Good Press & Articles about LLB

[senoRita]

Henry will be featured in a documentary film.

Milwaukee, Wis., Jan 8, 2008 - Milwaukee’s local Hard Rock band Spiral Trance is proud to announce that they have been selected to be among a few national and international artists featured in the recently released documentary “Solid Bodies, The 50 Year Guitar War” produced by Mississippi based Lightning Lab Productions. In addition to their music being featured in the documentary, lead guitarist Matt Stevens is pictured on the DVD cover and poster art.



About The Documentary

Milwaukee Band’s Composition is Featured in Documentary about Rock Music’s Most Popular Guitars

Saltillo, MS (January 7, 2008) – A composition by the Milwaukee, Wisconsin group Spiral Trance is included in the soundtrack for Solidbodies, The 50 Year Guitar War. he feature-length documentary which is now available on DVD focuses on the five decade competition of sounds between the two guitars that have been heard on more popular recordings than any other instruments during the rock era: the Fender Stratocaster and the Gibson Les Paul.

The Spiral Trance composition, Breathe Again (instrumental), is also featured in the film’s trailer which can be seen at www.solidbodiesthemovie.com.

Among the others contributing to the project are Joe Bonamassa, internationally acclaimed guitarist known for his technically accomplished playing; Henry Garza, guitarist and singer with the Grammy Award winning Los Lonely Boys; George Gruhn, owner of Gruhn Guitars who is considered to be one of the world’s leading experts on vintage guitars; Derek Trucks, famed slide guitar virtuoso who leads his own
group and also plays with the Allman Brothers Band; and Richard R. Smith, the author of “Fender: The Sound Heard ‘Round The World” which is often viewed as the definitive book about Fender guitars and Leo Fender.

The documentary was written and directed by Guy Hornbuckle. The director is an award-winning broadcast journalist whose company Lightning Lab Productions, LLC produced the project.

www.solidbodiesthemovie.com

[LLB cyberfan]

Thanks a million for sharing this cool article!!! Henry's getting bigger and bigger every day!! :cool:

Trish

[velvetsky0222]

The trailer is really awesome to. I'd love to see it and all these awesome guitarist.

[SadFlower83]

How cool is that? I'm glad they included Henry since he is, IMHO, the best guitarist to hit the scene in 50 yrs. Backed by the blessings bestowed upon him by the Guitar Legends that have passed on. Orale! Thanks for sharing Rita :)

Sara

[RosieJeanne]

Thanks soooo much for sharing that! You can buy the DVD, Too! I'm so happy for Henry!

[Amor]

AWESOME... that is so cool. I really love to see Henry get recognized for his true talent. It is soooooo deserving. Thanks Rita for posting. :D

[lovemusic]

I have ordered the DVD. I can't wait to see it. I will let you all know about it once I see it. I am sure it will be fantastic.

[CrazyDreamGirl]

Wow ... Thanks for posting this Rita ! I'm passsing this on to very interested friends & family! :)

[senoRita]

http://www.gotorenotahoe.com/news/stories/html/2008/06/10/10291.php

Los Lonely Boys’ music not restricted by boundaries

Who: Los Lonely Boys
When: 9 p.m. June 17
Where: Crystal Bay Casino, Crown Room, Crysta Bay, Nevada
Cost: $27 in advance and $30 day of show
Details: 833-6333
Web: crystalbaycasino.com
Note: There will be an after-party with the Mother Truckers


Best Bets

JoJo Garza of the Los Lonely Boys uses “the musical burrito theory” to describe the group’s music.

“We roll it up, feed it to the world and, hopefully, they come back for seconds,” he said to the Lansing (Mich.) State Journal.

Fans will savor the appearance of Los Lonely Boys on June 17 at the Crystal Bay Casino.

Garza brothers JoJo (bass), Henry (guitar) and Ringo (drums) have been performing together as Los Lonely Boys since 2000. Before that, they were backup musicians for their father, Enrique “Ringo” Garza Sr., a longtime conjunto (a kind of Mexican-American music rooted in Texas) and country musician.

“Our dad’s our biggest influence, and he showed us Elvis Presley, the Beatles and Johnny Cash,” JoJo Garza said to the State Journal. “When we got older, we got into Bob Seger, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Santana, Stevie Ray Vaughan and B.B. King. And then there’s the music that happens along the way, like Metallica. We see it all.”

All those influences went into the brothers’ music, often referred to as Texican.

“The word Texican, all it means is that you’re a Mexican from Texas, pretty much being who we were,” JoJo Garza said in an interview with the Honolulu Star-Bulletin. “It’s a way of life ... you’re good to people, you do what you got to do to survive, and if you do play music, it’s usually pretty good stuff.

“Growing up, we pretty much heard it all. There’s some funk in there, some rock ’n’ roll and some blues. It’s even got the Latin feel, and goes as far as country music. There’s no boundaries in our music,” he said.

Los Lonely Boys released its self-titled debut to multiplatinum success and critical acclaim in 2004. The single “Heaven” was a chart topper with its infectious groove and fluid harmonies. At the 2005 Grammys, the brothers won Best Pop Vocal Duo/Group and were nominated for Best New Artist, Record of the Year and Best Rock Instrumental.

“It was very nice to have the recognition,” JoJo Garza said of the Grammy to the State Journal. “It stands for all colors, shapes and sizes, but I think we naturally speak for the Latino community a great deal. We were able to break boundaries by getting a Grammy, and that’s awesome.”

The much-anticipated sophomore effort, “Sacred,” was released in 2006. While not as commercially successful as its predecessor, the album still struck a chord with music critics.

“‘Sacred’ is an exciting, even wonderful second step for one of the truly unique bands on the scene,” All Music said in its review.

But the brothers from San Angelo, Texas, know it’s getting harder to get their music heard, partly due to the influx of new artists.

“It’s got a lot to do with that, but it’s also the amount of processed music that they’re coming out with,” JoJo Garza told the Star-Bulletin. “It’s like Chips Ahoy (as) opposed to your mama’s homemade cookies.

“There’s a lot of Chips Ahoy out there, man,” he said.

[cre8ivepoet]

DOWN with the chips ahoy music!!! No more chips! No more chips!!

Way cool article Rita!!

[Rh Onda]

... and there's nothing better than mama's homemade cookies

[Amor]

Thanks so much for the article. Who in their right mind would choose "processed" over "homemade" ????

[senoRita]

Another interview with JoJo. http://www.independent.com/news/2008/jun/12/not-so-lonely/

Not So Lonely
Los Lonely Boys Make Waves with Their Latest Album

Family tradition runs deep in Texas. The state lays claim to everybody’s favorite Frat Packers, Luke and Owen Wilson, musical maestros Ashlee and Jessica Simpson, and let’s not forget the political legacy of the brothers Bush (at least not until November, anyway). And then there are the Garza brothers. While they might not be a household name, thanks to the 2004 hit “Heaven” their musical alias, Los Lonely Boys, most certainly is. But long before Henry, JoJo, and Ringo Garza were recording and releasing their unique blend of Texican rock ’n’ roll, they were singing backup vocals for their father’s band. “Heaven” might have seemingly come out of nowhere, but it was born from a musical tradition that has now spanned two generations and yielded three albums, a documentary, and live shows alongside the Rolling Stones, Willie Nelson, and Carlos Santana. On tour in support of the recently released Forgiven, Los Lonely Boys will join Sheryl Crow at the Santa Barbara Bowl this Thursday, June 12. Brett Leigh Dicks recently spoke with JoJo Garza.

Does having a band with your brothers make things easier or harder? I think it makes it easier. When you’re doing something with your brothers all your life, it becomes so easy. At the same time, there are still those hills you have to climb. But nobody’s got your back like your brothers got it, man.

Is it a union that transcends the music? In a lot of musical families there have been hardships and they end up separating or splitting up, but the way we’ve been raised, family’s been first always. The way we see it, we’re brothers first and the music is an addition to what God has already blessed us with, which is such a beautiful family. That’s the concept that carries through everything we do.

Los Lonely Boys have supported their fair share of rock ’n’ roll royalty. What is it like walking out onstage knowing that the Rolling Stones or Sheryl Crow are going to follow? For us to be in that sort of environment is a chance to be opening new ears to what we do. It’s cool for us because we’re able to cross so many different genres of music. But what it all comes down to is the fans. It’s just a chance for us to get our music out there as much as we can.

You alluded to your music crossing genres. Your sound is very much a melting pot of influences. Where do you see yourselves in the world of contemporary music? We don’t believe that any type of music should have a label on it, or there should be any boundaries separating it. We have never wanted to classify ourselves in any kind of genre, man, so we came up with what we called “Texican Rock ’n’ Roll.” But at the same time, brother, we know that there is a place for that. So we’re pretty much a rock band.

You hail from Texas. What role has your home state played in your music? It’s everything, brother. Every morning, [from when] we wake up until when we go to sleep, it’s there. Don’t get me wrong, every place is special, but here in Texas, man, there is something about the earth and something about the air and something about the water. This is not just the place we live; it’s the place we call home. We’re from Texas and we’re Mexican Americans, and all that plays a very important role in what we do in life. But at the same time, it’s not something we’re overstating. We don’t need to — it’s there naturally.

You had a huge hit with “Heaven,” which came off your debut album, and then there was pressure to follow that up with Sacred. What was it like going into the studio for a third time to record Forgiven? We didn’t feel any stress when it came time to make the second album. The way it turned out is what it is. We really don’t feel the need to stress about what we do or what we give to the world musically. For us, being in the studio is just another exciting adventure.

Comparing your recordings to your live shows, where do you think Los Lonely Boys make their greatest mark? I believe the live side of Los Lonely Boys is where you can really see what we’re about. As far as albums go, this last album was one of the better albums we have recorded because of the style that we did it in. It was a real live recording. It was like a live environment, which offered us a really cool vibe.

With a new album coming out, the road is presumably going to consume your life for a while. Are you ready for another round of touring? I’m very excited. Don’t get me wrong, I’m going to miss my kids and my brothers are going to miss their families and stuff. But it’s time for us to get out there and start pushing a new album and to start making some new tracks in the sand.


Los Lonely Boys will open for Sheryl Crow at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, June 12, at the Santa Barbara Bowl (1122 N. Milpas St.). Visit sbbowl.com or call 962-7411 for tickets.

[mamacitaRuth]

KC Review.....I cut out the Soul Asylum part Didn't think y'all would mind....
Concert Review: Los Lonely Boys at Ribfest, 6/21/08
Mon Jun 23, 2008 at 07:58:14 AM
Los Lonely Boys
06/21/08
Ribfest, American Royal/Kemper Arena Parking Lot
Better Than You Could Imagine
By DANNY ALEXANDER

Ribfest was looking full by the time brothers Henry, Jojo and Ringo Garza (a.k.a. Los Lonely Boys) took the stage at 9:00 and the responding roar left no doubt when Henry cried out, "Are you ready for some Texican Rock & Roll?"

The band returned the compliment with a muscled up version of "Kansas City," lead guitarist Henry consistently laying down fiery blues licks while bass playing brother Jojo egged him on. That interplay grew ferocious by "Man to Beat," with the brothers bouncing together centerstage. The music could also be probing and reflective as with the Santana-esque, "I Never Met a Woman."
Almost nine minutes on the band's first album, Saturday night's live "Onda" was a half hour fireworks display of musical ideas.

At one point Jojo and Ringo shared percussive duties for a dazzling drum solo, at another point they duck-walked from the back of the stage to the front together.This rock and jazz suite never grew dull, firing the crowd for a final sing-a-long with the band's Top 40 hit, "Heaven." Heaven didn't feel far away at all as Henry played his final solos, tossing half a dozen different picks into the crowd without breaking his stride.

[senoRita]

Cool review . . . Can picture Henry saying, "Let's get lonely, now!"

[RosieJeanne]

I got this article from a Google alert today. Nice article but why do they have to bring up those old unfortunate incidents??? Gets me mad.

"Los Lonelys get back to what they do best"
Thursday, June 26, 2008

LOS LONELY BOYS

'Forgiven'

(Sony)



There's no question mark after the title of Los Lonely Boys' third album, "Forgiven," but it sure couldn't hurt. The last time we heard from the brothers Garza, bassist JoJo and drummer Ringo were still dogged by assorted drug and assault charges. "Sacred," the album they were promoting at the time, was rising up the charts, yeah, thanks to the carry-over popularity of the song "Heaven" from their self-titled debut, but it was hard not to feel disgusted by the air of moral decline.

Enter big brother Henry, who pleads their case on the new album's title track. "Can you take it away, Lord?" he sings, "Help me change my ways of living." He seems sincere (hey, we've all known a little moral decline), and the brothers are in rare form.

Indeed, Los Lonelys' voices are glued together on harmonies honed under the tutelage of an exacting father. And Henry and JoJo's lyrics preach virtue without being pedantic: their themes include self-affirmation, introspection and perseverance. The best yet is Henry's shredding in the style of Stevie Ray Vaughan, which is in full effect on "Heart Won't Tell a Lie;" you can feel the song's gigantic guitar intro percolating under Ringo's congas from a mile away, but it still gets you every time.

"Forgiven" was recorded at East Side Stages in Austin, and includes Dr. John on three tracks, among them the funky "You Can't See the Light." Instead of a traditional studio environment, Los Lonelys re-created their live setup. That's an approach that screams, "We just wanna forget everything else and play for the sake of playing." And that's exactly what "Forgiven" sounds like — done-good Texas boys playing their smooth "Texican" blend of rock 'n' roll, pop and the blues because they don't know what else to do.

So, are they — forgiven, that is? Well, it's not really a "yes" or "no" question.

Recommended tracks: "Staying With Me," "I'm a Man."

— Michael Hoinski

Los Lonely Boys play a free KGSR Blues on the Green show with Shawn Sahm and the Tex Mex Experience July 9 at Zilker Park.

[senoRita]

"Henry and JoJo's lyrics preach virtue without being pedantic: their themes include self-affirmation, introspection and perseverance."

This tells it all.

As for the bad press . . . I hope nothing comes up with this release. I don't know but it seems that bad luck comes for LLB with a CD release. :(

[cre8ivepoet]

LLB in People Magazine:

3 out of 4 stars!!

I was hoping for "critic's choice" but someone else stole it this week, however People only did 4 spots on albums this week and LLB made the cut!! Here's what they had to say:

Los Lonely Boys, who won a Grammy in 2005 for their hit "Heaven" show they still know their way to pop paradise on their third studio disc. The brothers Garza - Henry, Jojo and Ringo - smoothly integrate pop, rock, blues, country and Tex-Mex sounds into a breezy blend perfect for summer chilling. Highlights include the soulful "Love Don't Care About Me" and the remorseful title track, on which they make bittersweet harmony.

Download this: "Staying With Me," the Santana-esque first single

Staying with Me was People's download choice! It was accented perfectly with a picture of the album cover.

[cre8ivepoet]

Mama, that is a REALLY good review!! It got me all fired up!

[senoRita]

So the boys made People Magazine, that's really cool :cool: . I'll have to pick up a copy at the store. :)

[mamacitaRuth]

This one is old, but it's a good one...... :p

Rock 'n' Roll Outlaws
Los Lonely Boys will bring a little 'Texicano' to Penn's Peak
By Gene Padden


They've been filed under rock, roots, Latin, and "Texicano," and in the end, they won a Grammy for plain ol' pop music. The brothers Garza don't care how you classify their catalog, because let's face it - everyone was born to do the Hokey Pokey.

The Garzas put that theory to the test from the beginning, from their debut in front of a skeptical Nashville crowd to the time Willie Nelson introduced himself by crashing a gig. Now several million albums removed from their humble West Texas beginnings, Henry, Jo Jo, and Ringo Garza - better known as Los Lonely Boys - are comfortable in any element. And that includes here in Northeastern Pennsylvania, where certain politicians have embraced the national spotlight when it comes to immigration legislation - no Minutemen necessary.

Inspired by their father's quest to become the first Mexican country singer, the boys wrapped all of their influences from blues to conjunto into what Henry calls a "musical burrito theory," which has led to big-time success.

It isn't rock 'n' roll in a sense of Marshall cabinet walls and pyrotechnics; rather rock 'n' roll in a sense of taking a shot at something that's never been done. With their father at their side and their faith as their guide, the boys took a chance, and now find themselves touring the globe as missionary rock stars with their new album, Sacred, in tow.

When Henry phoned in from a tour stop in Cape Cod, he didn't preach to us. He simply gave credit where he feels is due, with sinister "heh-heh" chuckles to drive home his points.

After all, when your hit song is "Heaven" and your drummer's birth name is Ringo, life is pretty good ...

Tell me you guys didn't make Ringo play drums because his name is Ringo.
No, man. (laughs) It's a really weird deal. I'm the oldest so I came out first, naturally, heh-heh. I jumped on the guitar. I was writing songs at 4 and 5. Jo Jo started on guitar, too. He just jumped to bass and I don't remember why. Ringo was 8 when he started on drums. Me and Jo Jo would jam but one day everyone was out and I got Ringo to jump behind the drums and keep a beat. He was always a hyper dude. He caught on like it was his calling. My dad flipped out when he got home from work. It was a cool experience.

Even being brothers, the band is tight.
We're real close now. Not just in music, but in life. We get off the road where we were on the bus for six weeks, and the next day we're calling each other. We hear that's rare. I don't get it when other bands can't get along. Those people were all brought up wrong, heh-heh.

Did the "brother" gimmick ever hold you back?
It most definitely worked for us, brother. We're proud of what we are. We're about being a real human. No gimmicks to make dollars like Chips Ahoy cookies, man. We're the homemade, mama's cookies. You can taste the love and everything. We're not a formula. We hold onto our music and what we want. It don't take much to be happy. It's great just to wake up and be alive, heh-heh.

Have you dealt with racism at gigs? (We sort of get a bad wrap for immigration up here.)
Is that where it all started? Growing up, we definitely saw some racism and went through it. We learned quickly that music wasn't about color. If a song can get to the heart, then really ... no one can explain what moves the soul or moves the feet. It just moves you. At a young age, we were Mexican Americans - or we say "Texicans" - walking into Nashville in the most redneck part you can see, and everybody's like, "Hey, get those wetbacks off the stage," you know? And as soon as we kicked off with (singing) "Your cheatin' heart ..." by Hank Williams, man, their eyes got real big and their mouths dropped. It was a lesson for them as well. It goes to show that it's not where you come from. It's what you do and what kind of a person you are inside.

Right.
We owe all that to our father. We were just kids following their dad and his dream to be the first Mexican country singer. He tried, and we pursued and knocked down all these obstacles in the way. Being who we are made it tough to get here today. It was still tough for us to be Mexican Americans and pursue Anglo music. Our music where we come from is all traditional Spanish, conjunto music. We have those influences, but we wanted to do something different.

Your dad helped you a lot with the business?
Our dad being there was so important for the whole music part, and being a good father and teaching us about life. There was no shroud over our eyes. He said at a very young age to us, "Mijos, this world is not as pretty as you think it is. It's tough being who you are." And he was picking cotton at age 4. I got kids now, too, and they have opportunities and choices and a way of life we didn't have.

Being so close, do the songs come easily?
Sometimes they come and sometimes they don't. When we write, it's pretty natural. It's a fun thing and we try to keep it fun. You don't want it too serious, because then it becomes a science project.

How serious was it choosing a cover for the John Lennon tribute?
Well, that was a big coincidence, heh-heh. They asked us and of course we were thrilled, but then we had to wait. All the other artists were picking their songs. These were like Willie Nelson doing "Imagine" and everything. They gave us what nobody recorded and we listened to what was left, and "Whatever Gets You Through the Night" ... we knew we could turn that into Texas. We heard him do it with Elton John and it was fast. We tried it our way, and it was fun. To be creative on a well-known artist's song is great. We also got to do that on a Johnny Cash song, "Walk the Line."

They say Willie Nelson "discovered" you. There's some truth to that. He's like our godfather, man. He's like Yoda. He knows everything there is about the music "force."

Well, Yoda was a pothead too, right?
(laughs) And he was green, man! That's funny, heh-heh. But what happened was we had cut a demo for his nephew and he told us about Willie Nelson and he said he had taken it to Willie and that he wanted to come out and see us. And we just kind of went along like, "Yeah, OK, man. Sure." Willie actually came to see us play at a real small place in Austin. It was above a deli. He sat down and watched the whole show. And we just hit it off like we were close friends. Since that day, we grew closer to being like family. Willie took the time to raise his eye and say, "Look at these Mexican boys." His taking notice made other people notice. It got us to a bigger audience.

Nice.
Yeah. You only get shots like that one time. We know we aren't going to be here forever, but our music can leave a mark, even when we're gone. It's a beautiful thing, brother, to leave your impression on the Earth, even for one song. We're proud to have been blessed with the opportunity to win a Grammy and get our song "Heaven" out there. We take it real close to the heart. We believe in God and Jesus, and we don't tell people what to believe. We just tell them what we believe. It's worked for us.

-gpadden@timesshamrock.com

[senoRita]

That's sure a great interview with Henry! Thanks for posting it. I love to read the interviews esp with Henry. ;)

[cmedina]

Here's one from Yahoo News Billboard CD Reviews:

ARTIST: LOS LONELY BOYS

ALBUM: FORGIVEN (Epic Records)

Los Lonely Boys have reached the liberation point. They've had the multiplatinum, Grammy Award-winning major-label debut in 2003, and they had the sophomore slump with 2006's "Sacred." With expectations tempered for "Forgiven," the sibling trio from Texas doesn't panic but rather retrenches, returning to the easy-grooving, harmony-laden Carlos Santana-meets-Stevie Ray Vaughan feel of its first album. "Forgiven" kicks off with the lost-my-baby Latin blues of "Heart Won't Tell a Lie" and mines plenty of familiar terrain from there on out, including the smooth brotherly vocal arrangements of "Staying With Me," the philosophical big-picture lyricism of "The Way I Feel" and the swinging acoustic groove "Loving You Always." Stick around for two unlisted bonus tracks, the soulful "There's a War Tonight" and the grinning "Guero in the Barrio," which is about as loose as Los Lonely Boys have ever sounded on disc.

[mamacitaRuth]

Lonely Boys put hearts in album
By PAUL HARRIS, pharris@gosanangelo.comor 659-8242
June 28, 2008

It's not easy to follow up a debut album like Los Lonely Boys' 2004 self-titled CD.

The San Angelo brothers saw their first album sell more than 2 million copies, while their hit single, "Heaven," shot to the top of the charts and won them a Grammy Award.

The album was "a whole life's work," said bass player JoJo Garza. And soon after, their record label wanted them to do it all again.
Garza said he felt like they were rushed back into the studio for a follow-up effort in 2006, and their second album, "Sacred," struggled to meet lofty expectations.

It motivated JoJo Garza, along with brothers Henry and Ringo, to come back stronger than ever for their third album, "Forgiven," which will be released nationwide Tuesday.

The Garzas will mark the release in San Angelo with an in-store signing of their CD at Wal-Mart Supercenter on Sherwood Way.
"I really love ('Sacred'). I think there are a lot of really good songs on there, and it didn't get a chance," Garza said. "But it is what it is. We're not gonna cry about it, and we're not gonna stay in a hole, and that's why we've got 'Forgiven.'"

The new album, which has 12 tracks, still features the band's signature Texican rock 'n' roll, Garza said. A new addition, however, is that drummer Ringo Garza steps in front of the microphone for the first time on the song "Superman."

JoJo Garza said the album "has a real good feel" about seeing the light, even when you're down. He said it's also about simply having a good time with the people you love.

"One of the most important things is that people be touched and relate to the music," Garza said. "If that happens, then we've done our job."
The new album took less than three weeks to put together in the studio.
"It was pretty fast, but we did the first album that quick, too," he said.
The brothers recently toured across much of the western United States and soon will begin a tour across the entire country to help promote their album. They don't have any concerts planned in San Angelo, but they have shows planned in Austin, San Antonio and Houston.

Next Tuesday, they're scheduled to play on "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno."

"Everything's been going really good," Garza said. "We've had a lot of good response from the crowd toward the new stuff we've been doing."
Riding the momentum from the breakthrough first album - particularly the big hit "Heaven" - "Sacred" debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200, but fell off the charts altogether after 11 weeks.

Garza said they weren't prepared to be in the studio at the time "Sacred" was recorded, and label executives didn't understand that they couldn't recapture the magic of "Heaven."

"They were asking for another 'Heaven,' and we can't just do that. We can't be something we're not. It comes out when it comes out," Garza said.
Through the ups and downs of success, Garza said Los Lonely Boys have continued to call San Angelo home and serve as ambassadors for the city.
Whatever the future holds, Garza said one thing is for certain - Los Lonely Boys will keep making music.

"One of the things with this new album, and I can personally speak on this is we're kind of putting our foot down and really putting our print in the sand, and saying, 'Here we are, and we're not going anywhere,'" Garza said. "Our music might change with natural evolution and maturing, but we're still gonna be Los Lonely Boys.

"We're still gonna be talking about worldly issues and issues at home and within ourselves. We just hope the good Lord blesses us with good health to continue to do this for more years to come."

