fly fishing?yes. H has some custom flys he likes to use

there's a start. :)
Hope that helps you to be more informed. :cool:

[senoRita]

I'd say, "HAPPY NEW YEAR" ! ! !

[senoRita]

I'd say...

Please post comments on these boards... :D

[cre8ivepoet]

I'd say...

Please post comments on these boards... :D

Hee hee. Smart girl. :D

[senoRita]

I'd say, "Thank you so much for signing my pics. You guys are so good to your fans. Maybe you'd let me sit in on a practice or sound check some time." ;) :D

[NaNeeBee]

I don't know what I would say but, my sister wanted me to ask somebody, anybody about "Heaven". She swears it is a remake of an old Motown song! Does anyone know so I can tell her???? :confused:

[senoRita]

Heaven is not a remake or cover of a Motown song. It's an original song and would not have won a Grammy if it was a cover song. IMHO it doesn't bear any resemblance to any previous Motown song.

[El STR]

I've met the guys at least five or six times. I know they're busy and fans usually say things like, "you guys rock" or "you guys are awesome".

I'm sure they appreciate that... but what I've told them is that I'm grateful to them for bringing so many incredible people into my life. I've told them that as great as the music and concerts are, nothing compares to the blessings of new friendships and familia! That's the honest truth.

[NaNeeBee]

Heaven is not a remake or cover of a Motown song. It's an original song and would not have won a Grammy if it was a cover song. IMHO it doesn't bear any resemblance to any previous Motown song.
http://llb.messageboards.musictoday.com/images/smilies/smile.gif I got my hands on the LLB Dual Disc with the videos and showed it to my sister this past weekend. I told her, "SEE! They even tell the story of how the song was made!" (Really, I should have remembered that story http://llb.messageboards.musictoday.com/images/smilies/redface.gif ) She relented and said maybe it was just sooo long ago that she first heard the song, MAYBE she was mistaken. http://llb.messageboards.musictoday.com/images/smilies/rolleyes.gif That's older sisters for ya. Nearly impossible to prove them wrong. http://llb.messageboards.musictoday.com/images/smilies/tongue.gif She likes the song though. I let her have my other CD.
Thanks, senoRita. http://llb.messageboards.musictoday.com/images/smilies/smile.gif

[Rh Onda]

I couldn't agree with you more, STR!! The boys have made it possible for so many people from so many places to meet, become lifelong friends, travel together, etc., etc., etc. How great is that??? And what a blessing.

[cherienjim]

my husband and i talked to henry and jojo after the show in pittsburgh last june. they are very friendly and easy to talk to. they both signed my new shirt that jim bought me, and henry laughed when i said omg, you have so many children. jojo was more reserved, but very friendly. ringo went straight to the bus, and dint come out. (maybe he had to go to the bathroom) hehehehehehehe ;) :eek:

[shashavjc]

What comes first the lyrics or the music? :)

im with Rita on this one when i met them way back when LOL i asked, it depends on the sound they get - usually henry plays the guitar and jams then he tells his brothers like OOOoooOooOoo did u hear that?? Then they just start to add from there, i actually have a recording of when the boys MIGHT have played Oye Mamasita for the first time, before they played it they said - heres lil something we've been workin on.... its rough but we'll play it - all they sang was Oye Mamasita que pasa... there is also if i believe another song on the new album that was from way back when that i heard once before.... so i think certain songs they have the melody to and then as time progresses they just add to the song with lyrics, riffs, solos and all that good stuff

sorry i got a lil carried away

[shashavjc]

found this link that i had saved from way back when thought it would clear a lil bit of answers :D
hope ya dont mind :cool:

story by Phil Davidson



One of the tougher elements of putting a band together is finding musicians compatible with one's own musical tastes. For Austin's Los Lonely Boys, that issue never arose. Comprised of the three brothers Garza - Henry (guitar, vocals), JoJo (bass, vocals,) and Ringo (drums, vocals) - the band has been playing the same Tex-Mex, blues, and Latin-style rock since their teenage days serving as a back-up band for their father and biggest influence, Ringo Sr.

Fueled by an endorsement by Willie Nelson, who called Los Lonely Boys his favorite local band and invited them to record their self-titled debut at his Pedernales studio in Austin, as well as a clean sweep of the major categories (best song, best album, best band) at the 2003 Austin Music Awards, the brothers suddenly find themselves taking the rest of the country outside the Southwest by storm.