[Rh Onda]

Love it!

[cre8ivepoet]

Thanks for sharing Mamacita. That was a good article.

[senoRita]

Here's a short and SWEET review of Forgiven.

LOS LONELY BOYS, Forgiven (Epic)

San Angelo’s own giants of Texican rock n’ roll, Los Lonely Boys, release their third album consistent with the big sound that has helped make them famous. The Steve Jordan (John Mayer) produced record appears to bring more of all there is to love about the brotherly trio, great tunes begging to be turned up to 11. Right before the Independence Day holiday, this is a sure complement to an already hot summer. File under: Rock / Blues / Pop

:D :D :D

[mamacitaRuth]

Here's a short and SWEET review of Forgiven.

LOS LONELY BOYS, Forgiven (Epic)

San Angelo’s own giants of Texican rock n’ roll, Los Lonely Boys, release their third album consistent with the big sound that has helped make them famous. The Steve Jordan (John Mayer) produced record appears to bring more of all there is to love about the brotherly trio, great tunes begging to be turned up to 11. Right before the Independence Day holiday, this is a sure complement to an already hot summer. File under: Rock / Blues / Pop

:D :D :D

VERY SWEET!!! Thanks, Rita! :D It's gonna be a loooong, hot, ROCKIN' summer.....

[senoRita]

Here's another great review of Forgiven . . .

http://washingtontimes.com/news/2008/jul/01/all-is-forgiven-now/

LISTENING STATION: Los Lonely Boys finds likable mix
Adam Mazmanian
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
Forgiven
Epic

It's hard to imagine a more likable rock album than "Forgiven," the third full-length studio effort by the Texas-trio, Los Lonely Boys. The songs graft blues, acid rock and the traditional Tex-Mex border music of conjunto into a sound that's an adult contemporary combination of Los Lobos and Stevie Ray Vaughn.

This band of brothers - Henry Garza on guitar and vocal, JoJo on bass and Ringo Jr. on drums - boasts deep roots as musicians. They honed their craft playing behind their father Ringo Garza Sr., who himself played alongside his brothers in the conjunto band the Falcones. Conjunto is based around the accordion, with backing from 12-string guitar and other instruments. Los Lonely Boys is a guitar band, but they are able to show off their conjunto influence by using the Hammond organ as an accordion stand-in.

This is not to oversell the band's Tex-Mex roots. The band describes its sound as "Texican rock 'n' roll," and the accent definitely goes on the rock. As a guitarist, Henry Garza favors the lush, clean style of obvious influences like Carlos Santana, but plays his solo parts around a crunch of distorted rhythm. On "Cruel," Henry Garza hangs back - playing dense, grinding fills around a tableau of heavy drums and bass. On other tracks, such as "Staying With Me," "Superman" and "Another Broken Heart," the guitar dominates from the jump.

The first track, "Heart Won't Tell A Lie," is the album's most memorable offering. It's opening notes are reminiscent of the B.B. King classic "The Thrill Is Gone," but quickly it careens into a thunder of chords that recall the Stevie Ray Vaughn classic, "Texas Flood." It's the only point at which Henry Garza approaches the kind of blistering speeds that inspire tablature enthusiasts to obsessive feats of transcription. In general, Los Lonely Boys try for a more textured, layered sound - not hyperkinetic solos.

Henry Garza does play as if he's possessed of the sheer virtuosity of his idols or of, say, contemporary blues guitar standout Jeff Healy. Instead, the guitars give way here and there for soaring vocal harmonies as well as organ and piano parts - several of which are supplied by New Orleans legend Dr. John.

My one reservation about Los Lonely Boys is that their music occasionally tacks into anodyne waters ,especially on the tracks that most reflect the Tejano influence. The waltz tempos on "Loving You Always" and other songs reflect the traditional conjunto sound, but when paired with acoustic guitar fills and vocal harmonies, can feel a bit saccharine.That said, I expect "Forgiven," by virtue of its catchiness and sheer listenability, to help widen Los Lonely Boys considerable popularity.

[senoRita]

Here's another one . . .

http://30daysout.wordpress.com/2008/07/01/review-forgiven-by-los-lonely-boys/

Review: “Forgiven,” by Los Lonely Boys

On first listening to Forgiven, Los Lonely Boys’ third studio CD, you might get an impression the Texas trio may have gone to this well a little too often. The grooves feel more than a little similar to music they’ve made in the past and a bit too beholden to their influences. So here’s what you do: take a drive to the beach and slip this CD into the player. As the road and the summer stretch out before you, Los Lonely Boys sound exactly right. “Staying With Me” is one of those summer singles like, say, Santana’s “Smooth” some years ago - it just gets its hooks in you and doesn’t let go. You don’t want it to let go. “I’m A Man,” the old Spencer Davis group blues, lets guitarist Henry Garza rip with some tasty solos; “You Can’t See The Light” would probably remain funky even if Dr. John didn’t guest on the track; and “Heart Won’t Tell A Lie” shows off Henry’s cranking Stevie Ray Vaughan-style chops. The songs just roll along, like a lazy summer drive. Sure, these boys have a style that may seem repetitive to some listeners and their songs may not be groundbreaking or earth-shaking, but their sound is so comfortable and easy to digest that any missteps and redundancies are easily, ah, forgiven. After recent offerings by Radiohead, My Morning Jacket and Coldplay, you owe yourself a lightweight summer listening treat. Forgiven is it!

[mamacitaRuth]

Guess you have to go through a few reviewers at the Austin Chronicle before someone finally gets it right....I wonder if it helped that his last name is Hernandez? I wish he'd gone 4 stars, but 3's good :)

***

« Los Lonely Boys Live at the Fillmore DVD Available Now.Band of Brothers - Austin Chronicle - 7/4/08 »Forgiven Review - Austin Chronicle - 7/4/08
Record Review: JULY 4, 2008: MUSIC


BY RAOUL HERNANDEZ
Los Lonely Boys
Forgiven (Epic/Or)
If maintaining the best of both worlds somehow smacks immodest for San Angelo’s devoutly classic rock trio Los Lonely Boys, they can be Forgiven. Major label polish buffers the bros second studio LP for Epic and fourth Sony release overall, while strict adherence to decidedly radio-friendly run times of 3½ minutes reins in all the material as tightly as the Garzas’ thick lacquered harmonies. The fade at the end of opener “Heart Won’t Tell a Lie” signals less Strat and more singles. Sacrificed in no way whatsoever is Forgiven’s immediacy, producer Steve Jordan gritting a live dynamic within the disc’s stainless-steel sound paradigm. “Staying With Me,” with its acoustic lining, and sequenced successor “Loving You Always,” which takes a similar approach, float tunes so simple as to sound like covers of Sixties/Seventies rock canon traditionals. Spencer Davis’ organ-fueled “I’m a Man” calls for more fireworks, but the cluster vocals and campfire tempos of “Make It Better” and potential third album spin-off “Love Don’t Care About Me” make bank. A golden hook and liquid rhythm on “You Can’t See the Light” could have stretched another minute easy, but as fine as “Superman” leavens the Summer of Love with Sixth Street – its romantic strut bouncing heavily on a suspension of rock-funk – shorter indeed equals stronger. Too swift for filler (”Another Broken Heart”), all is Forgiven

[Rh Onda]

Another great review! http://www.livedaily.com/news/14498.html

By Don Zulaica (http://www.livedaily.com/contact.html) / LiveDaily Contributor
Published July 7, 2008 10:07 AM
The San Angelo, TX, brother triumvirate--Henry (guitar/vocals), JoJo (bass/vocals), and Ringo Garza (drums/vocals)--went back to basics for their third studio album, recorded at Austin's East Side Stages.

Drummer Steve Jordan (John Mayer, Herbie Hancock) was in the producer's chair, and he decided to have the Garza brothers playing live on a soundstage, rather than the current standard method of isolating each of the musicians in a separate room. For these guys, that's a good strategy, and the result is a spirited, live-sounding album.


Stylistically, there's not a lot of deviation from their Tex-Mex norm. The 12-bar blues "Heart Won't Tell a Lie" finds Henry laying a thick Stevie Ray Vaughn guitar tone (vocals recall the late bluesman as well), while the lazy summer groove of "Forgiven" backs the rich vocal harmonies the group is known for.

"Loving You Always" has more distinct Mexican underpinnings, both in vocal harmonies and acoustic guitars, while "I'm a Man" goes straight for the Hendrix experience, both in Henry's wah wah attack, and the rock-funk feel from JoJo and Ringo (augmented by Jordan on percussion). Pushing the lineup to a quartet, the mid-tempo "You Can't See the Light," bluesy waltz "Another Broken Heart," and "Heaven"-ly shuffle of "The Way I Feel" feature Dr. John on keyboards (Hammond B3 on the first two, Wurlitzer on the latter).

"Staying With Me" also rekindles the nuances of the aforementioned hit from their self-titled 2004 debut, and throughout the slower "Make It Better," funk chunk of "Superman," and waltz-like feel of "Cruel," the Garza brothers mesh as effortlessly as they always have. The difference here should be credited to Jordan, who, by getting the group on the same soundstage, and even going so far as recreating the front-of-house sound setup, effectively captured both a live-concert feel and studio clarity. It's a wonder more producers don't do the same.

[senoRita]

^^^ It's always nice to read a good review by someone who knows what they're talking about.

Thanks for posting it. :)

[cre8ivepoet]

^^^ It's always nice to read a good review by someone who knows what they're talking about.

Thanks for posting it. :)

Amen.

[cmedina]

Here is another one!
http://www.austin.com/content/view/704/1/

[mamacitaRuth]

That's probably one of the best ones I've read so far! Thanks for finding it, Cindy... ;)

[cass]

:)
Austin Chronicle - 7/4/08 »Forgiven Review - Austin Chronicle - 7/4/08
Record Review: JULY 4, 2008: MUSIC
BY RAOUL HERNANDEZ
Los Lonely Boys Forgiven (Epic/Or)[/I]

someone kindly sent me the newspaper clipping with that article. On the same page was a small article about Steve Jordan. I'd only heard of him recently through his association with LLB and yesterday was the first time I'd seen a photograph of him. Yesterday hub was watching some band movies a friend loaned him. He said this bit is funny, Chuck Berry gets really pee'd off with Keith Richards. After watching a bit of it he said isn't that the guy in the newspaper article? We did a quick rewind, took a minute deciding and yep, 'twas.... 'twis :)
No biggie, just one of those funny old world moments. Only just discovered the man and there's footage of him playing the drums....eventually, when Chuck and Keith sorted out who was boss :D

[senoRita]

MusicVolume 15, Issue 69
Published August 31st, 2008
Music Lead
Los Lonely Boys
Band Takes A More Immediate Approach On Forgiven
By Brian Baker

It's been a crazy and eventful four years since Los Lonely Boys were catapulted from the security of their rabid fan base in Austin, Texas, to a largely receptive world audience after the major-label reissue of their eponymous debut album. With their Epic contract, the brothers Garza (Henry on guitar, JoJo on bass, Ringo on drums) became platinum artists on the strength of their massively successful single "Heaven" and the relentless touring that has become their hallmark.

But like so many before them, the Boys' 2006 sophomore album, Sacred, didn't quite live up to the label's expectations, which isn't surprising since it didn't quite meet the band's expectations either.

"Because of the success of the first one, by the time the label was ready for another one, we weren't ready," says Henry Garza via phone from Los Lonely Boys' Washington, D.C. tour stop. "Music's gotta come out when you live. It's not coming out with a new product line. It's not like making a bunch of Chips Ahoy cookies. It was still our stuff, but we still felt it was a little rushed."

For their third album, the Boys decided to shake things up and try a slightly different approach to their recording process. Although they recorded relatively quickly in the studio, the trio worked longer and more diligently on the songs that they took into the studio - something that didn't happen with Sacred.

"We did it in one day shy of three weeks," says Garza. "It was recorded live, we worked with a different producer - Steve Jordan - and the process was real fun. We had it set up like we were doing a live show somewhere - a small set of drums, a twin and a little bass amp - and we recorded like that on some of the songs. It came across good."

Part of the Boys' strategy was not actually having a strategy. Putting the reins in Jordan's hands, the Garzas went into the sessions with a handful of songs ready to record and little idea how the actual work would play out. "I can't say I was fully prepared for what was going to happen in there," says Garza. "We'd talked with Steve a little bit and told him we're a live band, and to be able to capture that in the studio is kind of tough. It's a feeling and a spontaneous moment in that response you get from people that you're feeding off of. Nothing can prepare you for what you don't know in the studio, but the vibe was really good."

Los Lonely Boys' rawer, more immediate approach in the studio yielded Forgiven, the trio's grittiest and perhaps best album to date. As with the first two (as well as their 2005 live album), the Garzas' familial bond was the natural catalyst for their musical fireworks, but with Forgiven, even Jordan was an honorary bro by the time the sessions wrapped. "It was like a big family. When Steve Jordan left there, he wasn't Jordan anymore - he was Steve Garza," says Garza with a laugh. "The music was coming out of us fluently."

The inspirations for Forgiven were likely coming from the amazing experiences that transpired in the three years after the Epic distribution of their first album. Double platinum sales, the Best New Artist Grammy, whirlwind tours and their subsequent live album helped tee up Sacred, while recording with Carlos Santana for his All That I Am album and contributing "Whatever Gets You Through the Night" to last year's John Lennon tribute/Darfur benefit album were the defining moments leading up to Forgiven. The spontaneous nature of Los Lonely Boys' live presentation was clearly a component of Forgiven's recording process, but it also came through in the band's writing sessions.

"This one definitely has that 'brothers' feel," says Garza. "It's that simple formula: Less is more. We're just keeping it back to the roots. Like when 'Heart Won't Tell a Lie' was written, I didn't think we'd ever record it or even do it, because it was just something that came out. All the songs on there are close to our hearts, they're like our children, because they come from us."

The inclusion of the Boys' cover of the 1966 Spencer Davis Group song "I'm a Man" is a case of spontaneity in the studio. As Jordan was setting up for a next take, the Garzas started vamping on an instrumental riff that they'd tossed around during the writing phase. At one point in the jam, it occurred to the trio almost intuitively that they were channeling the 40-year-old single, and Henry began singing the familiar chorus ("I'm a man, yes I am, and I can't help but love you so ..."), triggering an unexpected response from Jordan.

"Steve's eyes got as big as golf balls," says Garza with a laugh. "Apparently, the night before he'd been wanting to pitch a cover for us to do, and that was the song that he was going to pitch and he was just freaking out! We considered it a good omen and rolled with it. It wasn't something we planned. We'd never even played it before, for that matter. We learned it a little bit live, and what you hear is what we did."

From the label's serendipitous choice of Jordan for producer to the accidental take on "I'm a Man" to the album's cover art depicting a personalized version of the Mayan calendar, there's a great deal about Forgiven that almost feels as though the Garzas were led to this spot by unseen forces. It's a feeling that isn't lost on the band.

"It's weird how it all came together," says Garza. "We didn't know anything about the Mayan calendar. We started hearing about what it meant, and we saw it in the new Indiana Jones movie. Then we saw it on the History Channel, and we were like, 'We tapped into some kind of universal wave we didn't know about.' Not to sound like lunatics or nothing, but we're spiritual believers in the good Lord Jesus Christ. We're not perfect and we're not churchgoers by any means, but we're believers."

While Sacred fell far short of the double-platinum figures of the first album, Los Lonely Boys really didn't think about that when they recorded Forgiven. For the Garzas, the end result is the most important thing, and they are exceedingly happy with their album - and for all the right reasons.

"What we feel is no different than what anybody else feels," says Garza. "That's the connection with the songs and the music: People can relate to it in one way or another. That's the key. We want to target the human spirit, not just a certain group or race of people. Just because we're Mexican, we don't want to target just Mexican people. The human spirit can make you cry and laugh and jump and dance. It's magical, man, and something that nothing in this world can replicate. It's a gift, and like anything else in this world, it comes with great responsibility. Everything influences the world, and music is a big part of that because it's a universal language. We're just trying to be as humble and as real as we can be through all this make-believe stuff we create. We're family first, and music is just a blessing on top of that."


http://www.freetimes.com/stories/15/69/los-lonely-boys (http://www.freetimes.com/stories/15/69/los-lonely-boys)

[Rh Onda]

Great, GREAT article, Rita. Thanks for posting.

[imported_bordertejana]

Great Article SenoRita! Thanks for posting it! :D

[kimann]

Awesome! Lots of great info in there. Thanks!

kimann

[senoRita]

Los Lonely Boys thrive when live
By Alan Sculley • For the Journal News • September 2, 2008

If the new Los Lonely Boys CD, "Forgiven," sounds like it captures the essence of a live performances, there's a good reason for that.

Producer Steve Jordan thought the right way to record Los Lonely Boys was to make the process feel as much like a live gig as possible.

You can, of course, hear the band live on Thursday at the Paramount Center for the Arts in Peekskill.

Jordan set up a sound stage in Austin, Texas, hit the record button and documented what happened when brothers Henry (guitar), Jojo (bass) and Ringo Garza (drums) played.

"We had recorded pretty much live on every record," Jojo Garza said, mentioning the self-titled 2003 debut and the 2006 release, "Sacred." "But then there was a little dissecting going on toward the end of (those projects) and you were doing vocals or a separate guitar (track) or separate bass, you know, how it goes on other records. This, however, was very free.

"It was kind of like we had a stage in there," he said. "There were some lights. We had our full rigs going, Henry's guitar rig, my bass rig, and microphones set up and monitors, and no headphones - no headphones at all."

The bassist also thinks what comes through on the recorded tracks was the actual in-the-moment spirit and atmosphere that Los Lonely Boys experienced as the three brothers played the new collection of songs.

"The creativity and the music was so thick that you could literally grab the notes out of the air," Jojo Garza said. "I'm speaking with a little bit of exaggeration, but … we definitely captured that in a lot of these songs, particularly my personal favorite song, 'Forgiven.' It captures a total vibe and a total feeling of what we were feeling when we recorded it."

The Garza brothers grew up surrounded by music. Their father fronted a popular band with his brothers and sister in San Angelo, Texas. That group, though, came to a sudden and tragic end when one of brothers died.

So as Henry, Jojo and Ringo were entering their teens, they became their father's backing band - gaining a deep appreciation for early rock 'n' roll, blues and their native conjunto music, as they played clubs first around Texas and later in Nashville during the 1990s.

The first Los Lonely Boys album produced a number one single in the pop-soul tune "Heaven." The song's popularity kept the "Los Lonely Boys" CD on the "Billboard" album chart for 76 weeks. "Heaven" won a Grammy for best pop performance by a duo or group with vocal.

Looking back, Jojo Garza admitted that the group could have used more time on its second album. To him, the pressure the band felt is apparent in the performances.

"I don't think it got the recognition it did deserve," Jojo Garza said, "but that's speaking myself because I did write the songs and what not. ... If you listen back to it, you can definitely tell the difference in how this (new) album breathes."

Indeed, there were no time pressures in making "Heaven," and Los Lonely Boys sound both energized and relaxed throughout the record, as the group once again delivers a wide-ranging mix of bluesy rock 'n' roll, pop and soul, all spiced with a touch of their Mexican heritage.

Even on hard-hitting bluesy tracks like "Heart Won't Tell A Lie," "Superman" and a stirring cover of the Spencer Davis Group standard "I'm A Man," the group's playing sounds unforced yet crisp. On mid-tempo songs like "Forgiven" and "Staying With Me," the brothers meld smooth melodies with soulful performances.

Los Lonely Boys diversify the mix with songs like "Loving You Always," (a sweet ballad with some definite Tex-Mex spice), "Cruel" (a shuffling blues-rocker) and "The Way I Feel" (a song with a bit of an Allman Brothers feel to it).

The set they'll play Thursday at the Paramount showcases material from "Forgiven," without forgetting about earlier favorites.

"Now that we have 'Forgiven' out, we're really trying to hit the new songs, of course, because that's what it's all about, trying to get the new album promoted." Jojo Garza said.

"But at the same time, we now, I guess I should say, have the luxury of having three albums out, so we've got a lot of material to pick from. And we (still) do the occasional cover songs that we still enjoy doing.

"But the show's going to change up pretty much every night. We're doing anything and everything we can, man."

[velvetsky0222]

Super article Rita. "FORGIVEN" is making it's way for sure. Digging the last comment by JoJo..... "But the show's going to change up pretty much every night. We're doing anything and everything we can, man."

[cmedina]

Super article Rita. "FORGIVEN" is making it's way for sure. Digging the last comment by JoJo..... "But the show's going to change up pretty much every night. We're doing anything and everything we can, man."


And so this will be my answer from now on, when people ask me why I want to go see every show in Florida next month??!! ;)

[jwintx]

Singing siblings offer easy listening

By Dean Gordon-Smith - Vernon Morning Star

http://www.bclocalnews.com/okanagan_similkameen/vernonmorningstar/entertainment/27891694.html

This third album from that Texas trio of bluesy brothers (not ZZ Top), Los Lonely Boys, is heavy on harmonies and tight interplay and makes the band sound bigger than a three-piece unit.

Forgiven is evenly spiced with melodic sweetness and jazzy delivery, managing to bring out a pop quality in sound while not concerning itself with the hit parade.

Early on in their career, Los Lonely Boys (Henry, JoJo and Ringo Garza) was over-simply lumped with the tag of being a Tex-Mex mix of Stevie Ray Vaughan and Santana.

Although worse comparisons could be made, that one seems to be short-sighted as the Boys favour material and arrangements that stray a fair distance from the blues/rock standard of Vaughan clones and the wailing Latin rock percussion of Santana acolytes.

Muted traces of Santana can be heard in their work here on Staying With Me, a sweet melodic rock ballad, and rural folk sounds also appear. The same goes for Loving You Always.

A strong strain of melodic pop runs through Forgiven – a characteristic responsible for their earlier hit, Heaven. The band tempers this with jaunty and earthy ensemble grooving that’s blessed with tasteful chops in abundance. Producer Steve Jordan (John Mayer, Keith Richards) and the group use these wisely, which result in some subtly sophisticated arrangements.

The pop aspect of the Boys is due to their easy-sounding, three-part vocal harmonies. This is an interesting phenomenon sometimes seen in groups with singing siblings. This layered sound is all over Forgiven, as is the shifting lead vocal duty.

A telling sign of a solid recording can be its seemingly speedy play time and Forgiven definitely doesn’t linger over long in a disc player. An impression is left of a group that is listening for and exploring different textures and moods within their music.

The Boys take their sound far beyond the confines that are usually inhabited by blues/rock trios and you can hear different influences filtering through (jazz, folk, R&B) that are given a spirited jolt of fire from the group.

[mamacitaRuth]

Thanks, Janene! That was a terrific article....so heartwarming when a critic actually GETS our boys and their amazing talent!!!

[kimann]

Thanks J9, I couldn't have said it better myself! :D

kimann

[senoRita]

Here's a short article with some good LLB trivia...



Family affairs, ’Becca’s blast, creative folding
By T.E. Lyons

Thursday, Sept. 18

The second generation of Garza musical hermanos, the one that goes by the name Los Lonely Boys, came out of West Texas a few years ago, earning recognition straightaway with a major radio hit (“Heaven”). The trio (guitarist Henry, bassist Jojo and a drummer named … wait for it … Ringo) have just released their third studio disc, Forgiven.

The new set quickly displays an extra kick of richness to their confident sound: The influences, from Hendrix and Clapton, are now in service of tighter numbers. Jojo says the brothers are consciously looking to keep songs from being too easily stretched out as they’re written, a task that all of the brothers took to and recorded.

“You’re trying to make songs that are able to be on TV or that can hit the radio waves,” he says. “Expanding the song changes what was put down on record. You almost want to wait two or three years and then go back and revisit these things.”

They’ve just finished touring with Los Lobos, one of their primary influences and musical mentors who impart lessons on assimilation and independence. But the Garzas don’t have to look any further than family to find out what a unique blessing it is to have one foot each in traditional styles and contemporary rock.

Their father was their first frontman. He taught the boys his trade: conjunto music, typically played with accordion, standard rhythm section and a string bajo sexto, which he played with his ’70s family band The Falcones. Jojo remembers coming back from a trip he made alone with their mother, only to find brothers and father taking up a full band’s instrumentation … except bass. “I was like, ‘Well, alright, I’ll give it a shot.’ Except we didn’t have a bass. But Henry had learned to tune one of the guitars an octave below regular tuning to make it sound like a bass, and put four strings on it … it was cool.”

The brothers want to go further with their improvised instrumentation and arrangements: “To be able to take the traditional conjunto instruments, and to begin playing rock and roll on them — it’s a unique way of getting to new sounds. But we definitely feel like doing songs of our dad … ones that he wrote with his brothers. We want to do a tribute album to them.”


:D :D :D

[j9]

Peter Schumacher / Times-NewsHenry Garza, guitarist for Los Lonely Boys, lays down the licks Tuesday night at the Carolina Theatre in Durham.



DURHAM -- When I walked into the Carolina Theatre on Tuesday night, I really didn't know what to expect.
I was there to review a Los Lonely Boys concert. The Southern Texas band was making a stop in the Triangle and it seemed like a good interruption to my otherwise monotone week.

Other than its hit "Heaven," which debuted in 2003 and landed the boys a Grammy Award, I knew little about the trio's music style.

As it turns out, I really didn't need to know much beforehand to enjoy the boys in action. As soon as the Garza brothers took the stage - Henry on the guitar, Jojo on the bass and Ringo on the drums - the audience was in for a great ride.

It is hard to define the trio's style in one word. The group's songs evoke familiar sounds one can tie to legendary artists like Stevie Ray Vaughan, ZZ Top, Los Lobos and Carlos Santana.

The only way to describe it is by using hyphens: Tex-Mex with a hint of blues-rock - in other words, a fusion of Latin rhythms, Texas roots, electric blues and good ol' rock 'n' roll.

Los Lonely Boys displayed such energy on stage that it was hard not to be touched by it. The trio opened with "Heart Won't Tell a Lie," a track from its newest album, "Forgiven," released earlier this year.

Throughout the night, the group performed other songs from the same album, including the title track, which has a definite Tex-Mex ring to it, and "Staying with Me," a slow song Santana-style.
Henry set the stage on fire with his guitar solos throughout the night and brought claps, howls and cheers from the audience - not to mention an enthusiastic fan who managed to get on stage and hug the long-haired guitarist before being escorted out by security.

The brothers had their debut album in 2003 but have been performing together for most of their lives, which explains the intimacy seen on stage.

Growing up in San Angelo, Texas, the brothers were exposed to Tex-Mex music at an early age by their father, Enrique Garza Sr., a longtime conjunto (a genre of Mexican music) and country musician who played with his seven brothers in a band called The Falcones.

The brothers began singing backup for their father all through the 1970s, 1980s and early 1990s. They eventually created their own music style and started their own band. And thus, Los Lonely Boys was born.

Just as the band's name, the music interplays Spanish and English in the lyrics and rhythms. The group showcased this fusion Tuesday with songs like "Oye Mamacita" from its 2006 album "Sacred" and "Nobody Else" from its 2003 self-titled debut.

The show could not have been complete without the boys singing the breakthrough hit "Heaven," which they performed as an encore before leaving the stage for good. The song reached the No. 1 spot on the Adult Contemporary chart in 2004 and ranked No. 16 on the Billboard Hot 100.

For more information about the trio's tour dates (they are coming back to North Carolina next month) or its latest music
information, visit
loslonelyboys. com.

[Rh Onda]

What a great review!! Thanks for posting it.

[senoRita]

Here's a cool article/interview with JoJo...

Brothers grounded in sound

By STEVE HEISLER
CORRESPONDENT


Published: Thursday, October 16, 2008 at 1:00 a.m.
Last Modified: Wednesday, October 15, 2008 at 1:50 p.m.

Fresh off the success of its fourth album, the most harmonic and percussive trio of guitar-slinging Texas brothers pops into Jannus Landing next week for a high-octane dose of Tex-ican rock ’n’ roll.

Los Lonely Boys displayed the potential of raucous raw energy and skilled musical chops with their eponymous multiplatinum 2003 debut CD and sing-along crowd favorites like “Senorita” and “Heaven.” Now veterans of the road, the band of brothers Garza has expanded its musical curriculum vitae with “Forgiven,” a collection that hit stores July 1 and has galvanized the Los Lonely fan base. First single “Staying With Me” and the emotionally wrenching “Love Don’t Care About Me” are captured with an incendiary feel by producer Steve Jordan. Jordan orchestrated the CD during three weeks of soundstage recordings.

“He was such a down-to-earth person and the type who didn’t force anything upon you,” bassist JoJo Garza said as he took a break during a motorcycle ride from Austin to his home in San Angelo. “He just lets you play, especially if you know how to play.”

That little-interference approach worked and JoJo realized he and brothers Henry (guitar) and Ringo (drums) were strengthening an already-solid bond.

“Everything was open and I knew we were growing again and I noticed how we had grown as musicians and people,” he said. “To come together again, it’s really cool to see what your brothers are capable of all over again.”

The brothers’ onstage chemistry, interplay and effusive guitar chops result in fans as enthused as the band, Garza said. That relationship is captured as well in a documentary DVD, “Cottonfields and Crossroads,” that traces the band’s roots.

“When we’re onstage, we feed off the energy of the crowd,” JoJo Garza said. “If the crowd’s into it, it’s an off-the-charts show. Most of the time, we have a real responsive crowd.”

Following their stop in St. Petersburg, Los Lonely Boys play three more Florida dates before winding up the month in San Antonio, Houston and Dallas.

That’s close to where their musical journey commenced, following in the footsteps of their father, Enrique. His band The Falcones played Texas’ conjunto circuit in the 1970s and ’80s. He served as a creative inspiration that hits JoJo at the oddest of moments.

As the band celebrates the release this week of its first holiday disc, “Christmas Spirit” — a project Los Lonely Boys had envisioned four years ago — the stimulus to create may strike at any time.

“Sometimes I’ll be in the shower and hear a melody just from the running water,” Jojo said. “A lot of times, sounds come from dreams and just listening every day. You hear someone whistling from a far distance and go ‘Wow, I heard a new tune.’ ”

[senoRita]

Here's another one I think you'll like...

Los Lonely Boys return to Mobile
Brotherly trio play the Mobile Saenger Theatre Tuesday
Thursday, October 16, 2008
By LAWRENCE SPECKER
Entertainment Reporter

As they return to Mobile, the trio of brothers known as Los Lonely Boys are in the middle of perhaps the most active year of the careers and as luck would have it, they also have a red-hot band on board to open the show.

Los Lonely Boys play the Mobile Saenger Theatre on Tuesday, in the middle of what has to be one of the busiest years in the life of the group.

The Garza brothers released their third studio album, "Forgiven," mid-summer. By early fall, public television was showing a documentary, "Cottonfields and Crossroads," which illuminates the Garza brothers' Mexican-American background. And just this week the group released "Christmas Spirit," a collection of classic and original holiday tunes.

It sounds like the trio is still hitting it hard, four years after breaking through with their Grammy-winning debut.

"Basically, it's our lives, man, and we're trying to do as much as we can with it," said bassist JoJo Garza. "Right now we're just trying to keep things rolling the way they have been. It's a pretty busy time, but also very exciting. And we're also very blessed."

Garza said fans have given a warm reception to the music on "Forgiven," as might be expected. What the brothers refer to as "Texican rock and roll" is built on some crowd-pleasing elements, including elements of Mexican folk music and a heaping dose of Stevie Ray Vaughan influence on guitarist Henry Garza.

JoJo Garza said the band doesn't really hit the stage with a rigid plan. They'll probably touch on the Christmas album. They'll definitely deliver older hits such as "Forever" and "Diamonds," as well as newer tracks such as "Staying With Me."

But then again, he said, "sometimes we just kind of wander off." Their road manager has told them that their jam on "Onda," a track from their debut album, stretched to 28 minutes on at least one occasion.

The bottom line is that they want the audience to share in a good time.

"I hope they get what we get when we write the songs," he said.

That goal seems to be something the Lonely Boys have in common with their opening act, the Zac Brown Band.

And when it comes to enthusiasm, Brown doesn't have to take a back seat to anybody. His band has broken into the charts with a single, "Chicken Fried," which risen to No. 19 on Billboard's country chart. That bodes very well for the release of the upcoming album "The Foundation."

"It's going very, very well, better than expected," Brown said. "We're honored that it's being accepted so well."

Is the radio breakthrough making a difference at the band's live appearances?

"Absolutely," Brown said. "It's amazing how, when you add 20 million people to the fan base what that'll do for you."

Though Los Lonely Boys have found a home on the rock charts, and Brown's on country radio, he said there's plenty of common ground, both for the bands and their fans.

As a matter of fact, their current tour came about, at least in part, because Brown played Willie Nelson's July 4 picnic. Los Lonely Boys, who've recorded at Nelson's studio, also had people there, and they heard something they liked.

"It's going to be a great show," Brown said. "Our live show is a very memorable thing. ... We're going to melt some faces off."

[velvetsky0222]

Thanks Rita - this is a really good article and I especially like where they mentioned JoJo taking a ride on his Harley. Love that he's enjoying his time off (or at Least before they went back on tour.) Wish they would have gotten the name of the song right? Dang ..... Happy Day Happy Day - touching on the Christmas CD during this leg of the tour. WHOO HOO!

JoJo Garza said the band doesn't really hit the stage with a rigid plan. They'll probably touch on the Christmas album. They'll definitely deliver older hits such as "Forever" and "Diamonds," as well as newer tracks such as "Staying With Me."

[Amor]

Wow Rita, thanks so much. The articles just confirms what we already know. They great musicians with loving hearts. I don't know about anyone else, but I never get tired of reading these kind of articles.

[senoRita]

Here's another featuring more from JoJo, our Ace of Base :cool:

Tall Texican Tales
Chicano rockers Los Lonely Boys delve deeply into affairs of the heart
By Saby Reyes-Kulkarni
Published on October 22, 2008 at 9:44am

Even if we lose love, we've got to try to love again," says Jojo Garza, bassist and middle brother of Chicano blues-rock trio Los Lonely Boys. "If you're having rough times, you gotta get up because you have to — you have to."

With that, Garza pretty much sums up the basic emotional thrust of the band's music. Los Lonely Boys' latest album, Forgiven, for example, is filled with recurring themes of lost love, heartbreak, weariness, and a strong desire for personal redemption. Although the band members, consisting of Jojo and his two brothers, the eldest Henry on guitar and vocals and Ringo on drums, are all heavily steeped in the blues, the straightforwardness in the lyrics somehow resonates more deeply than just the latest example of blues-rock guys *****ing about failed relationships.

It's hard to imagine another band trying to pull off a plain-spoken plea for a lover not to leave without sounding overearnest on the one hand or insincere on the other. Yet the Garza brothers, who generally write together, have a knack for making everyday themes resonate.

"You don't have to open a dictionary every time you try to get a point across," Jojo insists.

Simplicity isn't the only thing at work here. As Forgiven rolls from track to track, the band illustrates the most basic emotions while giving them dimension and weight. They often take regular issues and relay them back to their audience perhaps better than audience members can articulate things themselves.

"We've learned over the years what music's capable of doing to people and creating for people," Jojo says. "We want to put ourselves in your shoes. The reason we can connect is because we're all human. We can all connect. Some of us are on different levels than others, but we're all still feeling happy, sad, angry. We all have that. When you're able to bring that out in a song, that's the key."

It only helps the Garza brothers to get their points across that they manage to blend rock, blues, country, soul, and shades of traditional Mexican conjunto music into a seamless, original blend that stays accessible and cliché-free, varying from song to song. Still, the band stays loyal to its Texan and Mexican roots, which explains the Texican tag it places on its music. Shades of Stevie Ray, the Allmans, and Clapton bob and weave but never overpower the flavor of the guisado (stew) on the musical stovetop. According to Jojo, it's meant to be poignant, easy on the ears, and soothing to the heart.

But the band isn't afraid to get heavy. The Garza brothers, who are just pushing 30, generally try to uplift their audience. Sometimes, though, the adult struggles depicted in their work — like the need to feel like one is living according to the best of his or her nature — cast long, lingering shadows on the listening experience.

"With good comes the bad," Jojo explains. "It's not a bad thing to talk about the bad. We need that."

Jojo points to Forgiven's title track, which takes the whole idea of love into the much thornier terrain of how difficult it is to love oneself.

"That song," he says, "almost makes certain people turn away, because it's so deep... and about being a human and the idea of 'Can I be forgiven?' "

"Ringo wrote most of 'There's a War Tonight,' " he continues. "Those lyrics are so deep, it's almost political. But we stretch it further than that. We go to the roots, to the core — which is humanity. We're talking about everyday wars, like drugs and gangs. There's war going on all the time."

And how much of a threat did gangs and drugs pose in the Garzas' hometown of San Angelo, Texas?

"Man, it was all around!" Jojo exclaims. "Dude, we're Chicanos from Texas, and we grew up in barrios. A lot of our closest friends died from drugs and went to prison. Even members of our family."

Music may have been the brothers' salvation. "One of the main reasons our dad told us he taught us music: to keep us out of trouble. It would have been easy for us to go in that direction. It's easy for anybody to go in that direction, because it's easier to destroy than create. Don't get me wrong, though. There's no saints here. We're all sinners. It's just how [do you] get past that and try to make it better. Just like the song 'Make It Better' — try to make it better the next day and turn that page like a book."

Of course, one can't talk about the Los Lonely Boys story without including their father, Enrique (Ringo Sr.), who encouraged his three sons to play music practically from infancy. Accustomed to working with family from his previous career as frontman of Los Falcones, a conjunto band that included his own siblings, Ringo Sr. initially employed his sons as his backing band. Through time (and with additional guidance from Willie Nelson, whom the brothers refer to as their padrino, their godfather), the brothers emerged as their own entity.

The familial bond provides the glue that keeps the band together.

"As men now," Jojo says, "I still respect my older brother with a certain kind of respect because he is my older brother — but that doesn't mean that he can't learn something from me. The same goes with me and Ringo. If one of us is off-track, there's two of us there that can say, 'Hey, you gotta listen.' And they love you and it's all in good intention, so you want to listen."

It sounds like Jojo's learned from getting called out on the carpet himself.

"Oh yeah," he answers. "All the time. It happens with Ringo and Henry too." Call it checks and balances within the group.

Having tasted success early in their career in the form of double-platinum sales for their self-titled 2004 debut album as well as a Grammy Award for that album's single "Heaven," Jojo stresses that being a regular person remains a challenge.

"It doesn't get any easier," he says. "Because if you come from where we come from, you have to learn to deal with a faster pace of living in the business. It's just a certain way that things have to happen on this train. It's not about being a different person. Anybody can achieve the highest level of success. It's how much they're willing to devote their time. But it's also not everything it's cracked up to be. That's why people retire.

"You only need so much in life, I'll put it that way."

[velvetsky0222]

When I read this last night - I thought that JoJo really let LLB fans 1 step in closer into their lives. They already do this with the lyrics (true life experiences) and how they live but this article ... just hit hard. Awesome interview JoJo. Thanks for letting us in.

[j9]

From The MLB site
Complete World Series coverage
ST. PETERSBURG -- Having grown up in central Texas, in the small city of San Angelo, the Garza brothers -- Henry, Jojo and Ringo, also known as Los Lonely Boys -- admit they're more fans of football than baseball.
But judging from their excitement to be singing the national anthem prior to Game 2 of the World Series at Tropicana Field on Thursday night, it's clear they appreciated the magnitude and prestige that accompanies performing in such venues. Sporting events, especially the Super Bowl and World Series, bring out the kid in people, and that was clearly the case with this Texas trio.


"Being given a stage like the World Series, to sing in front of the world, you don't say no to that," said Henry Garza, the eldest of the three brothers. "If you're blessed with music like we know we are, you should be doing it."

The band is in the midst of a 13-city tour through Florida and Texas and was scheduled to perform at the Jannus Landing in St. Petersburg later Thursday evening, after the anthem. They're promoting two new albums -- "Forgiven," which came out in early July, and "Christmas Spirit," released earlier this month.

For this World Series performance, the band stuck to its plan to sing the anthem in its traditional form, abandoning any temptations to dress it up for dramatic purposes.

Good decision. Singing a cappella, the trio was so well received by the sellout crowd at The Trop that fans were on their feet cheering with around half of the song still remaining.

When they finished, they gathered for a group hug, saluted the fans and headed toward the area in front of the home dugout.

"We get a rush just singing the national anthem, because normally, we don't sing it," Jojo said. "As far as entertainers and musicians go, to be able to sing at this level is legendary. We feel really honored, really."

Added Henry: "Music's been our way of survival, and our No. 1 way to live. That's why when we say we're honored to sing at the World Series, we really mean it, because we've seen a lot of our heroes or just artists sing the national anthem."

[Belle]

Wow! Two great articles - one from Jojo and one from Henry. They are soooo sweet! No wonder we love them. :cool:

[velvetsky0222]

I mentioned to JoJo at the Houston HOB - that the interviews we had been reading lately were really hitting the heart. And he said - we just say what we feel.

Here's the link to an interview - don't know if anyone has else has seen it but it's really another great one. Family, Touring, Brothers, Hanging out, Aspiring Musicians, Fans Humor, Promo - it has it all

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r7Gb7UROmvo

[mamacitaRuth]

That's a GREAT one, VS! Thanks for finding it and sharing.... :D

[La Sonrisa]

'Staying With Me' featured on anniversary cd-

http://img508.imageshack.us/img508/9443/kbcoce4.jpg

-- Dave Herrera

Just received an advance of KBCO's Studio C 20th Anniversary Edition. The 38-song two-disc set, celebrating two decades of in-studio performances, gathers tracks from a few of the usual suspects (Dave Matthews Band, Sheryl Crow), alongside some rare gems from the likes of Jeff Buckley, Dr. John and Tom Waits, as well as some local contributions from Big Head Todd and the Monsters, DeVotchKa and Richie Furay. As with past releases, proceeds from the disc, which goes on sale for $15 on Saturday, December 6 at all nine Ultimate Electronics locations, will benefit the Boulder County AIDS Project. The compilation generally sells out in its first day, which accounts for why each purchaser is limited to two copies.

We always look forward to receiving the disc from KBCO each year, mostly because we're eager to see what the station's promotions department, which clearly puts quite a bit of effort into making sure their package stands out, has cooked up. Last year's disc, for instance, was accompanied by a customized 12-inch vinyl record bearing the station's logo, while this year's arrived with a bottle of champagne affixed with a swank label touting the anniversary, as well as the release date. From the looks of this year's efforts, though, one glaring yet amusing detail seemed to escape the promo staff this time around: the seal on top of the bottle indicates that these suds -- promoting something distinctly Colorado, mind you -- are a product of, ahem, California. (To be fair, while we're not exactly connoisseurs of the bubbly, evidently, not a lot of the stuff is made in Colorado.)

Disc 1:

01. Death Cab for Cutie – “I Will Possess Your Heart”
02. Colbie Caillat – “The Little Things”
03. Los Lonely Boys – “Staying with Me”
04. Jason Mraz – “I’m Yours”
05. Phil Lesh & Friends – “Shakedown Street”
06. Sheryl Crow – “My Favorite Mistake”
07. Buddy Guy – “Best **** Fool”
08. Marc Cohn – “Listening to Levon”
09. The Kooks – “Naïve”
10. Joan Osborne – “Cathedrals”
11. Peter Mulvey – “Better Way To Go”
12. Richie Furay – “A Good Feelin’ To Know”
13. Ingrid Michaelson – “The Way I Am”
14. Big Head Todd & The Monsters – “I’ll Play the Blues For You”
15. Donavon Frankenreiter – “Move By Yourself”
16. Emmylou Harris – “Gold”
17. Pictures & Sound – “Burning In the Sun”

Disc 2

01. Melissa Etheridge – “Bring Me Some Water” (1988)
02. James Taylor – “Carolina In My Mind” (1991)
03. Kenny Loggins – “Danny’s Song” (1992)
04. Karla Bonoff – “Home” (1993)
05. Boz Scaggs – “Lowdown” (1994)
06. Lyle Lovett – “I’ve Been To Memphis” (1994)
07. Magic **** & J. Geils – “Whammer Jammer” (1994)
08. Jeff Buckley – “Last Goodbye” (1995)
09. Matchbox Twenty – “3am” (1996)
10. Dr. John – “Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On” (1998)
11. Tom Waits – “Picture In a Frame” (1999)
12. Suzanne Vega – Tom’s Diner” (2001)
13. Loudon Wainwright III – “White Winos” (2002)
14. Dave Matthews – “Long Black Veil” (2002)
15. Seal – “Love’s Divine” (2004)
16. Crosby Nash – “My Country ‘Tis of Thee” (2004)
17. Donovan – “Catch the Wind” (2005)
18. Snow Patrol – “Chasing Cars” (2006)
19. Corinne Bailey Rae – “Like A Star” (2006)
20. Brandi Carlile & Indigo Girls – “Cannonball” (2007)
21. DeVotchKa – “How it Ends” (2008)


http://blogs.westword.com/backbeat/2008/11/kbco_studio_c_celebrates_its_t.php

[senoRita]

Thanks for posting about another CD that LLB has contributed to. It sounds like a great compliation. :)

[La Sonrisa]

http://www.tahoedailytribune.com/article/20081120/ARCHIVES01/811209982/-1/rss03

http://img146.imageshack.us/img146/9725/laketahoemm7.jpg

Los Lonely Boys are back on top

Henry Garza first picked up a guitar when he was 4 years old. He wrote a song at the age of 5. That’s the way it is in the Garza family.

Los Lonely Boys — Henry and his brothers Jo Jo and Ringo Jr.— metaphorically have followed their father’s musical footsteps. But physically, Ringo Sr. took the boys with him to Nashville where they grew up in the music business.

“It was a huge learning experience to go through that so young,” Henry Garza said. “We were really living a life that kids weren’t doing. Our dad, we’re grateful for that. He raised us in a certain fashion where there wasn’t no blindfolds over our eyes. He let us see the world for what it was.”

Ringo Sr. had fronted a band called the Falcones with his brothers and a sister. After the death of one of the brothers, Ringo Sr. took his talented boys to Nashville. Ringo Sr. fronted the band and played rhythm guitar while Henry played lead.
The boys had no idea they would someday go off on their own and become a nationwide sensation. Los Lonely Boys’ self-titled debut album four years ago included a No. 1 Billboard song on the adult contemporary charts, “Heaven.”

“We were like a family band all the time,” Henry said. “It’s not like we planned this; we just kept playing. And when we were growing up it was our way of survival with our dad. We’d play all over Nashville just to pay the bills.

“It’s just a way of survival for us. It’s not about fame or fortune or being able to make records, it’s a way to pay the bills to keep your lights on and keep your water running and put money in your pocket.”

The album was on the Billboard charts for 76 weeks and “Heaven” won a Grammy for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals.

The style of the band is pleasing to a variety of audiences. It’s blues and rock based, filled with pop harmonies served with a Tex-Mex flavor. The brothers live at San Angelo, Texas.

Los Lonely Boys’ follow-up album “Sacred” was a commercial letdown, but this year the release of “Forgiven” has lifted the boys once again.

“It was going back to the basics, so to speak,” Henry said. “Our new producer dude, Steve Jordan, is a great guy with really great ideas.”

The album was recorded live in the studio.
“We set up live in the studio like we were setting up for a concert,” Henry said. “It’s just your basic, organic real live stuff.”

Because of pressure from the record label, “Sacred,” he said, was put together in a hurry and much of the material was written in the studio.

The brothers took the lesson from the “Sacred” studio sessions to rededicate themselves to write and play the music that is closest to their hearts.

Los Lonely Boys’ spirit comes across in live show, which, perhaps even more than the albums, explains their popularity.

“A big part of it is just being able to relate to the people on stage,” Henry said. “We want to portray the truth, not some kind of bull**** that people put on TV or you hear on a record that you don’t know what’s real and what’s not. There’s nothing to us — it’s just the brothers that play music. I think people can really feel that and feel the goodness behind us. We do believe in the good Lord and we respect that naturally. I think everybody can pick up on that. There ain’t nothing wrong with goodness.”

In May, Los Lonely Boys recorded a recently released Christmas album, “Christmas Sprit.”
“It was something we wanted to do our whole lives, especially now that we’ve got kids,” Henry said. “It’s mainly for them. We all have children now. We’re rock ’n’ roll daddies.”

[cmedina]

Well said Henry!

[cre8ivepoet]

"We’re rock ’n’ roll daddies.”

HAHAHAHA. OMG. CLASSIC.

We're all part of the Rock 'n' Roll daddies' club!!

Henry never holds back. You gotta love it. :p

[Amor]

No matter how many times you hear the story, it is just as wonderful as the first time. The guys are so real. That is what makes them so very special!

[La Sonrisa]

Check out Los Lonely Boys credits on TV Guide, along with links to the episodes. Thought this was a gem to share!

http://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/los-lonely-boys/credits/197778

Debra

[velvetsky0222]

Check out Los Lonely Boys credits on TV Guide, along with links to the episodes. Thought this was a gem to share!

http://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/los-lonely-boys/credits/197778

Debra

WOW - this is a fabulous find Debra! Thanks!

[La Sonrisa]

Best music albums and shows of 2008-
Jim Abbott | SOUNDBOARD
December 26, 2008

Lookie what's in this article!!! :)

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/entertainment/orl-abbott2608dec26,0,1824772.column?track=rss

Buddy Guy/Los Lonely Boys, April 11, House of Blues: Guitar heroes ruled, especially Los Lonely Boys' incendiary showman, Henry Garza.