Chicago Innerview recently spoke with the gregarious Henry on his way to a recording studio in New York about the band's nascent stardom, working with a musical legend, and music's ability to define and alter the fundamental core of a human being.


Chicago Innerview: Is it a lot of pressure being the next big act out of Texas, with all the legendary music that's come out of the Lone Star State?

Henry Garza: Yeah man there's a lot of pressure, we just don't think about it like that. We're just three brothers having a good time doing what they were blessed with and just going out and sharing it with the world, man. We're really not worried about anything else.

Chicago Innerview: What, so far, has been the biggest surprise of your success? Is there any element of it that's been overwhelming?

Henry Garza: We can't really believe it. Well, it's not really that we can't believe it, it's just that we can't understand it. We're real proud, very honored, very thankful for everything that's happened. It's all about the music. It's like 'give and you shall receive', so we're going to keep giving.

CI: What was it like working with Willie Nelson? How did that come about?

HG: It was cool. We didn't expect to meet him. His nephew liked our music and wanted to show Willie our music and we were like 'yeah, okay.' But sure enough, he invited Willie to come see the show and in walks the man himself with his wife. Willie was there, dude, and we all three turned around and thanked him for coming. We were just hoping we didn't blow his eardrums or nothing. But he stayed for the whole set and that was just the beginning of a beautiful relationship - familia as we like to call it. Ever since then he took us under his wing. Having Willie on your side is like having Yoda.

CI: You mentioned that none of you guys know how to read music. How does your songwriting process come about?

HG: It's all by ear. Our dad taught us the chords and then told us the sky was the limit, so when we play we look at our instruments and see no limits. I really can't tell you how we write, it just comes out by itself. It's really kind of magical, being that we're brothers and being able to play together and sing together. It's almost having an automatic connection. It's really spontaneous. It's kind of like if you had a Pop Tart in the toaster and forgot about it and all of the sudden it just pops up and it was ready, that's what our music is like. Usually when we write it's stuff that we're going through. It's usually a life experience or a feeling. It's not like we're thinking real hard about what to say, it comes out all by itself. Music, she's her own living, man. She speaks to you however she wants to, you got to treat her right.

CI: Since your album is comprised of so many musical genres, is there any one that you prefer?

HG: My favorite, if you're asking me as a guitar player, is the blues, some good Hendrix-type stuff. I love playing some Stevie Ray, Santana, Valens, Skynryd even. My favorites are Santana and Stevie Ray.

CI: Playing live. Is that what music is all about?

HG: It doesn't matter if there's no people or anything, but just playing live, that's where it's at 'cause you're seeing those people eye to eye, you're touching them heart to heart. On the album it's real hard to get that across to people. That's why we're real proud of this album because we were able to capture some of that on tape. People can get a sense of what we're like live, but you have to come see it to hear it. You really got to come see the show to get a feel of Los Lonely Boys, man. We've been doing this music thing our whole lives, since we were four, five, six years old, just so we could get something to eat, just to put a roof on our heads and shoes on our feet. It's not a hobby that we're doing, it's a way of life. Music is a way of life. It's hard to find out there with a lot of musicians today. They're pretty much raping the music out there and doing it for money and fame. The most important thing is touching people's lives so we can make a difference. That's one thing about our music, it's been able to target everyone from a baby in the womb to a 70-year-old man or 80-year-old woman in every ethnic group you can think of. That's what music is about, not to target a certain group of people, it should target everybody.

Los Lonely Boys will play at the Park West May 13.

http://www.chicagoinnerview.com/archives/may04_los_lonely_boys.htm#top


this is one of the many articles i love to read when i come across it everyonce in a while - it puts a smile on my face i hope you enjoy it as much as i did - im sure you'll find it resourceful as well

[crazy4LLB]

Thanks for sharing that! I often think about what I'd ask them if I could talk to them and it always comes to how they write their songs. What made them think of this or do that? I know I wouldn't be able to speak though. Nothing would come out! And their music is much, MUCH more than a pop tart!

[Brenda]

Good Article thanks for posting it! ;)

Funny stories, Janine and Rosie. I'd like to ask how they came to write each song. We all know the story about Heaven and My Way, but I'd like to know what they were thinking and going thru when they were writing each song.

My wish exactly! I'd love to know what THEY were thinking when they wrote each song. So many artists don't like to commit to that because they want their music to reach so many people & let them interrupt what it means to them to reach their hearts. But I think it would be so cool to hear what the songs were based on by the artist & what it means to THEIR hearts. One of the reasons LLB touches your heart & gut is because they do write their own music & feel it, not just sing it.