Debra

[kimann]

WOW! That is awesome Los Lonely boys show at HOB was named one of the best shows of 2008. It was definitely my favorite show to date. So intimate and fun with all of la onda and the fan club up front together. :D

kimann

[mamacitaRuth]

Not directly about LLB, but a great story! Hey, maybe our Boys could drop by and give them some pointers?..... ;) Publish Date: 12/27/2008



Where are they now: Guitars donated to firefighters


By Tony Kindelspire
Longmont Times-Call

Firefighters have a lot of downtime. Todd Skaw’s then-7-year-old son Sebastian recognized this while on a Cub Scout tour a couple of years ago.

“We went to a fire station, and one of the guys said to the Cub Scouts, ‘When we’re not fighting fires, we watch a lot of TV,’” said Todd Skaw, owner of Guitars, Etc.

At his son’s suggestion, Skaw donated acoustic guitars to all 11 area fire stations: five Longmont Fire stations and six Mountain View stations.

Firefighter Michael Freyta, who has been with Longmont Fire for 13 years, said he was never a big fan of watching television and had been searching for an instrument to fill up his downtime between firefighting duties.

“The first thing I tried out was the saxophone — bad idea. Especially in a small environment like this,” Freyta said of trying to learn the instrument within the confines of a fire station.


The disapproval of his colleagues duly noted, Freyta took up a quieter instrument: the guitar. That was about five years ago, and he was thrilled when Skaw donated guitars to each station. He could now leave his own guitar at home and play the one at work.

Station 2 is typically his home base, Freyta said, although he rotates from station to station when needed.

He can now practice on the donated Seagull-brand guitars no matter where he’s stationed.

“It’s just amazing — the things it opens up your mind to,” Freyta said, adding that he’s partial to some of the older music, such as the Beatles and the Eagles, along with newer bands like Los Lonely Boys. “It’s a really relaxing hobby.”

“We’ve seen a lot of guys come in over the year” buying strings and picks, Skaw said. “So we know that they’re using the guitars. It’s cool to see.”

Skaw’s donation totaled about $5,000, he said. Besides guitars, he donated instruction books, picks and even humidifiers so the solid wood tops of the guitars resist degradation.

“What’s great about it is we’ve got these great quality guitars, and we can go from station to station and they’re all in great shape,” Freyta said.

To read more about this and other stories, pick up the print edition of the Longmont Times-Call.

[La Sonrisa]

2009 Chesapeake Bay Blues Festival
May 16 and 17
Sandy Point State Park, Annapolis, Maryland


As promised, the Blues Festival is back for 2009. I decided to move it back to May after the 100 degree weather that we had in August. Most who were surveyed preferred the possibility of rain to the scorching heat. It was unanimous among the 600 volunteers who work the festival.

This year’s charities are the same: Special Olympics, Camp Face and WE Care.

Since the economy has tanked, I thought about delaying another year but what better way than the Blues to cope with a lousy economy. Honestly though, if this year is a bust, this will be the final year for the festival. I am hoping that we can help our charities in a year when corporate sponsorships are down.

I am still in the process of booking artists, but have booked: Jonny Lang, Los Lonely Boys, Ana Popovic, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, Shemekia Copeland. Many more will follow. I will update those of you on our email list as artists confirm.

Just a reminder- ALL of the net profits go to charity. Not only is this one of the best blues festivals in the country, but it is all for good causes.

I look forward to seeing everyone again. Many have become good friends over the past 10 years. As always, thank you for your continued support. It wouldn’t happen without you.

Don

http://www.bayblues.org/

[mmmbopnmommy]

AWESOME!!!! May bluesfest gets a possible on my list of possibl attending!! hehehe....
Thanks for the notice!!
:cool:


2009 Chesapeake Bay Blues Festival
May 16 and 17
Sandy Point State Park, Annapolis, Maryland


I am still in the process of booking artists, but have booked: Jonny Lang, Los Lonely Boys, Ana Popovic, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, Shemekia Copeland. Many more will follow. I will update those of you on our email list as artists confirm.


http://www.bayblues.org/

[cmedina]

Los Lonely Boys given the key to Conroe



The Scooter Brown band will perform at the second Texas Independence Day Festival at Heritage Park in Conroe March 7.




By Jay Ross Martin III
Texas Music columnist
Updated: 01.29.09
Well after last weekend I’m not sure the downtown Conroe arts and entertainment zone will ever be the same but I sure hope so!

Friday night the Corner Pub had Slim Bawb and Gator Bait featuring one of Austin’s most respected string players and a wonderful drummer of early 1970’s Blue Cheer fame named Andrew Browne.

Both of these musicians play with Austin’s popular traditional country group, the Texas Sapphires. This show is a side project of Bob Pearce (Slim Bawb). Their music is called swampgrass and features influences ranging from Appalachian, bluegrass and southern folk to Memphis street corner blues, delta blues to Tony Joe White influenced Louisiana swamp blues.

Despite having only two pieces this band puts out a lot of energetic sound with Bob Pearce playing banjo, mojo stomp, resonator, acoustic and electric guitars and accompanied by some funky drumming. Their sound ranges from funky greasy rhythms and licks to more polished jazzy New Orleans’ melodies. When these guys come back to our area I urge you to check them out. You’ll be glad you did.

Well despite the misting rain and extreme cold the energy level on the square was red hot and off the charts! The Owen Theater had a wonderful performance of “Steel Magnolias,” the Pub was full with the sounds of Austin’s Porter Davis Band, Norma’s Coronelli’s Italian Restaurant was full of hungry patrons and the historic Crighton Theatre was packed to the rafters with patrons listening to the acoustic Latin rhythms, Texas blues and Texican rock ‘n’ roll of the Del Castillo Band and their chart topping buddies the Los Lonely Boys.

Opening with Austin’s Del Castillo Band featuring Mark Del Castillo and his brother Rick Castillo on lead acoustic guitar, Alex Ruiz on vocals, Albert Besteiro on bass and Mike Zeoli on drums. The Del Castillo Band literally rocked the house and I felt that the Crighton might levitate off Main Street in Conroe and land in Pasadena. No, seriously, the Del Castillo put on one of the best performances ever held in the Crighton and it didn’t take long to figure out why music critics love this group and feel that they are likely to be the next super group to come out of Texas.

After a brief 15-minute break the world famous Garza Brothers, Henry, Jo Jo and Ringo came out to a standing ovation. Earlier in the evening they along with Rick Heysquierdo of KPFT’s (90.1 FM) Lone Star Juke Box had received a proclamation from Mayor Webb Melder making them honorary citizens and giving them a key to the city.

The band broke into their opening song and the crowd was on cloud nine. They did all of their hits and with 30 minutes remaining they brought their buddies, the Del Castillo Band on stage and broke into an acoustic version of Stevie Ray Vaughn’s interpretation of the Stevie Wonder song “Ain’t No Superstition” and then Jimi Hendrix’s “Voodoo Child.”

Man this jam just rocked like I’ve never seen before. You could tell both bands were having the time of their life. Watching the two Del Castillo brothers and Henry Garza of the Los Lonely Boys trading licks on lead acoustic guitar was unbelievable and then you realized nowhere on this planet were there three guitarists of this quality on stage together playing at one time!

The crowd gave this jam about the 10th standing ovation of the night. This talented group of members from the two bands after a five minute standing ovation came out and performed “Heaven,” a Los Lonely Boys hit that reached No. 1 on the national charts and won a Grammy for “Song of the Year.” Once again they had people on their feet and this time the crowd was dancing in the aisles. Heck it was the bands’ encore so officials let them dance away.

Well do I have a surprise for everyone! On March 7 the second annual Texas Independence Day Celebration will take place at the Heritage Place Amphitheater downtown. This year’s event will feature a children’s area and a chili cook-off. The chili cook-off will be limited to 100 teams with the first-place winner receiving $1,000, secon-place winner $500 and third-place winning $250.

The music line up includes the Scooter Brown Band, Shake Russell, the Gougers, Randy Weeks Band, Jesse Dayton Band, Ray Wylie Hubbard and band, and the Josh Ward Band.

Call Festival Chairman Debbie Glenn at (936) 756-5800 about info on being a vendor with a booth, entering a team in the chili cook off or any other info. Gates open at 11 a.m. and close at midnight. Adults pay $7 per ticket and children under 12 get in free. A portion goes to Children’s Safe Harbour and the rest goes to see money for next year’s event.

Well Saturday night the Corner Pub has the Larry Butler Band performing with special guests after the “Patsy Cline” play. Don’t forget the Crighton Players presentation of “Steel Magnolias” at the Owen Theater will be Friday night, Saturday night and a matinee on Sunday. See you on the Square Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Have fun and be safe!

Texas Independence Day Celebration

On March 7 the second annual Texas Independence Day Celebration will take place at the Heritage Place Amphitheater downtown. This year’s event will feature a children’s area and a chili cook-off. The chili cook-off will be limited to 100 teams with the first-place winner receiving $1,000, secon-place winner $500 and third-place winning $250.

[j9]

PHILANTHROPY: ANDREA BALL

Fundraiser to raise money for breast cancer
Breast Cancer Resource Centers of Texas using art bras to raise money.
Sunday, March 15, 2009

Wonder what Matthew McConaughey, Lance Armstrong, the Dixie Chicks and Los Lonely Boys have in common?

Female undergarments — bras, to be specific.

Yep. These celebrities are all expected to donate signed art bras to the annual GRAPHIC III Art Bra Fashion Show and Auction, a fundraiser for the Breast Cancer Resource Centers of Texas.




:D Can I request one in my size? :D

[cre8ivepoet]

hey it would be nice to have a pair of signed ta-ta cups. :p

[M6L24M86]

Reminds me of the time some woman threw hers onstage at the boys. Jojo gave the woman a funny look and laughed. Ish went over and kicked it off the stage and later on the woman threw it back up. At the end of the show Ringo picked it up with his drumstick and tossed it back over the side of the stage. Wasn't even a cute one! HAHA! It was one that looked all dirty, unwashed, and gross! LOL!

Very nice of them to sign a WASHED one for charity :D

[j9]

Thats funny. :D If youre gonna be strange and throw your bra, make sure its cute and clean. I saw Rod Stewart back in the 80's, and by the end of the show, there were, no joke, HUNDREDS of bras on stage. None of them were mine, thank you very much. Gotta keep the girls in thier place!! But back to the Boys, I wonder how much this bra is going for. Hopefully an Austin fan sees the article and bids on it. If I were in town, I'd be there.

[lovemusic]

Grammy-winning act Los Lonely Boys to play VictoriaLos Lonely Boys will play at fundraiser for Girl Scouts

By Julian Cavazos • Originally published June 10, 2009 at 5:18 p.m., updated June 10, 2009 at 5:18 p.m.

If you go
Where: Riverside Park special events area
When: Aug. 29
Cost: $25 pre-sale beginning June 12. After July 12, $35
Tickets:Hastings, 5206 N. Navarro St., Victoria, (361) 573-3721
Daniel Torres, DT Productions, 361-648-1812
Revista de Victoria, 2001 E Sabine, Suite 107
Victoria, 578-9686


Crossroads blues-rock fans will be in "Heaven" at the news Los Lonely Boys are coming to Victoria.

The Texan rock group will play Victoria on Aug. 29.

Known for 2004 hit "Heaven" and 2005's "Diamonds," the San Angelo-based group is coming to Riverside Park as part of a fundraiser for Girl Scouts of Greater South Texas.

Proceeds go toward scholarships and outreach programs. South Texas is home to nearly 15,000 Girl Scouts.

The Girl Scouts "deserve it. They work so hard selling cookies," said Daniel Torres, owner of DT Productions, who is promoting the concert. "I think they deserve more. Some girls come from single-parent homes."

The band will perform at Riverside Park's special events area. About 3,000 pre-sale tickets are available starting June 12. After July 12, tickets will cost $35. The special events arena will be open, so more than 10,000 people can attend, Torres said.

Besides Los Lonely Boys, other local Tejano, rock and oldies groups will be performing. A barbecue cook-off also will take place the same day.

If this entire event is successful, Torres would like to make this an annual event.

"Victoria has the capacity and capabilities of bringing these things here," Torres said. " If Victoria supports these things, we can do this every year."

Los Lonely Boys have never performed in Victoria before. Just four days after heading to Victoria, the Boys will be in Kuwait performing for U.S. troops.

Crossroads residents can enjoy listening to the Grammy Award-winning Boys here instead of going to Houston, Torres said.

"Instead of going to the Reliant Arena or the Toyota Center, I think these people will take advantage of something like this," he said. "I have a feeling this is going to be the biggest concert Victoria's ever seen."

[senoRita]

Our boys are at it again. Playing for a worthy cause with low ticket prices. That's why we love them. :cool:

( wish we could get low ticket prices like that here)

[lovemusic]

Los Lonely Boys
Tonight @ Potawatomi Bingo Casino Rock Stage, Summerfest, 10 p.m.
By Michael Muckian
http://www.expressmilwaukee.com/article-7090-los-lonely-boys.html

Music has always been a family affair for Henry, Jojo and Ringo Garza, the Tejano rockers better known as Los Lonely Boys. For the trio from San Angelo, Texas, it’s always been as much a matter of familia as it has been of music.

Guitarist Henry, bassist Jojo and drummer Ringo inherited their love of rough rhythm and blues from their father, Ringo Garza Sr., who with his own brothers formed The Falcones, which played Spanish conjunto music throughout south Texas in the 1970s and ’80s. Conjunto combines Mexican street music with Caribbean or Cuban influences, but Los Lonely Boys added a mix of Anglo influences including Willie Nelson, The Beatles and Stevie Ray Vaughn to develop its own unique sound.

Los Lonely Boys emerged early with “Heaven,” which made it to the top of the adult contemporary charts and earned a Grammy Award for a band that has been gaining ground ever since. The Boys backed Carlos Santana on “I Don’t Wanna Lose Your Love” on his All That I Am album and covered John Lennon’s “Whatever Gets You Through the Night” for Instant Karma: the Amnesty International Campaign to Save Darfur.

But mostly Los Lonely Boys had made its mark for the all-out hard-rocking shows. “We’ve worked the hardest trying to please each other and the fans,” Ringo writes on the band’s Web site. “If I could give a hug to every crowd member, it wouldn’t be enough.”

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bela's Note: Just for the record, the Boys did not "back up" Santana on “I Don’t Wanna Lose Your Love”. Santana backed them. The Boys wrote and played that song since back in at least 2000. Satana asked them to play it on his CD and added in his own guitar playing over Henry.

[cre8ivepoet]

Bela's Note: Just for the record, the Boys did not "back up" Santana on “I Don’t Wanna Lose Your Love”. Santana backed them. The Boys wrote and played that song since back in at least 2000. Satana asked them to play it on his CD and added in his own guitar playing over Henry.

That's right! Set it straight Bela. nice article. :)

[lovemusic]

This is interesting! May be the Boys will become models or spokesmen for them.

Wednesday, July 1, 2009, 2:31pm CDT
Los Lonely Boys visits Weyco
The Business Journal of Milwaukee
Print Email Reprints RSS Feeds Add to Del.icio.us Digg This CommentsRelated
http://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/stories/2009/06/29/daily46.html


The Grammy Award-winning recording artists Los Lonely Boys are taking time out from their Summerfest schedule to visit their favorite shoe makers — Weyco Group Inc., of Glendale.

The San Angelo, Texas-based Tex-Mex rock band is fond of the Stacy Adams shoe brand made by Weyco and will receive a sneak preview of the new Stacy Adams design that will be marketed by Weyco this fall.

Stacy Adams is part of the Weyco family of shoe brands that also includes Nunn Bush, Florsheim and Duckie Brown shoe brands.

Los Lonely Boys will play the Potawatomi Bingo Casino Rock Stage Wednesday at 10 p.m.

[velvetsky0222]

Music hall of fame housed in Abilene
By Brian Bethel (Contact)
Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Secreted away in a South Abilene shopping center is a place where the walls are lined with guitars and gold.

Bars on the windows prevent entry, hopefully safeguarding the treasures temporarily sheltered inside, including gold records, signed instruments and even garments worn by some genuine giants of Texas music.

A tiny dress, worn by Jessica Simpson in 2005 for an MTV awards show, accompanies memorabilia from the likes of Fess Parker, who no doubt endangered untold numbers of raccoons after he made the “Ballad of Davy Crockett” a hit, and items touched by Ronnie Dunn of country music powerhouse Brooks & Dunn.

There is a simple pattern if one looks. Simpson was born in Abilene. Parker at one point attended Hardin-Simmons University. And Dunn grew up in nearby Coleman.

While not every person featured in what amounts to a trial run of the West Texas Music Hall of Fame has such an obvious or even local tie, music fan (and musician) Sid Holmes believes that each of the people who have made the cut onto its “honor roll” of recording artists is a genuine Texas treasure.

Holmes has his own musical legacy in the form of a hit single, a famous version of tragic teen anthem “Last Kiss,” recorded with J. Frank Wilson and the Cavaliers, which became a hit after its release in June 1964.

His own musical experiences taught him “enough about music to know what to go after,” he said, at least when it comes to musical memorabilia. He has been collecting items since about 1990, he said, entirely as a personal labor of love, mostly buying them off of online auction Web site eBay.

“When you have 40 or more people to check, it’s tough,” he said. “You have to stay up late and try to not get outbid.”

Now, he has opened, along with sister Sylvia Holmes, who lives in Abilene, a temporary location for some of the estimated $80,000 in items he has collected.

He hopes to find though private showings people who are interested in creating a permanent and public location for contents. Speaking via telephone from his business in Fort Worth, where he sells CB radio gear, Holmes is remarkably humble about the accumulated rock ’n’ roll and country music relics.

And he declines to give much information about himself — even his age. His brush with fame, “Last Kiss,” is similarly discussed with humility. Apparently “lots of guys” were getting bands together at the time, inspired by crooners such as Elvis Presley.

He’s more content to talk about his dream for the Hall of Fame, a place that he hopes will someday have a permanent home, perhaps right here in Abilene.

“It’s a project that needed to be done,” he said.

Through the years, Holmes has seen venues such as the chain of Hard Rock Cafes and other halls of fame gobbling up musical memorabilia. Scarcity has made certain remaining items prohibitively expensive.

So he has scrimped and saved, buying up to preserve a legacy of Texas music ranging from the likes of Slim Willet, whose first single was 1950’s “Tool Pusher from Snyder,” to mega-stars like Roy Orbison and Buddy Holly whose musical reverberations still echo. There’s even a gold record of the “We Are the World” album release, there because Waylon Jennings, who got his start in Lubbock, sings on it.

The result is a singularly unique collection, a conglomeration that ranges from a checkered shirt worn by Parker in the 1966 film “Smoky” to a guitar signed by the members of “Los Lonely Boys,” born in Snyder and later of San Angelo.

Abilene isn’t the only potential venue, with Holmes shopping the concept around to other areas. If all goes well, there is a possibility in time of permanently handing over the items to the community where the collection winds up.

“Abilene is the first shot,” he said. “None of the cities may be able to afford it.”

Sylvia Holmes said that the museum is a project that “doesn’t have to be done tomorrow, or next year, even.”

But she would love to see an Abilene home for the collection.

“It’s a hard sell,” she admitted, especially in tough economic times.

The Abilene Convention and Visitors Bureau has provided some support, she said, in the form of helping with a private showing.

“But what happens next has to come from somebody else,” she said.



Top ten through 2005
1. Independent Women,” 2000, Destiny’s Child (Houston)

2. “Lady,” 1980, Kenny Rogers (Houston)

3. “The Battle Of New Orleans,” 1959, Johnny Horton (Tyler)

4. “Tammy,” 1957, Debbie Reynolds (El Paso)

5. “I’d Do Anything For Love,” 1993, Meatloaf (Dallas)

6. “Tequila” 1957, The Champs (Rankin)

7. “Big Bad John,” 1961, Jimmy Dean (Plainview)

8. “Sugar Shack,” 1963, Jimmy Gilmer & Fireballs (Amarillo)

9. “Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head,” 1970, B.J. Thomas (Rosebud)

10. “I Can See Clearly Now,” 1972, Johnny Nash (Houston)

Source: West Texas Music Hall of Fame Web site (http://www.westexmusichof.com/)

Getting in the Hall - A musician must:
• Born or had permanent residence in West Texas for a minimum of one year.

• Had a national Top 40 hit (any field) as listed by Billboard or Cashbox Singles charts from 1942. (Before 1942, similar national charts may be used.)

Sid Holmes’ requirements for any town to provide a permanent home for the West Texas Music Hall of Fame:

• Furnish a secure and attractive building.

• Be liable for any damages or losses of items.

• Agree to open on Saturdays and Sundays a minimum of four hours.

• Agree to partner with the museum to have a successful operation.

• The West Texas Music Hall of Fame Museum would retain the sole and exclusive ownership of the contents, until “some point in time” when the decision would be made to donate the items to the town.

Source: West Texas Music Hall of Fame, Sid Holmes

Reporter-News photo by Nellie Doneva A Los Lonely Boys signed guitar at the West Texas Music Hall of Fame.

Reporter-News photo by Nellie Doneva A Waylon Jennings jacket at the West Texas Music Hall of Fame.

Reporter-News photo by Nellie Doneva Buddy Holly memorabilia at the West Texas Music Hall of Fame.

Reporter-News photo by Nellie Doneva A Jessica Simpson dress at the West Texas Music Hall of Fame.

Reporter-News photo by Nellie Doneva Fess Parker memorabilia at the West Texas Music Hall of Fame.

[mamacitaRuth]

The signed guitar.....
http://i31.tinypic.com/3006vbk.jpg

[lovemusic]

Tuesday, July 28, 2009
LOS LONELY BOYS

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_5iyrCL0VOnM/Sm8qptUA9OI/AAAAAAAAAEs/QzeTti8GPR8/s320/loslonelyboys

LOS LONELY BOYS
with special guests ALEJANDRO ESCOVEDO and HACIENDA
Wednesday, October 7th 7:30pm
at the Keswick Theatre in Glenside, PA

http://brepresents.blogspot.com/2009/07/los-lonely-boys.html


The essence of Forgiven, the gripping third album by Texas trio Los Lonely Boys? “Familia! That’s what I think it represents. Three brothers. True American spirit – or Texican spirit.”

It’s as simple as that, says guitarist Henry Garza of the artistic and emotional breakthrough achieved by him and his siblings, bass player Jojo and drummer Ringo Jr. From the bluesy groove of the opening song “Heart Won’t Tell a Lie” through the yearning plea of the title song, the heartfelt faith of “Love Don’t Care About Me” and a rollicking version of the Steve Winwood/Spencer Davis Group chestnut “I’m a Man,”

Los Lonely Boys has fully realized the potential shown as its first two studio albums, the multi-platinum 2003 debut Los Lonely Boys and 2006’s Sacred (a No. 2 arrival on the Billboard albums chart), made the Texas trio one of the most beloved and acclaimed new arrivals in rock. Each of the three reaches new levels in their playing and singing, Henry and Jojo alternating lead duties and all three joining in both the group musical dynamics and vocal harmonies that can only come with genetic bonds. And there are some new turns as well, including Ringo’s recording debut as a lead singer on the song “Superman.” Powered by passion and true brotherly love, Forgiven is in every note a rock ‘n’ roll classic.

[cmedina]

the janus project
"to foresee the future we should know the past." machiavel

About Me

e. l. wood
a native of birmingham, alabama, i grew up on the urban streets of dallas, texas before attending college at houston baptist university where i earned a b. a. in english and psychology. after a year of teaching high school english in the public schools of houston, i attended sam houston state university where i earned a master’s degree in english. after bouncing around the deep south for several years, i finished my ph. d. in american literature before 1900 at the university of southern mississippi. i have been teaching in some capacity since 1992 and have taught for pearl river community college since 1995. in my spare time, i enjoy reading, movies, and the outdoors. i am personally acquainted with several search and rescue teams around the southeast. i am married to the lovely and gracious a. c. we have a daughter and three dogs and reside in h'burg, deep south.


one of my favorite happenings is when god reveals glimpses of himself in unanticipated or unexpected places or/and events. maybe i should not be so startled or surprised, but when it happens, i feel the most like a child on christmas morning than at any other time. one such event occurred last friday night at the beau rivage hotel and casino in biloxi, mississippi.

my lovely and gracious wife and i are not big fans of the boats, but we did want to catch the los lonely boys in concert. so, we booked a room, burned through a roll of nickels at the one-armed-bandits, ate some pretty good food, and set off to hear what turned out to be a great concert.

i knew the los lonely boys were going to be good, but had no idea that they were going to be THAT good. the three brothers ( henry, jojo, and ringo garza) brought it for roughly 70 minutes, came back for a one song encore that turned into a two song encore that morphed into another twenty minutes split between stevie wonder’s superstition and jimi hendrix’s voodoo child. Wow. pretty much the whole concert was amped a bit more than their studio work; in fact, the pace and volume of the concert revealed a whole other side of the band.

but i digress - - - about twenty minutes into the show, for one brief moment, the boys slowed the pace a bit. henry dedicated a song to “all of us here tonight who might have done that one little thing in our life we might regret,” and then they played forgiven.

it’s not like i haven’t heard the song before or haven’t ever contemplated the spiritual journey of the band whose albums include titles like forgiven and scacred.

maybe it was the venue – a casino – with vice in all its forms available. maybe it was the brazen act of witness in a secular forum. whatever it was, in the roughly 3 minutes it took for the los lonely boys to perform forgiven, the arena was almost completely silent, and i was taken into the presence of god in a powerful and palpable way.

and it was pretty cool to know that the answer to the song’s question, “Can I be forgiven?” is a resounding, “YES!”



Take it away. Take it away.
Take away these feelings cuz they're bringing me down.
Cuz I can't breathe. Feels like I can't breathe.
Feels just like this whole world's coming down on me.

Oh, can I be Forgiven for all I have done?

Can you set me free? Can you set me free?
Set me free from all this pain life's done to me.

If you can hear me praying, then I'll ask one more time.

Can you take it away, Lord? Oh, can I be forgiven?
Can you take it away, Lord? Help me change my ways of living.
[ Forgiven lyrics from http://www.lyricsyoulove.com/ ]

Oh, can I be forgiven for all I have done?
Is there time for me? Is there still time for me?
Time to change whatever I've got left of me.

If you can hear me praying, then I'll ask one more time.

Can you take it away, Lord? Oh, can I be forgiven?
Can you take it away, Lord? Help me change my ways of living.
Posted by e. l. wood at 7:29 PM


1 comments:
Rosie said...
I have seen the LLB boys many times. Each time I am amazed by their talent. It's much better to see them LIVE. They are great people and very down to earth. They will usually hang out after the show to chat and sign autographs. Glad you liked the show. Most people do. They deserve more recognition than they get. Please go to www.loslonelyboys.com and join in the conversations. We always love to hear from people!

[mamacitaRuth]

Very cool......(with tears in my eyes), their music has done this to me, too, on more than one occasion. That was definitely a 'Godwink' for that gentleman, and - sounds like - everyone else in the room! Thank you, Cindy....

[cre8ivepoet]

Cindy was that myspace account?

[Belle]

Cindy - thank you for posting that! It gives me a lift of encouragement.

[senoRita]

Ask for forgiveness and you will not be denied. ;)

[cmedina]

Cindy was that myspace account?

It was a google alert, touched me too...so I just had to share with everybody. ;)

[lovemusic]

August 7, 2009 in Features
Brotherhood lifts Los Lonely Boys

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2009/aug/07/brotherhood-lifts-los-lonely-boys/

Grammy-winning, multiplatinum-selling, Texican rock trio Los Lonely Boys is all about family.

Since their 2003 self-titled major label debut, Henry, Jojo and Ringo Garza have shown their musical synchronicity, and that connection has only grown with time.

On Los Lonely Boys’ third and latest album, last year’s “Forgiven,” the Garza brothers’ bond is laced and locked, delving deeper into interlinking musical dynamics and vocal harmonies that can only be forged from a family bond.

Stylistically, the third outing from the southern Texas-based trio branches out while following the success of Los Lonely Boys’ breakthrough debut along with the highly rated followup, 2006’s “Sacred.”

The chops are still undeniable, as is the passion, coming in bursts of Tex-Mex rock, Latin-tinged pop and Stevie Ray Vaughan-esque blues.

The lyrics on “Staying With Me” are straightforward and earnest, but the instrumentation carries the sweetly laid harmonies. The title track approaches the same emotional depth of Los Lonely Boys’ No. 1 debut single, “Heaven.”

Fuzzy guitar lines replace organ sounds in the band’s Hendrix-like, Chicago blues-driving cover of the Steve Winwood-penned Spencer Davis Group tune “I’m A Man.”

While “Make It Better” borrows a page from The Beatles, the Southern-rockin’ “You Can’t See The Light” has a jazzy subtext.

But the album’s real twist is the funk-heavy “Superman.” While lead guitarist Henry and bassist Jojo often switch off on lead vocals, “Superman” was drummer Ringo’s debut as a lead singer.

Blending elements of rock and roll, soul, blues and country, the album was tracked in just three short sessions and was produced by Steve Jordan (John Mayer’s Continuum, Herbie Hancock), whom the band began to refer to as “Steve Garza” before the project was finished.

Los Lonely Boys are the sons of the senior Ringo Garza, who with his own brothers formed the Falcones, which played Spanish- and island-influenced music throughout Texas in the 1970s and ’80s.

The Garza brothers formed their band while in their teens, and recorded their first album under the guidance of Willie Nelson.

“We came from a town with nothing,” Ringo Jr. says in the band’s bio, “… came from nothing but love – and brotherhood.”

[senoRita]

"But the album’s real twist is the funk-heavy “Superman.” While lead guitarist Henry and bassist Jojo often switch off on lead vocals, “Superman” was drummer Ringo’s debut as a lead singer."

Definitely agree with this statement! Around here Superman is the song that got played the most off Forvigen. :cool:

[bertie]

Yeah Ringo!!! Always love to hear Henry and Jo Jo sing, but it's nice to hear Ringo's great voice out front too. Glad he got some good press for it!

[RosieJeanne]

Another good interview here. And check out the part about the new CD out in a few months... Music of 1969??? What's up with that??







TUESDAY AUGUST 11, 2009 Last modified: Tuesday, August 11, 2009 4:28 PM PDT

LOS LONELY BOYS DELIVER ROCK 'N ROLL 'TEXICAN' STYLE


In the somewhat jaded and stagnant pool of current music, it is refreshing to catch a group that turns things on its ear, creating new juices to flow through the American musical body. One such group is Los Lonely Boys-three brothers out of San Angelo, Texas, who are stirring things up with their “Texican” rock and roll. They have a Grammy to prove it.

Los Lonely Boys are not some obscure, fringe group. They won their Grammy in the Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals category for their debut single, “Heaven.” They've caught the attention of Carlos Santana, who took them under his wing, booked them on a national tour and had them perform on his album All That I Am. Willie Nelson invited them to record at his Pedernales Studio because he took a shine to their innovative style and musical integrity.

The “Boys,” lonely or otherwise, are Henry, Jojo and Ringo Garza. Music is in their genes. Their father is Enrique Garza, Sr., who formed a band with his brothers called The Falcones that played conjunto music in southern Texas during the '70s and '80s.

In addition to their Grammy winner, Heaven, Los Lonely Boys have released Sacred, featuring the song “Outlaws” with Enrique Sr. and Willie Nelson providing some of the vocals.

In 2007, Los Lonely Boys participated in Amnesty International's “Make Some Noise” project. Their cover of John Lennon's “Whatever Gets You Through the Night” is the second single from the Instant Karma: The Amnesty International Campaign to Save Darfur album released on Warner Bros. Records.

We talked with Jojo Garza about the group, their music, and their show at the Tropicana Express. Here's how it went...

Q. With all of your success, including winning a Grammy, and the respect you've received from mentors like Carlos Santana and Willie Nelson, do you guys feel like you're still under the radar, still having to prove yourselves?

A. I think it's cool that they've helped us achieve success-these cats are heroes to us, which makes it more exciting and all the more special.

But we still take it as trying to get through every single day-trying to make it to the next one. I think people are still watching and listening and expecting to see what we're gonna do next. We just keep playing and writing and hopefully get our own studio going so we can create constantly, constantly, constantly.

Q. Speaking of creating. With all of you contributing to the songwriting do you guys find that you're more inspired when you're in love, angry, happy?

A. All of those things-that's the Los Lonely Boys. For us, it isn't just about coming up with a story. It's about real love, being without love, or someone who doesn't love you. It's really about being mad, or sad or happy at one time or another.

We always talk about the message in music and when we speak, it's about the light. We believe in light and darkness. No matter how bad it gets, there's always a light and it just takes real searching and faith to see that light. The message we're spreading-using our gifts-is one of God. People don't talk too much about that, about faith-but it's a personal thing for us. It's a beautiful thing if people know what we're thinking and they're still interested in our music.

We realize the thing about writing, it's a true gift-it kind of starts doing it by itself. With constant writing, you do get better at it. We all are writing, writing, writing-I have 30 or 40 ideas on my cell phone alone.

Q. You guys are brothers, musicians, and business partners. You must have creative differences. How do you handle them?

A. Believe me, we have creative differences-but not to the point that we can't get a song done. Over the years, we work through things as a family. As siblings, your respect grows and your maturity grows in regards to each other-not that there still might be times when we're stubborn about something. Whatever it is, at least we can have our opinions and work through them.

As far as musical ability, we've learned over time to do what you're supposed to do. If you do your job, and I do mine, we're gonna have some touchdowns.

Q. Speaking of touchdowns. How do you top a Grammy-winning song?

A. Pretty quickly. We're always up to that challenge. In the studio, we're always up to it.

As far as peaking, we'll always have music that we're trying to top. While we're happy with a record each time, we're not really sure it's ever the best it can be. Sometimes we think we could do it differently-maybe throw in some strings.

The cool thing is we really like everything we write-and we're happy so many other people like it as well.

Q. What is the most important thing you learned from your mentors, Carlos Santana, Los Lobos, Willie Nelson?

A. The one thing we've learned from all of them is staying true to yourself. That includes also expanding and growing musically. They tell us, just believe in what you're doing. It got you this far, why fix it if it isn't broken.

Q. The music that got you so far is a mix of many styles. Did you have something in mind when creating it or was it a natural evolution?

A. We're still creating that sound of “Texican” style rock and roll. We're constantly growing and learning things-including new things from the past. The music never stays the same. You're constantly changing, never solidified, never at a point where you're a statue. There's no end to learning, to maturity and wisdom.

Q. Has any record company tried to change your sound and how you record?

A. There have been “strong suggestions”. Yeah, of course we told them what they could do with their suggestions. When it comes to business and what Los Lonely Boys believe about music, we're bumping heads. The purity of the music is not about all this money and business and catering to those cats. The business side should stick to the business side and to the making of records, and the creativity should be left to the artist. If you're not a musician what place do you have telling a person with 25 years of experience how to do it?

However, we've gotten good suggestions here and there-and some that obviously were not that good. Music isn't about the money. It's about sharing with people-and people think I'm crazy for saying it.

Q. What does your dad think about your success?

A. He's overwhelmed, over the top. Apparently there are pictures of him jumping out of his seat at the Grammys.

Q. Talk about winning the Grammy.

A. Looking at what it took to put us there-including all the people listening to our music-we never thought we'd get there. I don't believe they ever read our name. I said, “read that card again to make sure.” If we get there again, that would be awesome and maybe we'll have a better speech prepared. It would be cool to do it again. But if we don't, if we're still connecting to people who enjoy Los Lonely Boys music and getting our message out, we'll be doing just fine.

Q. Talk about “Heaven,” what's the story behind that song?

A. We had the song for a while and we'd been playing it for a few years. Other cats we were running into would ask, “what's with the ‘Heaven' stuff? Are you Christian all of a sudden?” It's a prayer Henry came up with and we thought he should write it down. That's the basic story. Nobody was digging it-neither record labels nor managers. Never listen to what these people say. If you do, you're dead. Once you listen, your beliefs are dead. All of a sudden the song's a hit. It just goes to show you have to keep your faith in your music.

Q. What's in store for Laughlin?

A. It's just gonna be jamming. We're gonna have a good time. One of the most important things is when the crowd gets into it. When that happens, we're a better band-that's when we've always played our best-and it doesn't matter if there's only 10 people.

It's just an evening with Los Lonely Boys. Once we get there, we're gonna rock out, “Texican” rock and roll, Los Lonely Boys style. Bring your fun with you. Everybody, bring you're fun with you.

Q. Any new recording projects in the works that you'd like to talk about?

A. Actually we just got out of the studio two days ago and the record is coming out in the next couple of months. We went back to the music of 1969-doing a few songs from the era, playing ‘em “Texican” style. We grew up on the music so it was like reconnecting with someone we knew.
Also, we're constantly out there touring-we keep going to bring our music to the fans. They still want to see us, so it's important for us to continue to do it as long as we're physically able to do so.

LOS LONELY BOYS

THE PAVILION

SHOWROOM

TROPICANA EXPRESS

THURSDAY, AUGUST 13

8 p.m.

[Belle]

Rosie - what an intriguing article. Now I'm curious too about the 1969 reference.

Thanks for posting this!

Belle

[kimann]

Thanks Rosie for the great article. 1969 huh? WHat a great hint for the new CD. I went and looked up some of the best of 1969 and these are some songs I could see the boys recording: (Just for fun;)

Beatles - Come Together/Get Back/Don't Let Me Down
CCR-Down on the Corner/Bad Moon RIsing/Proud Mary
Sly and the family stone - I want to take you higher
Cream-Crossroads
BBKing-The Thrill Is Gone
Led Zep-Dazed and Confused/Babe I'm gonna leave you
Stevie Wonder - My Cherie Amour
Guess Who- These Eyes

kimann

[mamacitaRuth]

Too funny, Kim! You just beat me here...'great minds alike', lol. Well, 1969 was the year of MY high school graduation (yikes), so that year holds a lot of memories for me.

This is what was going on every week here that year....
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Hot_100_number-one_singles_of_1969_(U.S.)

These were the Top 10 for the year in the UK:
1 Frank Sinatra My Way
2 Jane Birkin & Serge Gainsbourg Je T'Aime Moi Non Plus
3 Dean Martin Gentle On My Mind
4 The Rolling Stones Honky Tonk Women
5 Robin Gibb Saved By The Bell
6 Karen Young Nobody's Child
7 The Beatles Get Back
8 Donald Peers Please Don't Go
9 Bobby Gentry I'll Never Fall In Love Again
10 Tommy Roe Dizzy

I could see them doing any of the Beatles, Rolling Stones, Elvis...well, anything!

[senoRita]

What a wONDAful interview with our fav bass player, Jojo. Now I'm really eager for the next CD from these guys.:)

[RosieJeanne]

I got another Google Alert today.... I just love when people love the boys!

"Connie and I saw Los Lonely Boys last weekend. Great show and they did what I now consider to be the
most brilliant cover ever performed. They did Chicagos "I'm a Man" and let me tell you it had me stunned from
the gitgo. JoJo and Henry were playing the same guitar at the same time and I was flat blown away by
how well they pulled it off.

You get a chance to see these boys this year DO NOT MISS IT!"

[mamacitaRuth]

Very nice, Rosie. Too bad he didn't get the group right.....It was Spencer Davis Group, not Chicago. Steve Winwood wrote it, but I don't think he ever recorded it? Not sure...

[La Sonrisa]

From the PROVO DAILY HERALD (Utah)

Los Lonely Boys, Los Lobos share Brotherhood Tour
Alan Sculley - Special to the Daily Herald
Posted: Thursday, August 13, 2009 12:00 am

Los Lobos and Los Lonely Boys
When: Wednesday

Where: Red Butte Gardens, 300 Wakara Way, Salt Lake City

Tickets: $43 members, $48 public

Info: (801) 585-0556, www.redbuttegarden.org

If the latest Los Lonely Boys CD, "Forgiven," sounds like it captures the essence of one of the group's live performances, there's a good reason for that.

The album wasn't recorded in a studio, or refined with a bunch of overdubbed vocals or instrumental parts. Instead, producer Steve Jordan thought the right way to record Los Lonely Boys -- who are appearing in concert with Los Lobos at Red Butte Garden in Salt Lake City on Wednesday as part of the Brotherhood Tour -- was to make the process feel as much like a live gig as possible.

He did that by setting up a sound stage in Austin, Texas, hitting the record button and documenting what happened when brothers Henry (guitar), Jo Jo (bass) and Ringo Garza (drums) did what they knew best -- played as a band.

"We had recorded pretty much live on every record," Jo Jo Garza said, mentioning the two previous albums, a self-titled 2003 debut and the 2006 release, "Sacred." "But then there was a little dissecting going on toward the end of [those projects] and you were doing vocals or a separate guitar [track] or separate bass, you know how it goes on other records. This, however, was very free.

"It was kind of like we had a stage in there," he said. "There were some lights. We had our full rigs going, Henry's guitar rig, my bass rig and microphones set up and monitors and no headphones -- no headphones at all. And also we had two set-ups. There was a big room set-up for the heavy stuff and stuff that Steve Jordan might have thought we should try in there. Then we had a small set-up. It was really in a small little corner of the soundstage to kind of give it this jazzy, I'm not going to say just jazzy, but like a jazzy vibe to it, kind of laid back, clean sounding and just kind of real vib-ish."

The group hopes whatever magic translated to the "Forgiven" CD will help reintroduce the band after its career took a bit of a step back with the "Sacred" album.

The group had emerged out of San Angelo, Texas, after literally growing up surrounded by music.

When the Garza brothers were young children, their father fronted a band with his brothers and sister that gained considerable popularity in the Southern states. That group, though, came to a sudden and tragic end when one of the brothers died.

So as Henry, Jo Jo and Ringo were entering their teens, their father turned to his boys and made them his backing band. Working with their father, the three brothers gained a deep appreciation for early rock 'n' roll, blues and their native conjunto music, as they played clubs first around Texas, and later in Nashville during the 1990s.

As the brothers got older, though, Ringo Garza Sr. realized that his sons were destined to be more than his backing band and he encouraged them to go out on their own as Los Lonely Boys.

There were no time pressures in making "Heaven," and Los Lonely Boys sound both energized and relaxed throughout the record, as the group once again delivers a wide-ranging mix of bluesy rock, pop and soul, all spiced with a touch of the Garza brothers' Mexican heritage.

The group is back on the road this summer, and continuing to showcase material from "Forgiven," without forgetting about earlier favorites.

"We've got a lot of material to pick from," Jo Jo Garza said. "And we do the occasional cover songs that we still enjoy doing. But the show's going to change up pretty much every night. Don't get me wrong, some night we might come up with a really good set that we might want to play for a couple nights. We're doing anything and everything we can, man."

http://heraldextra.com/entertainment/music/article_61adeb0e-6b82-53c4-8f06-17dc20ae87a7.html

[j9]

http://www.examiner.com/x-11988-Nashville-Festivals-Examiner~y2009m8d9-The-best-of-Bonnaroo-2004



I found this cool little thing that'll take you to the Bonaroo 2004 performance of C&C. I LOVE to kick back and watch this when I am suffering from Lonleyitus, like right now!! Maybe some of you new folks can check it out and the long time fans enjoy... again!! Of COURSE they are the "Best of 2004!"

[senoRita]

Nice article from Provo, UT with cool :cool: quotes from JoJo. I bet you're getting real excited about your show on Wednesday!

I'm starting to get all jiggy for my show on Friday. Just found out it's been moved into a ballroom from the lakes. :confused:

[senoRita]

Here's an article about the show Sunday at The Greek which mentions LLBs next CD!

Pop & Hiss
The L.A. Times music blog
Live review: Los Lobos, Los Lonely Boys dip into rock history at Greek Theatre
August 17, 2009

The two Spanish-flavored acts mix sentimental classics with high-spirited bursts of musicianship.

More than half a century has elapsed since Pacoima's own Ritchie Valens and Lubbock, Texas, native son Buddy Holly died in a small-plane crash with the Big Bopper and their pilot while touring the Midwest. But their legacy as two of rock 'n' roll's founding blood brothers rumbled on in Sunday night's Greek Theatre double bill of Chicano elder statesmen Los Lobos and Tex-Mex blues belters Los Lonely Boys.

Suave and stately as a '64 Impala lowrider, Los Lobos closed its rich, retrospective set with "La Bamba," the traditional son jarocho folk tune that Valens transformed into a Top 40 classic by injecting a rock beat. Los Lobos demonstrated the syncretism of English- and Spanish-language rock by stirring Valens' tune into a mini-medley with the Young Rascals' "Good Lovin.' "

No surprise there, of course. The East L.A. band has built a nearly four-decade career on excavating, animating and repurposing rock's Latin roots. Rock's historic Spanish accent still hasn't been fully acknowledged by the music's Anglo-centric official guardians, but we're getting there slowly but surely.

Half as expected, and therefore doubly welcome, was Los Lonely Boys' gritty, heartfelt version of Holly's "Well . . . All Right," a song that's been covered by everyone from British supergroup Blind Faith to Santana, two of Los Lonely Boys' obvious forbears. Literal blood brothers, the Garza siblings -- Henry (who plays guitar like Santana and sings like Eric Clapton), Jojo (bass and vocals) and Ringo (drums) -- are first-rate musicians and assiduous students of rock, R&B, country and Tejano history.

In October they're scheduled to release an EP, titled "1969," of covers from that landmark year, a testament to their wide-ranging knowledge of, and respect for, their musical mentors.

The Garzas also have absorbed the explosiveness of hip-hop beats, lending a contemporary urban vitality to their heroic vision of blues-rock. And they possess the kind of instinctive flair for harmonizing that only musicians sprung from the same DNA are fully able to pull off. All these strengths coalesce on songs like the funky Spanglish "Señorita," and set-opener, "Heart Won't Tell a Lie," a straight-ahead tune that's emboldened by one of Henry Garza's theatrical power solos.

The trio's Achilles' heel remains its robust but interpretively limited vocal stylings and its lyrics, which tend toward well-worn sentiments about sticking out troubled love affairs and begging hot mamacitas for un besito. These are fine opening lines for bar-band boogieing. But now that Los Lonely Boys are segueing into their 30s, it'd be nice to see them push their songwriting to the same sophisticated level as their musicianship. They have the talent and commitment to do it.

continued...
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/music_blog/2009/08/live-review-los-lobos-los-lonely-boys-dip-into-rock-history-at-greek-theatre.html

[kimann]

A release date (Oct) a title (1969) and a quote sure to make Henry Garza smile:

"Henry plays guitar like Santana and sings like Eric Clapton."

Loving it:)
kimann

[La Sonrisa]

http://www.victoriaadvocate.com/news/2009/aug/23/jc_llb_advance_082409_61836/

Los Lonely Boys to perform as part of Girl Scouts event
San Angelo group will perform fundraiser for Girl Scouts

By Julian Cavazos • Originally published August 23, 2009 at 9:51 p.m., updated August 23, 2009 at 11:15 p.m.

IF YOU GO

WHAT: Girl Scouts Barbecue Cook-off and Concert


WHERE: Riverside Park special events area


WHEN: Aug. 29, noon to midnight Cook-off: Noon to 4 p.m. Los Lonely Boys perform at 9:45 p.m.


COST: $25 pre-sale. $35 at gate


TICKETS: Online at Riversideevents.com, Hastings, 5206 N. Navarro St., Victoria, 361-573-3721 FYE, 7800 N. Navarro St., No. 261, Victoria, 361-578-0482; Daniel Torres, DT Productions, 361-648-1812Revista de Victoria, 2001 E Sabine, Suite 107 Victoria, 578-9686




Get ready for some 'Texican rock n' roll.'

Los Lonely Boys will perform at Riverside Park on Saturday as part of a fundraiser for the Girl Scouts of Greater South Texas.

The event is all about having fun, and helping the Girl Scouts succeed, promoter Daniel Torres said.

"That day we're going to be mentors, brothers and sisters to these Girl Scouts," said. "Victoria's going to set their differences aside, and just have a good time."

More than 17,000 girls participated in Girl Scouts last year in the greater South Texas area.

"Girl Scouts build character and self-esteem," said Debbie Crites, regional Girl Scouts director of fund development. "We teach girls how to make wise decisions. We also teach them to be leaders in the community, and how to make wiser choices about their future."

Elder Distributing, is helping sponsor the concert.

"It's just a good cause. We just wanted to give back to the community," said Rodney Mutschler, general manager Elder Distributing. "We just think it's a very good cause. We do a bunch of these good cause things, and this one could be one of the biggest one's in Victoria."

At least eight other bands - in the varieties of rock, Tejano, oldies, and rhythm and blues - will perform prior to Los Lonely Boys.

A cook-off will also take place for ribs, sausage, brisket, and beans. More than 48 contestants have signed up so far.

Additional entertainment will include a dunking booth, a moonwalk, and other games for kids.

The whole idea of the Boys performing initially started with just a cook-off.

A Greater Girl Scouts of South Texas board member consulted with Torres a few months ago what could be done as a fundraiser.

The board didn't want to repeat what had been done in the past.

"We were thinking of an idea," Torres said. "The cookies deal had been around for a long time, car washes didn't seem to justify their needs for programs and scholarship funds. We needed something more."

That's when the idea of a cook-off started. But then discussions moved from food, to music.

Who could they bring that would attract fans?

"I thought, some people like seafood, some like Asian, some like Mexican, but everyone likes barbecue," Torres said. "Los Lonely Boys are like barbecue. Everyone can relate to them. So why not put a barbecue cook-off with Los Lonely Boys together?"

Torres confirmed in June Los Lonely Boys would be performing in Victoria.

"They were willing to come to support this certain venue and the meaning of the venue," Torres said. "When they found out what we were doing it for, they showed a lot of gratitude in coming to this event and what they'll be supporting."

Los Lonely Boys fans from outside the Crossroads area will flock to Victoria to utilize the city's services, Torres said.

"Hotels, restaurants, service stations, even grocery stores, it's going to affect everyone."

The cook-off and concert already have more than 20 sponsors such as Killebrew Dodge, University of Houston at Victoria, all of which could be possible career options for the Girl Scouts in their future, Torres said.

"Anyone of these businesses that are sponsors - hospitals, colleges, businesses - I'm looking at them not just as sponsors, but mentors too. Maybe they can work for a hospital, maybe they can go to college. It's like an investment."

So far, people as far as Oklahoma, Dallas and the Rio Grande Valley have already purchased their tickets, Torres said.

Some members of a Los Lonely Boys fan club from Houston called La Onda are planning to come. Member Gaby Precella has seen them perform more than 50 times, including three that were back-to-back in San Antonio, Austin, and Houston.

"They're down-to-earth, Precella, 42, said. "They're real, not like these other bands that are famous and you can't get near them."

[cmedina]

That's great! My girls are in girl scouts, wish we could be there!!! ;)

[cliffd64]

What a great way to help out :) Kudos to the brothers :)

[mmmbopnmommy]

OUR Girl Scouts never did anything like that!!! Great for Texas Girls tho.....
The Boys have Such big hearts!! <3

[j9]

It was well before any of the three Garza brothers was born, but the magical music year of 1969 still contained "a lot of music we learned over the years and really influenced us," according to Los Lonely Boys bassist JoJo Garza.


So the Texas trio is paying "tribute" to the year with "1969," a five-song EP that's due out Oct. 13 and will be the first release on its own Lonely Tone label, after five years with Epic that included 2004's double-platinum "Los Lonely Boys."


"We had a good run with [Epic], man, we had some success together, but it was just time to move on, really," the middle Garza brother tells Billboard.com. "What band doesn't think about or dream about having their own label, y'know? Now we're really gonna be able to do it the way we want. This is our deal, and people will be able to hear that sound and that vibe and...the independence on what we do."


Garza says the group would like Lonely Tone -- which is part of Austin-based Playing in Traffic Records -- to house other acts, but "right now we're focusing all the energy that we can on us."


Los Lonely Boys chose the songs for "1969" from a long list of possibilities, favoring artists or particular songs that meant something to them. "Quite a few of those songs we played in our sets before all this (success) happened to us," Garza explains.



"Well All Right" -- produced by Andy Johns, who engineered the entire EP -- is something of a perfect storm, written by a fellow Texan (Buddy Holly), covered in 1969 by Blind Faith and later by good friend and musical mentor Santana, whose "Evil Ways" the trio also covers. They chose the Doors' "Roadhouse Blues" over "Touch Me" because they had played the former for many years.


The Beatles' "She Came In Through the Bathroom Window" and Tony Joe White's "Polk Salad Annie" were favorites of the Garza brothers' father. "We've been hearing ['Polk Salad Annie'] for years," JoJo says. "When it came time to talking about songs, that came up. Henry [Garza] said, 'Remember that song 'Polk Salad Annie?' 'Yeah! That's a fun song, man. Let's do that one.' It's just a cool tune. I don't know if anybody's re-done that song, ever."


Los Lonely Boys will be playing the "1969" covers during their Acoustic Brotherhood Tour with Alejandro Escovedo and Hacienda, which starts Oct. 5-6 in Alexandria, Va. Garza says the group has "ideas up the wazoo" for its next album, which it hopes to start recording later this year for release in 2010.

[senoRita]

Thanks for posting the article. I wasn't having any luck viewing it on Billboard's web site.

I have to admit that I'm not familiar with all the songs from this CD. I remember the Beatles' song and Santana's songs but not the others. Really looking forward to hearing Polk Salad Annie and Roadhouse Blues!

[mamacitaRuth]

Thanks for posting the article. I wasn't having any luck viewing it on Billboard's web site.

I have to admit that I'm not familiar with all the songs from this CD. I remember the Beatles' song and Santana's songs but not the others. Really looking forward to hearing Polk Salad Annie and Roadhouse Blues!

Rita, here's a link to all five songs. I posted this on the "New EP" thread....

http://www.4shared.com/dir/19341722/cb9bf3fc/sharing.html

[senoRita]

Thanks for the link, Ruth.

Here's a nice article...

Young local band to open for Los Lonely boys on Saturday

By Julian Cavazos • Originally published August 26, 2009 at 6:54 p.m., updated August 26, 2009 at 6:55 p.m.

24-7 Band members

Michael Petrash II, 16, bass

Sarah Rivas, 15, vocals

Matthew Vallejo, 10, drummer

Nicholas Vallejo, 12, lead guitar, rhythm, vocals

Josh Moya, 14, percussion, vocals


One of the youngest bands in the Crossroads is practicing to perform with Los Lonely Boys Saturday at Riverside Park.

All five members of the band, called 24-7, are between ages 10 and 16. They play anything from blues to rock.

During a rehearsal in band manager Mario Vallejo's attic, 24-7 started talking about what it would be like to share the stage with a famous band.

They're a little nervous. This is their big break.

"I'm pretty excited, but kind of nervous," said Nicolas Vallejo, the 12-year-old lead guitarist.

"I hope we don't mess up," said Josh Moya, the band's percussionist. He is 14.

"This is probably like the first big group I've ever met," said Sarah Rivas, 15, one of the band's singers.

"It's going to be a great, awesome experience," replied 16-year-old bass guitarist Michael Petrash as he smiled.

The group has been practicing together for about six months, which is how they got their name.

"We practice all the time," Vallejo said. "24-7, 365 days a year. It represents them good."

Continued

http://www.victoriaadvocate.com/news/2009/aug/26/jc_teenband_082509_62610/?entertainment&local-entertainment

[cre8ivepoet]

that is way cool rita!

[cherienjim]

****, I'm goin to Texas to get me some Thin mints and tag-alongs!!! Anyone else wanna go??? cherie:D

[cherienjim]

look up... I only typed dam spelled differently!!!:mad::eek::confused:

[lovemusic]

They have a nice video of the kids on the web site. Very nice. The Boys will be able to identify with these kids since they were playing at that age also.

[lovemusic]

Los Lonely Boys stay true to God, roots, la familia

By Julian Cavazos • Originally published August 27, 2009 at midnight, updated August 27, 2009 at 5:30 p.m.
http://www.victoriaadvocate.com/news/2009/aug/27/jc_loslonelyboys_082809_63461/?entertainment&local-entertainment

WHAT'S NEXT FOR LOS LONELY BOYS
Los Lonely Boys are working on a tribute album titled "1969," which will feature covers released that year, including Santana's "Evil Ways," Buddy Holly's "We All Right," and The Doors' "Roadhouse Blues."
"It's a tribute to good times, good music, good people," bassist JoJo Garza said. "We want to bring a little bit of that back."
The album will be released Oct. 13.

No matter how famous Los Lonely Boys may get, they always want to remain true to themselves and their roots.

That's the message Los Lonely Boys try to send out through their music and they're trying to keep it real.

"It's OK to grow and expand and change, but it's never good to let go of your roots, because you can't grow without your roots," "We're all about peace and love, and good music."

The brotherly trio - lead singer Henry, bassist JoJo and drummer Ringo Garza - will perform at Riverside Park Saturday night as part of a Girl Scout cook-off and concert fundraiser.

They've never played in Victoria before, but are looking forward to it.

"We're going to get over there and play," JoJo said. " It's home. We're still in Texas. Probably see a lot of people that we know."

They prefer to sing about God, family and love, over wealth and material things.

"All our songs talk about love, and life and finding that life through the darkness," he said. "Man loves a woman, woman loves a man. It's nothing about making money or having the biggest house. That's not what life's about."

Their most famous single, "Heaven," reached the No. 1 spot on the Billboard Adult Contemporary Chart, and No. 16 on the Billboard Hot 100. The self-titled album, "Heaven," reached the top 10 on the Billboard charts.

It also won the group a Grammy the following year for Best Pop Performance By A Duo or Group with Vocals.

"We didn't ever think anything about 'Heaven' or any song would do that," JoJo said.

Henry wrote the song's lyrics, and JoJo and Ringo wrote the music. The song was created even before they had a record deal.

"It started out as a prayer. From what my brother told us, God told him to write the words down, so he did," he said. "Then we kept playing and playing. Then five years ago, somebody said, 'I'll give these guys a shot.'"

From there, their career took off. Their following album, "Sacred," which was released in 2006, peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard 200. Their latest album, "Forgiven," came out last year and peaked at No. 26.

The Boys are on a national tour.

Just a few days after playing in Victoria, the Boys will spend eight days in Iraq and Kuwait, performing for the troops.

The Boys are big supporters of our military.

"For the last couple of years, we've been wanting to do something like that," JoJo said. "We've had some family in the military. We've got real respect for it. It takes a real tough person to be able to do that."

In April, the band performed for troops at Fort Hood, and got to thank them for fighting for our country, JoJo said.

"We were able to tell them that day we appreciate what you do for Los Lonely Boys, what you do for the world, and definitely our part of the world - the U.S."

JoJo was humbled when the military base awarded the band with plaques as a thank you for their performance.

"It's hanging above my TV," he said. " It was really cool the way they thanked us for what we do."

Being on tour means the brothers get to spend a lot of time with each other, which has been nice for them, JoJo said.

"We're able to learn more about each other everyday," he said. "We've grown into men. We're definitely different people, but we're not that different when it comes to what we believe in. That's why we've succeeded in the way that we have. Familia's familia. Nobody watches your back like your brother."

[lovemusic]

Your Concert Scouting Report
By Jim Dyar August 27, 2009
http://anewscafe.com/2009/08/27/your-concert-scouting-report/

Los Lonely Boys on Sept. 16 (tickets are $39-$49). You know what you’re getting here, right? Big guitar playing, Tex-Mex blues, great harmonies. (Check out the band’s website. Kind of cool desert theme.)

[lovemusic]

I just came across something interesting: a blog post actually talking about the Boys' very first album (SofaKing). I didn't realize anybody knew about it but us--the die-hards.

http://wholecrate.blogspot.com/2009/08/los-lonely-boys-1st-album-demos.html

[RosieJeanne]

I just got this Google Alert. This was in the Victoria Advocate. Thanks and Congrats to Ellen & Velvet for making the paper! Good one!

PS- Ellen, I'm dying to see that LLB bandana top!!!

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e215/jbousq1017/n_jc_los_lonely_boys_08300_63963_t6.jpg




Ellen Johansen, of San Jose, Calif., had never heard of Victoria until she found out about Los Lonely Boys were performing here.


Johansen, a member of a Los Lonely Boys fan club called La Onda, flew down over the weekend just to attend the concert.

"I must admit I never really knew where (Victoria) was," said Johansen, who wore a tank top of two bandanas sewn in front and back that said 'Los Lonely Boys' on it. "But really, the focus was to come see the Boys tonight before they go off (to Iraq and Kuwait). They're good family boys. Their heart's in the right place."

The Boys came as part of a benefit fundraiser concert and cook-off for the Girl Scouts of Greater South Texas.

The later the night wore on, the more fans trickled in to attend the concert. At least eight other bands performed prior to the headlining band.

Fans brought their lawn chairs and set them up in the grass facing the stage.

Relaxing among the crowd was John and Barbara Hanning, of Telferner, who were celebrating their 40th wedding anniversary.

"This is a great anniversary present," said Barbara, 61. "I love the Lonlies. You can understand the words. It's rock, but we're of that generation. We appreciate good music, not just loud music. It's really neat to be here."

Then, by the end of the night, the Boys prepared to go on stage. La Onda fan club passed around packets of homemade Los Lonely Boys merchandise, such as keychains, pins and M&M's with band members' faces printed on them.

But the most important item in the packet was a small, white tea light.

About 200 of them had been passed around.

As the band performed "Heaven," the fans with the tea lights flicked them on, and waved them side to side.

"We wanted it to be our send-off to the Boys for them going to entertain the troops in Kuwait," said Jeanette Quintanilla, a La Onda fan club member of Houston.

Performing for the troops in Iraq, or for the benefits, like that for the Girl Scouts, shows the kind of heart the band has, Quintanilla said.

"The Boys have that kind of heart," Quintanilla said. "You read about the charities they're involved with. You hope that your own kids get that kind of spirit."

[Belle]

How cool is this article! And big PROPS to La Onda, Ellen and Jeanette. :cool:

[senoRita]

Awesome to read about LaOnda and this must have been a one-of-a-kind show! *dreaming about being there*

Thanks VS for collecting the warm wishes of LaOnda and the fans and presenting them to the band!

:cool::cool::cool:

[Amor]

Great Article - thank so much for sharing. I have to say I love the tea lights gesture. That is so cool.

[lovemusic]

Fantastic article. It sounds like this was a beautiful evening. I can't wait to hear more about it.

[cre8ivepoet]

Fantastic about the tea lights! A great article!

[LOVE THE BOYS]

Love the idea of tea lights. I have been to many concerts (around 18, I know, not as many as some) and I have seen how the crowd responds to Heaven. Their faces lights up, so many people sing and dance. It is a special song.
Best of luck to The Boys and be safe while ya are gone.

Love,
Bobbie

[bernadettemanza]

Great article! Congrats.

This was found in our hotel room at Binion's while in Las Vegas. Las Vegas Magazine dated 8-9-09. Article of the Boys playing at the Hard Rock.

Cover (Boys not pictured)
http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i269/bappletree/LVM-Article8-9-09_0001.jpg

Article
http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i269/bappletree/LVM-Article8-9-09_0002.jpg

[lovemusic]

Los Lonely Boys Look Back To 1969 For New Release
http://www.antimusic.com/news/09/sep/01Los_Lonely_Boys_Look_Back_To_1969_For_New_Releas e.shtml

PR) Los Lonely Boys (Henry, Ringo, and Jojo Garza) announce the upcoming release of 1969 (Lonely Tone/Playing in Traffic), an EP of covers that pays tribute to one of America's most musically hailed years.
Five years after crossing into the mainstream with the GRAMMY winning single "Heaven," the brothers take this opportunity to invoke the sound of a generation that walked the moon and transcended Woodstock. They lend praise to songs that provided a soundtrack for so many and inspired their own multi-platinum success. With their signature blend of Latin rhythms, searing guitar leads and impeccable harmonies, the band takes the opportunity to trace their musical lineage through the following tracks Carlos Santana's "Evil Ways," The Beatles' "She Came In Through the Bathroom Window," Tony Joe White's "Polk Salad Annie," and The Doors' "Roadhouse Blues."

Legendary engineer Andy Johns provides his signature, timeless sound to 1969. In addition to recording Blind Faith's "Well All Right" – also a featured track on the EP – Johns is well known for his work on Led Zeppelin II, III, IV and The Rolling Stones' Exile on Main St.

Close friend Carlos Santana once told the brothers "When you're up on that stage or when you record, you want to be the tool that shines light through to everybody."

Los Lonely Boys always took his message to heart and more so now than ever with their spirited renditions of these classic tracks that they hope will appeal to their current audiences as well as attract new ones that appreciate this generation of music.

"Peace, love and gracias to Carlos Santana, Eric Clapton, Steve Winwood, Buddy Holly, The Beatles, Tony Joe White, The Doors - some of the many musicians and songwriters that made 1969 a pathway for us to follow," offers Henry Garza on the upcoming project.

1969 also marks the first one via their new label home, the Austin-based Playing in Traffic Records http://playingintrafficrecords.com/ and their own imprint Lonely Tone Records.

The brothers have been on the road for nearly six straight years with few weeks off in between. This fall they're switching the format up a bit and setting out on their first-ever, acoustic tour fitly named "The Acoustic Brotherhood Tour" with supporters Alejandro Escovedo and Hacienda.

"This tour allows us to play the way we play in our backyards and really show the tradition of our Texican roots," Ringo says about the Brotherhood tour.

The brothers met fellow Texan Alejandro Escovedo during a tribute project for him called Por Vida: A Tribute to the Songs of Alejandro Escovedo in 2004 and have been musical comrades every since. San Antonio's Hacienda was an attractive addition after hearing about their work with Black Keys' Dan Auerbach and the excitement they were creating throughout their home state.

On the tour, Los Lonely Boys will play songs off of 1969, and their previous studio releases Forgiven (2008), Sacred (2006) and Los Lonely Boys (2004).

September/October Dates
September 2 -10 Iraq, Kuwait Tour for the Troops
September 11 Grand Junction, CO Rock Jam
September 12 Durango, CO Ft. Lewis College
September 15 Arcata, CA Van Duzer Theater
September 15 Redding, CA Cascade Theater
September 17 Lemoore, CA Tachi Palace Hotel & Casino
September 18 Murphys, CA Ironstone, Theater
September 19 Brooks, CA Cache Creek Casino
Sepetember 26 Lewisville, TX Western Day
October 3 Gretna, CA Gretna Festival

"The Acoustic Brotherhood Tour" dates
October 5-6 Alexandria VA Birchmere
October 7 Philadelphia, PA Keswick Theater
October 9 Long Branch, NJ Pollack Theater
October 10 Wayne, NJ Performing Arts Center
October 11 New York, NY Highline Ballroom
October 14 Manchester, NH Palace Theater
October 15 Caribou, ME Performing Arts Center
October 16 Portland, ME Merrill Auditorium
October 17 New Bedford, MA Zeiterion Theater
October 19 Princeton, NJ McCarter Theater
October 20 Easton, MD Avalon Theater
October 22 Bloomington, IN Buskirk Chumley
October 23 Chicago, IL Old Town School
October 24 Milwaukee, WI Northern Lights Theater
October 25 Mankato, MN Alltel Center

Click here to read today's full Day in Rock report
Preview and Purchase Los Lonely Boys CDs

Los Lonely Boys Tour Dates/Tickets

Los Lonely Boys MP3 Downloads

[lovemusic]

Los Lonely Boys head to Iraq
By Joe Gross | Tuesday, September 1, 2009, 11:28 AM
http://www.austin360.com/blogs/content/shared-gen/blogs/austin/music/entries/2009/09/01/los_lonely_boys_head_to_iraq.html


Los Lonely Boys left San Angelo on Monday morning for a long-planned trip to Iraq and Kuwait to entertain the troops. (The Boys have a cousin in the Marines who was wounded in Iraq.)


“I saw them Saturday and we said our goodbyes,” said Hector Garcia, LLB drummer Ringo Garza’s father-in-law. “I think they were a little timid but very excited.” The band plans to be there for five shows over 10 days; this is the trio’s first trip to Iraq. The band’s “1969” EP is due Oct. 13. (Los Lonely Boys’ next scheduled Austin show is a free in-store Nov. 6 at Waterloo Records.)

[lovemusic]

Los Lonely Boys

September 1, 2009
http://anewscafe.com/2009/09/01/los-lonely-boys/


Los Lonely Boys took the music world by storm in 2003 with the release of their multi-platinum Grammy-winning debut album which included the hit single, Heaven. Since that maiden effort, which was recorded at Willie Nelson’s Pedernales Studio with Nelson sitting in, the Texas trio has followed up with 2006’s Sacred and their latest recording, Forgiven.

If Los Lonely Boys sounds like a band that’s been together all their lives it’s because they have - the band is comprised of the three Garza brothers — Henry on guitar, Jojo on bass and Ringo on drums. Los Lonely Boys formed when the Garzas were in their teens — but with all the heights they’ve reached, they’ve never taken for granted what they view as blessings from above manifest in both their talents and the affection for them from millions of fans worldwide.

Powered by passion and true brotherly love, Los Lonely Boys returns to the Cascade to share its deeply personal and stunning fusion of electric blues, Texas roots and good old-fashioned rock’n'roll following their sold-out concert in 2007.

“Los Lonely Boys distinguish themselves by … tight blood-brother harmonies, a pinch of Latin spice, and an infectious enthusiasm … ” — Rolling Stone

[senoRita]

Los Lonely Travels

By Jim Dyar September 11, 2009

Los Lonely Boys are playing tonight in Grand Junction, Colo., at a festival called RockJam. I’m currently in Grand Junction, my hometown, and I’m longing to see that show. Los Lonely Boys goes on at 7 p.m. followed by Huey Lewis and the News (I’m actually curious about Huey as well, and have come to respect that band over the years).

Los Lonely Boys play tomorrow night in Durango, Colo., then on Wednesday at the Cascade Theatre in Redding.

Grand Junction, Durango and Redding. These are the three towns in which I’ve lived the majority of my life. I wonder if the Garza brothers are aware of this? I’m sure they’d be fascinated.

When Los Lonely Boys came to Redding two years ago, I remember how much time and care they put into a session with kids from the Plus One/YMCA mentoring program. Before the show that night at the Cascade, Henry Garza was so open and unassuming. He let me pick up one of his Strats and I marveled at how heavy his strings were, just like Stevie Ray Vaughan.

"It’s like working out, man. It makes you tough and strong," he said of playing with the heavy gauge strings.

Henry plays and even sometimes moves like Stevie Ray. But he brings his own unique texture to the conversation. He and his brothers Jojo and Ringo certainly sing, breath and perform their music as a single unit. This is some seriously high-powered Texican blues.

http://anewscafe.com/2009/09/11/los-lonely-travels/

[mamacitaRuth]

Nice blog, Rita! Thanks for finding it....

[lovemusic]

Great article. Thanks for posting.

[RosieJeanne]

I got this on Google alerts:


I thought this was worthy of posting here!! Jojo gave a bass away??? To WHO?


"Texican Frenzy
Food For Thought, A News Cafe - Redding,CA,USA

By Jim Dyar September 17, 2009

The Los Lonely Boys seem to relish in whipping a crowd into a rock ‘n’ roll frenzy. They achieved that Wednesday night at the Cascade Theatre in Redding, which is not an easy task. They drove their blues-rock onslaught so hard that the entire audience was on its feet by the end of the hour and 45-minute show.

The band’s bass player Jojo Garza pumped his fists in the air and stalked the stage, almost like a pro wrestler, as he fired up the crowd. At one point during the encore, he threw down his bass and it resonated with a huge bottom end “thud.” I was thinking, “wow, did he just break the thing?” But a few minutes later he had it in his hands again, and the replacement bass he’d briefly used, he gave to someone in the audience.

I got the impression that, even with as many shows as the Boys’ play, this was a pretty good night.

These three brothers — Henry (guitar), Ringo (drums) and Jojo — blast out a huge wall of sound that’s as tight as you could possibly imagine.

The group doesn’t have a huge catalog of songs, but the ones they do possess are effective vehicles for getting the point across. Henry Garza is a scorching rock guitarist in the vein of Stevie Ray or Jimi Hendrix, and his lightning licks were even more creative and progressive than the time I saw him two years ago. Jojo is equally matched as a virtuoso, soloing on bass and supporting the bottom end at the same time. Ringo has the intensity to match his brothers and is a wonderful harmony vocalist as well.

A special treat was watching Jojo reach his hands over onto Henry’s Statocaster and hearing the two guys play the instrument at the same time. They’ve obviously done it a bunch, but it’s still incredible how seamless it sounds, as if they were both still playing individual instruments.

The audience ate it all up. Personally, I nearly skipped the show, because I wasn’t in the space for a loud, aggressive concert. Loud in the Cascade can be a toxic combination.

But I was swept away by the sincerity of group. There’s some showmanship going on, but these brothers really do give the audience its money’s worth. They believe in the cause.

In addition to their own tunes, they played some killer covers, including the Beatles’ “She Came in Through the Bathroom Window,” and Chicago’s “I’m A Man.”

They’ve got a new five-song EP coming out in October called “1969.” For more information, visit the group’s website.

[Belle]

Rosie - great article! Thanks for snagging it for us! :cool:

[lovemusic]

Monday, September 21, 2009
Heaven by Los Lonely Boys

I'm sure if you love music, you will be familiar with a song, titled Heaven. I often listen this song many times when driving to work or driving home. It is sung by a rock band, named Los Lonely Boys.

First time I didn't know about their profiles at all, I just enjoyed their music very much. Yesterday when I went to church, the music members sang this song in the end of their performance. Wow, I would like to stand up and move my body to dance, but I just kept seating, clapped my hands and moved my head and shoulder. I love this song, especially the lyric, it is simple but gives us a deep thought: How far is heaven?

I tried to search their video and found out their profiles. Gosh, I was wrong! I thought they are one of the Americans rock band, NO, they are Mexican rock band. I was so impressed.

Below is their video I would like to share with you, guys!! ENJOY!!!
http://fidaabbott.blogspot.com/2009/09/heaven-by-los-lonely-boys.html

[M6L24M86]

Thanks for commenting over there and clarifying a bit Bela ;)

[lovemusic]

Here are the comments:

Bela 1:24 PM
Los Lonely Boys are comprised of the Garza brothers from San Angelo, Texas. They are Americans of Mexican decent. As a matter of fact, they just came back from Iraq where they were entertaining the troops. You can see video and pictures of the trip on their Fan Forum: www.loslonelyboys.com
If you like Heaven, you might also enjoy "Forgiven" from their latest CD entitled, FORGIVEN. Many of their songs on FORGIVEN and their second CD, SACRED, have religious connotations.

Fida Abbott 3:11 PM
Hi Bela, thanks for the info. I'll visit that link.

Have nice day

[F. Abbott]

Hi Bella, I am here. Thanks for giving a link of my post at this forum. It is surprised me.

Best Regards,
F, Abbott


Monday, September 21, 2009
Heaven by Los Lonely Boys

I'm sure if you love music, you will be familiar with a song, titled Heaven. I often listen this song many times when driving to work or driving home. It is sung by a rock band, named Los Lonely Boys.

First time I didn't know about their profiles at all, I just enjoyed their music very much. Yesterday when I went to church, the music members sang this song in the end of their performance. Wow, I would like to stand up and move my body to dance, but I just kept seating, clapped my hands and moved my head and shoulder. I love this song, especially the lyric, it is simple but gives us a deep thought: How far is heaven?

I tried to search their video and found out their profiles. Gosh, I was wrong! I thought they are one of the Americans rock band, NO, they are Mexican rock band. I was so impressed.

Below is their video I would like to share with you, guys!! ENJOY!!!
http://fidaabbott.blogspot.com/2009/09/heaven-by-los-lonely-boys.html

[Belle]

F. Abbott - welcome to LLB's fan forum. As you can see, we're very supportive of this band and their music. Hope you'll come back often.

Belle (not Bela) :D

[lovemusic]

Welcome, Frieda. I am delighted that you decided to check up on the Forum. We like to support anyone that likes our Boys. Please join us here again and be sure to check out the other two CDs.

Here is the link to the words for the CD FORGIVEN. http://crossroads.loslonelyboys.com/forums/showthread.php?t=7902
Check out the song "Forgiven".

Here is the link to SACRED:
http://crossroads.loslonelyboys.com/forums/showthread.php?t=7908

The songs from SACRED with religious connotations are:

Orale (my personal favorite)

and on the next page you have: My Loneliness and Home

[MelBAustria]

It's not exactly a press article, but do you guys know this page:

http://www.ilike.com/artist/Los+Lonely+Boys

and I did not know about this:
http://www.loslonelyboysmovie.com/index.php

I remember a Hector Galan page, but not this ....

Best wishes
Mel
:)

[jwintx]

Check it out, y'all~ very cool!


http://au.sys-con.com/node/1120211

[senoRita]

Check it out, y'all~ very cool!


http://au.sys-con.com/node/1120211

The winner is the Family Justice Center of Erie County.

FJC will be awarded $10,000 by the CTK Foundation Philanthropic Fund and will receive a song, based upon their selected poem and written by Los Lonely Boys.

I wonder if we will get to hear the song Los Lonely Boys writes with the poem they submitted?

:confused:

[lovemusic]

Thanks, Janene!

Here is the entire article:
The CTK Foundation Awards $10,000 Grant and Los Lonely Boys Song to Family Justice Center of Erie County
By: PR Newswire
Sep. 24, 2009 10:59 AM

AUSTIN, Texas, Sept. 24 /PRNewswire/ -- (www.ctkfoundation.org) -- The CTK Foundation Philanthropic Fund announces the recipient of the 2009 Heart and Soul Grant Award Program, the Family Justice Center of Erie County (FJC). FJC applied for the grant, along with over 700 other nonprofit organizations from across the U.S., by writing a poem that represented the "heart and soul" of their organization's mission.

FJC will be awarded $10,000 by the CTK Foundation Philanthropic Fund and will receive a song, based upon their selected poem and written by Los Lonely Boys. The idea behind this unique grant is that the selected organization receives a cash grant to help provide critical services and a professionally written and produced song to better educate the community about their mission. "We are thrilled and honored that the CTK Foundation chose our poem from the hundreds submitted across the country," said Linda Ray, Family Justice Center of Erie County Executive Director. "We try to think of creative ways of getting our message out, and, so, of course, we were attracted immediately to this wonderful opportunity."

The Family Justice Center offers centralized services for victims of domestic violence and their children in Erie County and Buffalo, New York. FJC has been operating independently since May 2006 and has since assisted thousands of clients in receiving forensic medical documentation, access to shelter, consultations with professionals and countless other services.

Three additional recipients of Heart and Soul grants include: San Luis Obispo Children's Museum, Workers Defense Project of Austin and Arrowhead United Way. These organizations will each receive a steel-stringed acoustic guitar, for use in fund raising auctions, donated by First Act, Inc. and autographed by the members of Los Lonely Boys.

The nonprofit beneficiaries of all 2009 Heart and Soul Grant Awards are invited to attend a gala in their honor on November 21 at the Austin Museum of Art in Austin, Texas. The event will feature the world-premiere of the song, performed by Los Lonely Boys, that was inspired by the award-winning poem.
A panel of nationally recognized musicians selected the 2009 Heart and Soul grant award recipients, based upon their review of submitted poems.

About the CTK Foundation

Texas-based CTK Foundation Philanthropic Fund is committed to the recognition and celebration of nonprofit service and seeks to promote the use of technology in addressing the root causes of societal issues. The CTK Foundation was founded by Community TechKnowledge, Inc., a leading technology company that provides software and services exclusively to over 6,000 nonprofits in the U.S. and the U.K.

[jwintx]

http://www.dodlive.mil/index.php/2009/10/pentagon-channel-meets-los-lonely-boys/

Nice article~


Pentagon Channel Meets Los Lonely Boys
By Staff Sgt. Josh Hauser

Last night I got a chance to meet up with and interview a band that says they’re all about family. They certainly lived up to that, and more, by making us feel like family.

Los Lonely Boys is made up of the three Garza brothers from San Angelo, Texas: Henry, Jojo and Ringo, but the crew and I felt like we were pulled into the fold as soon as these guys showed up. A sincere smile, a handshake and about 15 minutes of joking around and sharing stories is what this interview was.

A lot of reviews you see about the band will make mention of how important their being related is to meshing together such great music. Well, when you get a chance to talk to them, it makes much more sense. They’re three brothers who get to do what they love together.


MC2 Andrew Holloway and Staff Sgt. Josh Hauser of the Pentagon Channel met Los Lonely Boys Oct. 6, 2009.
They recently returned from a 10-day Morale, Welfare and Recreation tour in Kuwait and Iraq, where they got a chance to share their self-proclaimed “Texican Rock n’ Roll” style of music with our troops. However, they say what they got out of the trip was more important - a glimpse into the lives of deployed troops.

They told us about some of the personal stories our folks over there shared with them and the effect that had on them. Ringo said he even started choking up when somebody told him about their family back home.

“We’re all about family,” Ringo said, “and that hit me pretty hard.”

But even the physical fact of being in that part of the world was an eye opener for the guys.

“It’s tough out there,” Jojo told us. “Ringo and I lost our voice for awhile just from breathing in that dust and sand.”

All in all, it was great to hear an outsider’s opinion on what seems like a routine life for those of us in the military, who are, or, have deployed. And a heartfelt, “Thank you,” from a group of guys who so obviously meant it goes a long way.

“It make us so much more appreciative for what we do have here in the United States,” Henry said.

By iangraham – October 7, 2009

~ Janene ~

[Belle]

Thanks, Scoop. I really enjoyed this article, especially because of its unique military slant.

[mamacitaRuth]

VERY nice, Janene! Thanks for finding it.....

[senoRita]

That's a nice article which shows the loving, sensitive side of our boys Henry, Jojo, and Ringo. :)

[lovemusic]

Great article. Thanks, Janene!

[lovemusic]

Los Lonely Boys at WPU
Friday, October 9, 2009
Clifton Journal
http://www.northjersey.com/arts_entertainment/63825737.html

WAYNE — Los Lonely Boys, the Texas trio with the number one global hit "Heaven," will join forces with guitar legend Alejandro Escovedo and special guest Hacienda for an all-acoustic performance at William Paterson University’s Shea Center for Performing Arts on Saturday, Oct. 10, at 7:30 p.m.

Los Lonely Boys (brothers Henry, Ringo, and Jojo Garza) hail from San Angelo, Texas. The group plays what they call "Texican rock," combining elements of rock, blues, soul, country and Tejano. Their hit single "Heaven'' won a Grammy Award for Best Pop Performance by a duo or group. Their other singles, "More Than Love'' and "Onda'' were also nominated for Grammy awards. Their latest album, "Forgiven," was released in 2008.

The group’s upcoming release, "1969," is a collection of cover songs that pays tribute to one of America’s most musically hailed years.

The brothers met fellow Texan Alejandro Escovedo during a tribute project for him called Por Vida: A Tribute to the Songs of Alejandro Escovedo in 2004 and have been musical comrades.

After collapsing on stage in 2003, Escovedo learned he had hepatitis C. Like many musicians, he did not have health insurance but the musical community banded together, playing concerts and putting out a tribute album to help defray medical costs. His latest solo album, "Real Animal," is a collective journey through Escovedo’s musical incarnations from punk rock to string quintets.

Tickets to the show are $45 for Gold Circle seating; $40 for orchestra/loge; and $30 for back loge. For ticket information, call 973-720-2371 or order online at www.wplive.org.

[senoRita]

Has anyone heard the song LLB wrote for their beloved Dallas Cowboys???

I know they performed it at a MNF half-time show.


Los Lonely Boys - 1969

Los Lonely Boys are back in stores with a new EP covering classic rock songs from the year 1969. Entitled 1969, the EP includes covers of The Doors, Buddy Holly, and Santana and was released in October 2009 on the band’s own label, Lonely Tone/Playing in Traffic, based out of Austin, TX.

In a recent review, the Washington Times stated, “Although rooted in the Tejano tradition, the brothers also embraced the raw sounds of rock 'n' roll, and their debut album earned comparisons to Los Lobos and Stevie Ray Vaughan. The band's newest recording, 1969, strengthens such rock 'n' roll connections by paying tribute to one of rock's biggest years.”

The band recently concluded the first leg of a headlining tour in support of 1969. The Acoustic Brotherhood Tour began October 5th and featured special guests Alejandro Escovedo and Hacienda. The Washington Post called Los Lonely Boys’ show “a jovial 105-minute set that left no question as to their musicianship, their showmanship, or their filial fellowship.”

In addition to releasing 1969, Los Lonely Boys have also shown their Texas pride in writing a theme song for the Dallas Cowboys. Lifelong fans, the band was excited to write a song about their beloved football team that will be used across all marketing channels for the team.

Ringo Garza (drums, vocals) explains the band’s feelings behind the decision to write the song, “We bleed blue and gray, man. Fans since we were born. We wanted to do our part and write a good song so [the Cowboys] could get pumped up and win games, win Superbowls! We wanted it to be upbeat and anthemic. We asked our friend Kush to come over and work on it. He's a young rapper and added a fresh young sound to it. Jojo [Garza (bass guitar, vocals)] worked on the music and we laid it down.”

The Acoustic Brotherhood tour picks up again in February 2010. The band will be on the road well into the Spring, touring in anticipation of their next full-length studio album.

http://musicremedy.com/l/los-lonely-boys/album/1969-7677.html

[senoRita]

I spoke too soon. There's a link to the song at this site...

http://skopemag.com/2009/11/24/los-lonely-boys%E2%80%99-recreate-the-dallas-cowboys-theme-song

[lovemusic]

We can finally listen to the song written for the non-profit group that won the CTK Foundation Grant. I love it. It really is a beautiful song. there is a link to it in the article.

Poem becomes song of hope for victims of domestic violence
Local woman's lyrics are showcased in Los Lonely Boys tune
By Sandra Tan
News Staff Reporter
http://www.buffalonews.com/home/story/876072.html?imw=Y

Updated: November 30, 2009, 8:13 AM / 2 comments
When a local nonprofit group partners with a Grammy award-winning rock band from Texas, they make beautiful music together.

Tuesday will mark the local premiere of the song "Solid Ground," by Los Lonely Boys, the Tex-Mex rock group that climbed the popular music charts with its guitar and vocals single, "Heaven" in 2004.

The group's latest song, "Solid Ground," is a tribute to the Family Justice Center of Erie County, an organization that provides services for victims of domestic violence.

A song of hope, the lyrics to the soulful but upbeat tune were chosen from among roughly 750 contest entries.

My spirit is unbroken, though my body bears a scar.

Sometimes, I swear I doubted I would ever get this far.

The poem was one the band could identify with, said Jim Tulio, who manages Los Lonely Boys and served as one of the contest judges.

"The sentiment of it, I think, their music and their lyrics have a very similar vibe in terms of hope," he said. "And I think they feel the same things. They've been through a lot of hardships in their lives. I think they can really relate to this."

The song's local unveiling will take place Tuesday in front of some donors and other friends of the Family Justice Center at the American Red Cross headquarters on Delaware Avenue.

The center's involvement is the end result of the 2009 Heart and Soul Grant Award Program, developed by the Texas-based CTK Foundation. The foundation sent out a nationwide call for entries to nonprofit agencies, asking them to send in a four-to-eight line poem about the mission of their organization.

The winner would have their song produced by Los Lonely Boys and be accompanied by a $10,000 grant. Of the hundreds of entries, one poem was chosen by a Grammy-award winning panel of judges.

Nancy Ghoston, a quality assurance coordinator for Planned Parenthood of Western New York, e-mailed the agency her poem after reading an e-mail soliciting poems from friends of the organization.

Ghoston, who hasn't written much poetry since high school, said she was inspired to write this one because of family and friends she cared about who never had a place like the Family Justice Center to turn to when they were victims of abuse.

The Kenmore woman went on a tour of the center at 237 Main St. earlier in the year and was astonished at how warm and welcoming the facility is, she said.

A huge mural lines the entry hall and inside, the secure center projects a comfortable, home-like environment, complete with four cozy "living rooms" where victims and their families can meet with law enforcement and social services personnel and other victim advocates. There's even a space for children, filled with toys and books, rivaling any day care center.

On the double doors leading into the main area, beneath the name of the agency, reads a single sentence: "You're safe here."

"What it would be like to walk through those doors and be greeted in that way, and just feel like it was a very safe place to be," said Ghoston, who dwelled on the thought when she wrote her poem. "So many social services agencies are poorly funded, they're on a shoe string, and they're kind of depressing no matter how kind the staff is. I was just astounded, I really was."

While Ghoston declined to fly to Texas for the premiere of the song on Saturday at the Austin Museum of Art, Linda Ray, executive director of the Family Justice Center, did go with another agency volunteer.

When Ray first heard Los Lonely Boys play the song at the live event, she cried.

"The words are so sweet," she said. "When I was listening to it, I could picture the women in our waiting room."

The song will be played at every Family Justice Center event and shared with the roughly 50 Family Justice Centers that now exist coast to coast, Ray said. The $10,000 will go toward helping to market the agency, which has very few dollars to spend on such priorities, she said.

Los Lonely Boys had originally created the song as a do-good effort, with no plans to launch it as a single. However, Ray said, the band ended up liking the song so much that the three brothers are considering marketing the song nationwide.

One of the band members, Henry Garza, said the song was "a way to express our music through someone else's feelings and show what song and music is about, somebody's tragic life experience put down on paper. It's a beautiful thing to be part of that. And for us to be a part of that and to bring this woman's poem to life with the song, it's just an honor."

[mmmbopnmommy]

it's a really Great Song!! Wow!! Jojo's voice is terriffic for this song!! They did it PROUD!!

Way to go LLB! :D

Think it'll be released soon??? I'd love to have it on my iPod! LOL

[lovemusic]

This is a very beautiful song. It sounds like the Boys are considering releasing it. Be sure to watch the video of the Boys recording the song as well some interviews. They are all on this web site:
http://www.buffalonews.com/home/story/876072.html?imw=Y


Here is an article from The Family Justice's web site:

WNY Premier of Los Lonely Boys’ FJC Theme SongPosted on: Thursday, November 19, 2009
http://www.fjcsafe.org/fullstory.php?newsid=38

The Family Justice Center of Erie County (FJC) rolled out the red carpet for the Western New York premier of Los Lonely Boys’ “Solid Ground,” a new song written about the FJC. The premier playing of this new recording was be held Tuesday, December 1, 2009, 5:30 – 7:00 p.m. at the American Red Cross building, 786 Delaware Avenue, Buffalo. The evening featured and honored Nancy Ghoston of Kenmore who wrote the lyrics to the song, which Los Lonely Boys plans to market nation-wide.

The Grammy-winning group Los Lonely Boys wrote the song about the Family Justice Center after the FJC was chosen as winner of the Austin, Texas-based CTK Foundation’s 2009 Heart and Soul Grant Award Program. The FJC applied for the grant in August, along with 750 other not-for-profit organizations from across the country, by writing a poem that represents the “heart and soul” of the FJC’s mission.

The FJC received a $10,000 grant from the CTK Foundation Philanthropic Fund and received the Los Lonely Boys’ song utilizing the selected poem. The idea behind this unique grant is that the FJC receives a cash award to help provide critical services and a professionally written and produced song to better educate the community about its mission. CTK Foundation CEO Kathryn Engelhardt-Cronk will make the trip from Austin to Buffalo to celebrate the song’s Western New York premier.

"We are thrilled and honored that the CTK Foundation chose our poem from the hundreds submitted across the country," said Linda Ray, Family Justice Center executive director. "We try to think of creative ways of getting our message out, and, so, of course, we were attracted immediately to CTK's wonderful opportunity. Our poet, Nancy Ghoston, did an amazing job of capturing our mission of hope and healing. Combining her words with the music of Los Lonely Boys will help us reach more victims of domestic violence and spread our message through song. Thank you CTK Foundation, Los Lonely Boys and Nancy Ghoston."

Ghoston is quality assurance/risk management coordinator at Planned Parenthood of Western New York. She emailed the FJC her poem last July after the FJC issued a call for poets to help with this grant. The FJC submitted Ghoston’s poem for the Heart and Soul Grant Award after reviewing several excellent entries it received.

“I love reading poetry but I have absolutely no background writing it beyond high school,” said Ghoston. “That’s why I was so flabbergasted at your call! My words were inspired by close friends who managed to escape long term abusive relationships. When I toured the Family Justice Center, I kept thinking how wonderful it would have been to have such a place when my friends so desperately needed it. I am so happy that I was able to convey the spirit of the FJC, humbled that my poem was selected, and truly honored to help support the vital services the FJC provides to our community.”

Representatives of the FJC were be on hand at a gala in the FJC’s honor on November 21, 2009 at the Austin Museum of Art in Austin, Texas. The event features the world-premier of the song, performed by Los Lonely Boys, that was inspired by the award-winning poem.

About the CTK Foundation

Texas-based CTK Foundation Philanthropic Fund is committed to the recognition and celebration of nonprofit service and seeks to promote the use of technology in addressing the root causes of societal issues. The CTK Foundation was founded by Community TechKnowledge, Inc., a leading technology company that provides software and services exclusively to over 6,000 nonprofits in the U.S. and the U.K.

About the Family Justice Center

The Family Justice Center of Erie County, Inc. provides one-stop, free, wrap-around services to victims of domestic violence and their children. The Center is a collaboration of 11 on-site partners, including the Buffalo Police Department, Erie County District Attorney’s Office, Neighborhood Legal Services, Crisis Services, Haven House, Erie County Department of Probation, Hispanics United of Buffalo, International Institute of Buffalo, Child Advocacy Center and the University at Buffalo Department of Family Medicine.

[lovemusic]

Los Lonely Boys / Alejandro Escovedo / Carrie Rodriguez
http://www.kink.fm/Los-Lonely-Boys---Alejandro-Escovedo---Carrie-Rodr/5740404

Los Lonely Boys: The essence of Forgiven, the gripping third album by Texas trio Los Lonely Boys? "Familia! That's what I think it represents. Three brothers. True American spirit - or Texican spirit."

It's as simple as that, says guitarist Henry Garza of the artistic and emotional breakthrough achieved by him and his siblings, bass player Jojo and drummer Ringo Jr. From the bluesy groove of the opening song "Heart Won't Tell a Lie" through the yearning plea of the title song, the heartfelt faith of "Love Don't Care About Me" and a rollicking version of the Steve Winwood/Spencer Davis Group chestnut "I'm a Man."

Los Lonely Boys has fully realized the potential shown as its first two studio albums, the multi-platinum 2003 debut Los Lonely Boys and 2006's Sacred (a No. 2 arrival on the Billboard albums chart), made the Texas trio one of the most beloved and acclaimed new arrivals in rock. Each of the three reaches new levels in their playing and singing, Henry and Jojo alternating lead duties and all three joining in both the group musical dynamics and vocal harmonies that can only come with genetic bonds. And there are some new turns as well, including Ringo's recording debut as a lead singer on the song "Superman." Powered by passion and true brotherly love, Forgiven is in every note a rock 'n' roll classic.

But getting it in the grooves is not a simple matter at all. And that's where producer Steve Jordan (John Mayer's Continuum, Herbie Hancock, the music for the upcoming movie Cadillac Records) came in. The plan: Forget the conventional recording studio. Book a soundstage, have the band play. A quick three weeks of sessions, and that's it! Jordan assembled an ace team of sound artists, headed by renowned engineer Niko Bolas (producer of various Neil Young albums, engineer for Melissa Etheridge, James Taylor, Billy Joel and many others). Together they designed a series of set-ups specifically built to get the most out of the Boys.

"When I saw the room and the whole set-up I was really excited," Jojo says. " It was kind of like scientists, a whole new experiment. The vibes we got playing the songs were so much more live, able to be more in tune with each other rather than focusing on other things. It came down to having a good time and being able to play without playing, kind of like the theory of Bruce Lee and martial arts - playing without playing, thinking without thinking, knowing without knowing, being fluid like water." Certainly it's no surprise to anyone who embraced the band's initial, global hit "Heaven," which hit No. 1 on the Billboard adult contemporary chart and earned a Grammy Award for best pop performance with vocal, or who has seen the group tear up concert stages around the world.

Forgiven is what Los Lonely Boys has been building toward, the fulfillment of the belief and support of not just millions of fans, but such notable mentors as Willie Nelson, Carlos Santana (joining him on tour, as well as writing and playing with him on "I Don't Want to Lose Your Love" on his 2005 album All That Am) and Los Lobos (with whom they'll team for the 2008 edition of the Boys' Brotherhood Tour). And it builds on the expanding breadth and range shown on such spotlights as their searing version of "Whatever Gets You Through the Night" for the 2006 John Lennon tribute album Instant Karma: The Amnesty International Campaign to Save Darfur. "They're for real - the Brothers Garza are for real," Jordan exclaims. "When they play they only play what they really believe in. Nothing's ever contrived. And they have the support system to help them get where they're going. They love making music, really love to do it, and are only getting better." For Jordan, the course of action was clear.

"Obviously from 'Heaven' we knew what great songwriters they are and what kind of sound the group has," says Jordan, who in addition to his status as an in-demand producer is an elite drummer (Stevie Wonder, Eric Clapton, Keith Richards, Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan and too many others to mention). "They sing wonderfully together, three brothers with this chemistry. I went to see them live at the Fillmore last year and it was a great show. They play all-out live. So I thought the best way to capture them, where I would be satisfied and to instill some fun in the process was to capture that live energy and the groove of them playing." And Jordan stepped right in with the same passion.

"He had ways to keep the flow going, capture the mood," Jojo says. "He'd be there with us, standing there and jamming with this percussion thing he made, like a microphone shaker thing. And he'd play football with us and everything! When we got together with him he was one of the guys. His last name when he was with us wasn't Jordan. He was Steve Garza!" It wouldn't have mattered who he was, though, if Los Lonely Boys couldn't deliver. And in this batch of songs they've established their own distinctive voices as writers and performers, while staying connected to the solid grounding of their musical roots. Though reluctant to single out any one song as the keystone, the brothers all say it's no accident which one provided the collection's title.

"They were all so magical, but for me the one that is the foundation is the name of the album, 'Forgiven,' " says Henry. "When we played that song, for me in my heart and I hope my brothers too, I got that vibe that we knew what this was all about again, what we're all about. It's an actual prayer that's turned into a song, purposefully made that way. For me it was just that whole experience. Felt like a cleansing." Typically, the Garzas each speak of their achievements in terms of the others' contributions.

"Whenever my brothers would come and show me melodies they were coming up with, they were amazing," says Ringo. "We've been playing a long time, but they still amaze me with things that are in their souls and hearts and minds. There's one song, 'Love Don't Care About Me,' that Jojo wrote. That song is something else! I can literally see my brother's heart, where he's coming from. It makes me cry. It's crazy about how they can create a song and it's what I feel, when I pray or am talking to myself." Of "Staying With Me," the album's first single, Henry says, "I went to Jojo's house and he showed me this song. I got goose bumps. My brother had created something right from the soul." For Henry and Jojo, the proudest moment on the album may be "Superman," Ringo's lead singing debut. "Ringo's gonna be heard now!" Henry says.

"It's a song I wanted to write for my wife," Ringo explains. "And Henry suggested the Superman theme, and I took if from there. I never sang lead vocals before. I enjoy singing with my brothers. They would always ask me if I wanted to sing lead, but I just wasn't ready. Third album, I guess."Another very brotherly instance came with the roaring version of "I'm a Man" - this time with "brother" Steve Jordan fully in the fold. "That was one of those moments - it was just 'Holy crap, man!' " says Henry. "We were jamming on something we had been working on and all of a sudden I started singing 'I'm a Man.' I was just joking around. And Steve was there freaking out." Explains Jordan, "It was one song I always thought they could do that was really cool. But I was going to take my time approaching them with it - they're songwriters, and you don't want to go in pitching a tune when they haven't finished their own yet. But one day we're setting up, and Henry started playing if and I said, 'I can't believe you're playing this tune!' Henry said, 'My dad used to play this for us.' So it was incredible."

That the song came to them via their father ties everything together for Los Lonely Boys. While they cite a wide range of influences, from Buddy Guy and Texas icon Stevie Ray Vaughan to mentors Santana and Nelson to the Beatles (listen to "Make It Better" for a taste of how they blend the Fab Four into Texas blues), the biggest influence on them will always be Enrique "Ringo" Garza Sr., who had his own group, the Falcones, with his brothers playing the Texas conjunto circuit in the '70s and '80s. His sons' first public performances, in fact, came singing backup with their father as children. "Our father is our big inspiration, of course," says Ringo. "We had a picture of him taped up through the whole recording process. I just kept staring at it, thinking what kind of sounds he'd hear. I do all this to impress my father and my brothers."

Los Lonely Boys formed when the Garzas were in their teens, moving briefly from their home in San Angelo, Texas, to Nashville. After returning to their home state, the trio recorded its first album at Willie Nelson's Pedernales Studio, the redhead making a guest appearance (as well as on the follow-up album, on which Ringo Sr. also guested with a featured vocal). But with all the heights they've reached, they've never taken for granted what they view as blessings from above manifest in both their talents and the affection for them from millions of fans.

"We want to let everybody know that we've worked the hardest, really trying to please each other and the fans," says Ringo. "We thank the good Lord that we're able to. Out of all the success we've had, it's still amazing to hear fans sing the words to the songs we've written with our hearts. We write them and think probably nobody will like this. But we play them and people sing them back to us! Amazing! It's pretty crazy and we appreciate it so much. If I could give a hug to every crowd member, it wouldn't be enough." He pauses to consider the journey." We came from a town with nothing. Came from nothing but love - and brotherhood. Familia. That's what drove us."

[senoRita]

California Chronicle
Friday, January 01, 2010 5:25:15 PM

By Linda East Brady, Standard-Examiner, Ogden, Utah
Jan. 1--With the arrival of 2010, lists of the decade's best-this and best-that are bound to arise.

We are no different, challenging ourselves to look back and remember the albums that not only have instant appeal, but also real staying power as the decade wore on.

So many good bands came to be or came into their own in the past 10 years. What criteria do you use? Big seller doesn't always add up to timeless tune, though sometimes that is exactly the case.

In the end, you have to go with those albums that stay with you, that you play over and over again, that you find new things in with nearly every listen.

Below are 10 albums that made my decade rock.

...

10. Los Lonely Boys, "Los Lonely Boys" -- Henry, Jojo and Ringo Garza, brothers from San Angelo, Texas, burst onto the scene mid-decade with a debut capturing one of the best power trios to come along in years. Not only could they play and sing, they could also write a fair pop tune, raised as they were by a musical father.

After a false start in Nashville, the brothers, still in their early 20s when this album arrived, recorded a biglabel debut in Willie Nelson's Pedernales Studio.

The boys, who are devout Catholics and family men, often write about the struggles of staying on the righteous path in the world today. Their No. 1 single with a spiritual bent, "Heaven," swings sweet and showcases the brothers' harmonies. "Onda," clocking in at nearly nine minutes of serious jamming, is an unabashed tribute to Carlos Santana that puts Henry Garza's chops on best display. Elements of Texas blues from Albert Collins to Stevie Ray and Jimmie Vaughan can also be heard in these young Texans' sound.

http://www.californiachronicle.com/articles/yb/139506267

[lovemusic]

Large Land Mammal
Never build a campfire in your lap...

Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Moments of the Aughts...
http://www.largelandmammal.com/2009/12/moments-of-aughts.html

I'm not paid nearly enough to attempt to encapsulate "the best" of the music of the decade now passed (depending on when you read this), so instead I'll focus on the songs and the situations that meant something to me. In absolutely no particular order (other than maybe the playlist to your right might make for good sequential listening...), I give you my Moments of the Aughts.

"Heaven" by Los Lonely Boys
I remember having lunch with the Garza brothers at La Hacienda on Nolensville road sometime in 1998. They were all in their teens (in Ringo's case, just barely), and their dad had moved them from San Angelo, Texas to Nashville, in hopes of them becoming country stars. That didn't pan out, but as they grew into their own as musicians and fully embraced their rock side, a powerful power trio emerged. It was really cool to watch their career take off back in '03 via this song.

[letsgetlonelyin]

""Onda," clocking in at nearly nine minutes of serious jamming,"

This Lady need to go to a live show and get the real 35-40 minute version of ONDA.:D

[mamacitaRuth]

""Onda," clocking in at nearly nine minutes of serious jamming,"

This Lady need to go to a live show and get the real 35-40 minute version of ONDA.:D

LOL! AMEN to that, Amy.....;)

[La Sonrisa]

http://www.standard.net/topics/features/2009/12/30/sounds-decade

Thanks for sharing that article Rita....(didn't you live there at one time?) The writer Linda East Brady (an LLB Fan herself) has been very supportive of giving Los Lonely Boys air-play here in Utah on her local radio shows. She has filled my requests for their songs many times over the years. I finally got to meet her at a Salt Lake City LLB show in 2008. Very interesting lady...here's what she has to say about herself on Facebook-

"I am the music feature writer for the Standard-Examiner. My music journalism has appeared in many national publications and Web sites, including www.Americanaroots.com and "BlueSuede News."

I am also a novelist, with one published novel, "Lone Star Ice & Fire," (2004 Coral Press), as well as a forthcoming second novel from the same press, "The Pedigree Blues," expected in 2011. My short fiction has appeared in the literary magazine, "Mid-South Review."

I am the host of Sunday Sagebrush Serenade, an Americana program on KRCL 90.9 FM in Salt Lake City (www.krcl.org). I also do a short audio feature for the station, The Beat Beat, airing every Tuesday at8 a.m. and 1 p.m. It's about all things musical."

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?ref=name&id=680328063#/lebrady1?ref=mf

[senoRita]

Yes, I lived in Ogden, Utah back in that good old year, 1969!

It was a great year for music, tambien.:D

[La Sonrisa]

Yes, I lived in Ogden, Utah back in that good old year, 1969!

It was a great year for music, tambien.:D

Heck yeah, I was a freshman in high school... I always had the radio or records playing.

[mmmbopnmommy]

""Onda," clocking in at nearly nine minutes of serious jamming,"

This Lady need to go to a live show and get the real 35-40 minute version of ONDA.:D

Add a "HELL YEAH" to that as well!!!! lol:cool:

[La Sonrisa]

:confused: One would think Linda would get kudos for choosing and supporting LLB...not everyone gets to hear a full dose of Onda. Her article was about their actual album, not a concert performance.

[lovemusic]

Not a bad review even though he only gave them a 3 out of 5.

Los Lonely Boys - 19697
Jan 2010
Los Lonely Boys
1969 EP
3 out of 5 stars
Reviewed for Coffeerooms by Mike Jefferson
http://www.coffeerooms.com/onmusic/2010/01/los-lonely-boys.html


For those of you who continue to think I only give the thumbs up to "classic" rock artists instead of the young turks, this five song EP by Los Lonely Boys offers the best of both worlds - old school tunes done by a trio of musicians whose first album is still recent history.

Los Lonely Boys is comprised of the three Garza Brothers: Henry (guitar, vocals), Jo Jo (bass, vocals) and Ringo (drums, vocals, and yep, that's his name). The trio gigged in Nashville, creating their trademark "Texican Style" - a mixture of rock, blues, R & B and Tejano music. Their first single from their debut, "Heaven," was a catchy combination of lyrical Los Lobos-like licks and memorable hooks. "Heaven" garnered a Grammy in 2005 for Best Performance by a duo or group. The brothers didn't sit on their culos, producing two follow up discs, 2006's "Sacred" and 2008's "Forgiven," in rapid succession.

Having the luxury of their own label and the freedom to record what and when they want, the brothers Garza have released "1969," a tribute to their roots. True, the songs the Boys sing were all popular in 1969 - one was even written way back in 1958 - but the crisp production, coupled with their enthusiasm and "Texican Style" delivery will appeal to rockers of all ages.

Santana's first hit "Evil Ways," is recreated in low gear. It gets its Latin injection by way of the Pecos instead of L.A., but give the Boys credit for pulling it off with Henry's sizzling string bending subbing for the authoritative organ solo by Greg Rolie that embellished the original.

"Well All Right" was originally co-written by Buddy Holly in 1958, but was popularized in '69 by Blind Faith, one of the first "super groups" that featured Steve Winwood and Eric Clapton. The Boys' version is an off shoot of Blind Faith's loosey-goosey adaptation. The Garza Brothers' take lopes along at a smooth cha-cha clip assisted by Carmelo Torres on percussion, but dare I say it? Henry's wah-wah soloing is more interesting than Clapton's rave at the end of Blind Faith's version. Henry and Jo Jo's vocals are faithful to the Winwood/Clapton harmony work and Ringo pounds the drums with foot-tapping authority.

The brothers' remake of "She Came in Through the Bathroom Window" is no match for the Beatles flippant version or Joe Cocker's throaty dissertation, but it won't make you want to jump through a window either. The Boys' version is grittier, flowing with inner city soul. Vocally, Henry is a dead ringer for Cesar Rosas of Los Lobos, and I'm all for it, because Cesar's got one of those classic dirty baritones that's perfect for rock. Viva to Henry's wah-wah wildness; it helps shape the remake's funky feel, and Ringo one ups his Beatle namesake with a blitz of pervasive percussion.

I hold Tony Joe White's songs in a sacred place in my heart, so I held my breath when I noticed the Boys had taken on T.J.'s "Polk Salad Annie." I've heard a number of credible versions of Tony Joe's best known number, including an incendiary, jump suit-jerking version by Elvis. The King's Memphis' soulful version satisfied because he took the time to get to know Tony Joe and to get a feel for his music. The Boys' version is snakey, with a laid back beat that percolates, but also has plenty of Longhorn spice. It doesn't re-write history, but it's danceable and doesn't throw dirt on Tony Joe's reputation.

The same laid-back treatment sticks The Doors "Roadhouse Blues" in enough Rio Grande mud to make it monotonous. The Garza's substitute Ray Manzarek's honky tonk piano with Henry's wah-wah wonderful guitar licks, but there's no replacement for John Sebastian's bluesy harp which, coupled with the shuffling pace, leaves a hole in the arrangement. It's a nice try; "Roadhouse" is even enjoyable when the Boys lock into a groove, but this one should have been a little more up-tempo.

I haven't been following the trail of Los Lonely Boys since their award-worthy debut, but judging by their respect for the "classics" I should, and perhaps you should too. Los Lonely Boys know how to party like its 1969. Bueno.

[mmmbopnmommy]

Well, its a good review......I don't agree w/ some of the things he said, and others i do totally! LOL
"I" thinnk RoadHous is AWESOME! And as for Polk Salad??? Well, It GETS to me...and thats something..since after hearing the original, I wondered WHY the Boys even did it! (sorry..I didn't like the orig. at all! LOL).....
But it WAS a good review...and Yes...He NEEDS to watch out more for the Boys! LOL

Thanks for sharing that Bela. I enjoyed it! ;)

[cotatigirl2]

I was around when the Doors' version of "Road House Blues" was released, and I thought it was boring, too. I much prefer the Boys' version. So there.

[Belle]

I was messing around on Google and found this amazing blog from 2006.

http://www.joenickp.com/notes/pivot/entry.php?id=120

It's long, so get comfortable, but it's got a lot of great interview material with the Boys.

[lovemusic]

Wow, that is long but excellent. Thanks for posting it.

[lovemusic]

Los Lonely Boys Tour and Contest Honoring Local Heroes
http://stachemedia.wordpress.com/2010/02/08/los-lonely-boys-tour-and-contest-honoring-local-heroes/#comment-9


Los Lonely Boys’ Acoustic Brotherhood tour that began last summer and ran for the better part of 2009 picks up again this February, kicking off in Santa Fe on February 11, 2010. The band will be on the road well into the spring, touring in support of current EP 1969, and also in anticipation of their next full-length studio album. “This tour allows us to play the way we play in our backyards and really show the tradition of our Texican roots,” Ringo Garza says about the Brotherhood tour. Special guests on the tour include Alejandro Escovedo and Carrie Rodriguez.

In conjunction with the tour the band also wants to give back to their fans with the Los Lonely Boys Local Heroes Contest. The contest encourages fans to nominate “local heroes” – people who act above and beyond their normal call of duty to better their communities – who they believe deserve special recognition for the help they provide. Fans can submit a short description of why their local hero should win at the contest website (http://www.loslonelyboys.com/localhero), and winners will receive four tickets to a Los Lonely Boys show, one Limited Edition Commemorative Coin, and honors in a Coin Presentation Ceremony on stage at the show they attend. Winners will also be announced on the band’s Facebook page. The Local Heroes Contest will run concurrently with the Acoustic Brotherhood tour, with a winner in every city the tour hits. Deadline for entries is one week before each tour date and official contest close is February 24, 2010, at 5:00 p.m. EST.

About the prize:
The “challenge coin” has been a US military tradition since World War I to commend leadership, valor, and heart. In honor of their trip to Iraq and Afghanistan to entertain the troops, Los Lonely Boys created their own coins to honor the men and women serving our country at home and abroad.

About the tour:

The brothers met fellow Texan Alejandro Escovedo during a tribute project for him called Por Vida: A Tribute to the Songs of Alejandro Escovedo in 2004 and have been musical comrades ever since. The Boys decided to add a chica into the mix after they watched Carrie Rodriguez break out with 2006’s Seven Angels On A Bicycle, win the roots Music Association Award for Songwriter of the Year, and recently release her first live album, Live in Louisville.

Acoustic Brotherhood Tour Dates:

02/11/10 Santa Fe, NM @ Lensic Performing Arts Center

02/12/10 Mesa, AZ @ Mesa Arts Center
02/13/10 Solana Beach, CA @ Belly Up Tavern
02/14/10 Anaheim, CA @ Grove of Anaheim
02/16/10 Los Angeles, CA @ The Wiltern
02/18/10 Agoura Hills, CA @ The Canyon Theater
02/19/10 San Francisco, CA @ The Fillmore
02/20/10 Sparks, NV @ Celebrity Room at John Ascuaga’s Nugget Hotel
02/21/10 Eugene, OR @ McDonald Theatre
02/23/10 Portland, OR @ Aladdin Theater
02/24/10 Seattle, WA @ Moore Theatre
02/26/10 Grand Junction, CO @ Avalon Theatre
02/27/10 Avon, CO @ Vilar Center For the Arts
02/28/10 Aspen, CO @ Wheeler Opera House
03/01/10 Boulder, CO @ Boulder Theater
03/02/10 Colorado Springs, CO @ Pikes Peak Center for Performing Arts
03/04/10 Saint Charles, MO @ Ameristar Casino St. Charles

[lovemusic]

Making music is 'Heaven' for the three siblings in Los Lonely Boys
Band of brothers
By Bill Locey
Posted February 12, 2010 at 12:01 a.m.
http://www.vcstar.com/news/2010/feb/12/band-of-brothers-making-music-is-heaven-for-the/

http://media.vcstar.com/media/img/photos/2010/02/10/20100210-214508-pic-776578522_t607.jpg

We’re here today to answer those musical questions that nobody is really asking these days, like “What if Ritchie Valens were still alive?,” “What if he were triplets” and “What if he were triplets from Texas?”

The answers to all of those questions can be found in the music of Los Lonely Boys, three siblings out of Texas who are carrying on the legacy of the SoCal-born Valens, who famously melded Mexican music with rock ’n’ roll on such ’50s classics as “Donna” and “La Bamba” before dying in the 1959 plane crash that also claimed the lives of Buddy Holly and the Big Bopper.

Since they hail from the Lone Star State, Los Lonely Boys spice up their rock ’n’ roll with hearty Tex-Mex flavors. The Garza brothers — Henry on guitar, Jojo on bass and Ringo on drums — won a Grammy in 2005 for their hit, “Heaven.” That one will almost certainly be on the set list when the group performs Thursday at The Canyon in Agoura Hills. Alejandro Escovedo will open the show.

Getting connected with fellow Texan Willie Nelson jump-started the band’s upward spiral, which landed them a deal with Epic Records. The band’s most recent disc is the 4-month-old EP “1969,” featuring covers of songs released in that iconic year, like Santana’s “Evil Ways” and The Beatles’ “She Came in Through the Bathroom Window.”

Jojo Garza was on phoner detail this week and discussed the latest.



LOS LONELY BOYS

How’s the music biz treating you guys? Are you rich rock stars yet?

No, man. Just making it, you know?

Three brothers in the same band? Do you guys get along better than the Everly Brothers, Ray and Dave Davies of the Kinks, Noel and Liam Gallagher from Oasis and the Reid brothers from Jesus & Mary Chain?

Not all those other brothers are the Garza brothers. We’ve been doing it a long time together, and we plan to do this until God says it’s not going to happen anymore.

You guys are young. You’ve got a lot of songs left in you.

Hopefully, brother, hopefully.

It was a great year for music in 1969.

Awesome year for music, man. I’m only 29, so I only know so much about it, but what I know is that it was a really good time for music. It inspired things for a lot of years — even up to now.

How did you wonderful guys get started in all this and what was your big break?

Well, we’ve been doing it a long time with our dad. He showed us the ropes and we basically kept playing — playing over the years and years. It wasn’t until Willie Nelson’s nephew, Fletcher, heard us and really helped us out. We were able to get our music recorded and go play some shows with Willie and stuff. A lot of exposure came from those FarmAid things. From there, Epic heard about us and we got with them and the rest is, you know, history. Now, we’re hopefully making some new history.

How come there are so many good musicians from Texas?

I don’t know, brother, you tell me. I just know that there’s good music all over. Talking about Texas music, it goes way back, man. Maybe it’s the ground, the water, the air. I don’t know.

Would George Bush wear a Los Lonely Boys T-shirt?

I think he would. As far as I heard, he ran with it on his iPod. And I think Obama would probably wear a Los Lonely Boys T-shirt.

Who goes to a Los Lonely Boys show and what do they do when they get there?

There’s a lot of dancing, a lot of staring, a lot of clapping, a lot of screaming, a lot of singing — just a lot of beautiful people that are enjoying what we do.

What does the band sound like these days?

You’re going to get a live rock show, brother. That’s a lot of fun for the people in the crowd as well as the people on stage. We’re all communicating, connecting and talking. You know, jokes are happening here and there. It’s a good time all around.

Obviously, you get a lot of Latinos and Latinas at your shows. Do white and black people go as well?

It’s a multiracial thing, man. All kinds of races, brother.

The reason I ask that is that I teach in prison and the population there is about 90 percent Hispanic. They’re into hip-hop and rap and I’m not sure they’ve heard Los Lonely Boys.

You know, we got familia that’s in there and stuff and we know what that’s all about. Thank God we never had to go through any of that ourselves, but God bless everyone that’s in there for sure. Hopefully, they do get to hear a little bit of Los Lonely Boys at some point.

Did the Grammy change things for you guys?

To be honest with you, it was a great situation when it happened. Just hearing our name called out was unreal. I almost didn’t believe it. “Did they really say Los Lonely Boys?” Then someone said, “Get up! Get up!” and then Beyoncé was saying, “You guys deserve it.” It was a dream come true. If you win a Grammy, then you’ve been noticed — whether it happens once or twice or 10 times. Once is an honor and it was something that we worked really hard for, too.

Where’s your Grammy in your house?

I’m looking at it right now in front of my TV.

It seems like there’s always more bands than bass players and bass players are never out of work. How’d you get to be the bass player?

I started playing guitar first, man, but me and Ringo and Henry all taught each other to play the drums and guitar. As to the bass, I had left for a while to be with my mom and when I came back, Ringo started playing the drums, Henry was playing guitar and my dad was playing rhythm. It was just kind of like, “OK, we need a bass player.” I was pretty much the only one without an instrument and they asked, “Can you play bass?’’ I said, “I think so.” It went from there. I tuned up a guitar with four strings, turned all the trebles down and the bass up and rocked it with four strings, man. Then I got my first bass and the rest is pretty much, history.

Any extra-strange gigs you can remember?

I can’t really say anything was strange, but there have definitely been some wild gigs. We’ve seen a lot of things, brother. The world’s a beautiful place and the people are beautiful, but they’re also crazy. But we’re all part of it.

Any advice for the next generation?

I’d tell them what it’s all about and that’s just to stay true to yourself. Music is a very valuable thing in this world and the message you can spread is timeless. It lasts forever in some situations, so you have to be careful and do the right thing with it.

[senoRita]

What a great interview with Jojo!

[lovemusic]

Now here is someone who know what he is talking about:

Los Lonely Boys, Alejandro Escovedo, Carrie Rodriguez
Wed., February 24, 7:00pm
The Moore Theatre

Price: $28-$33

http://www.stgpresents.org/artists/?artist=1181

Los Lonely Boyshttp://www.seattleweekly.com/events/los-lonely-boys-alejandro-escovedo-carrie-rodriguez-884673/

A trio consisting of three Mexican-American brothers from San Antonio, Los Lonely Boys aren’t being cute when they refer to their music as “Texican.” On the contrary, the band’s feet are planted just as firmly – if not more so – in rock and roll and country traditions as they are in their father Ringo Garza, Sr.’s conjunto roots. And, like so many other Texas natives, the band identifies with being Texan as if Texas were a country, a world, a universe unto itself whose citizenship trumps a person’s Mexican and American origins. And it’s a good thing they do, because the Garza brothers blend rock, soul, country, blues, and Latin styles as if barriers never existed between them, and they were all ingredients in a big stew. Lyrically, where other groups might sound sugary and trite, the Garzas’ point-blank earnestness brings an endearingly tender and introspective dynamic to their otherwise hot sound. With Alejandro Escovedo, Carrie Rodriguez. Moore Theatre, 1932 Second Avenue, 682-1414. SABY REYES-KULKARNI

[desertgirl7]

Making music is 'Heaven' for the three siblings in Los Lonely Boys
Band of brothers
By Bill Locey
Posted February 12, 2010 at 12:01 a.m.
http://www.vcstar.com/news/2010/feb/12/band-of-brothers-making-music-is-heaven-for-the/

http://media.vcstar.com/media/img/photos/2010/02/10/20100210-214508-pic-776578522_t607.jpg

We’re here today to answer those musical questions that nobody is really asking these days, like “What if Ritchie Valens were still alive?,” “What if he were triplets” and “What if he were triplets from Texas?”

The answers to all of those questions can be found in the music of Los Lonely Boys, three siblings out of Texas who are carrying on the legacy of the SoCal-born Valens, who famously melded Mexican music with rock ’n’ roll on such ’50s classics as “Donna” and “La Bamba” before dying in the 1959 plane crash that also claimed the lives of Buddy Holly and the Big Bopper.

Since they hail from the Lone Star State, Los Lonely Boys spice up their rock ’n’ roll with hearty Tex-Mex flavors. The Garza brothers — Henry on guitar, Jojo on bass and Ringo on drums — won a Grammy in 2005 for their hit, “Heaven.” That one will almost certainly be on the set list when the group performs Thursday at The Canyon in Agoura Hills. Alejandro Escovedo will open the show.

Getting connected with fellow Texan Willie Nelson jump-started the band’s upward spiral, which landed them a deal with Epic Records. The band’s most recent disc is the 4-month-old EP “1969,” featuring covers of songs released in that iconic year, like Santana’s “Evil Ways” and The Beatles’ “She Came in Through the Bathroom Window.”

Jojo Garza was on phoner detail this week and discussed the latest.



LOS LONELY BOYS

How’s the music biz treating you guys? Are you rich rock stars yet?

No, man. Just making it, you know?

Three brothers in the same band? Do you guys get along better than the Everly Brothers, Ray and Dave Davies of the Kinks, Noel and Liam Gallagher from Oasis and the Reid brothers from Jesus & Mary Chain?

Not all those other brothers are the Garza brothers. We’ve been doing it a long time together, and we plan to do this until God says it’s not going to happen anymore.

You guys are young. You’ve got a lot of songs left in you.

Hopefully, brother, hopefully.

It was a great year for music in 1969.

Awesome year for music, man. I’m only 29, so I only know so much about it, but what I know is that it was a really good time for music. It inspired things for a lot of years — even up to now.

How did you wonderful guys get started in all this and what was your big break?

Well, we’ve been doing it a long time with our dad. He showed us the ropes and we basically kept playing — playing over the years and years. It wasn’t until Willie Nelson’s nephew, Fletcher, heard us and really helped us out. We were able to get our music recorded and go play some shows with Willie and stuff. A lot of exposure came from those FarmAid things. From there, Epic heard about us and we got with them and the rest is, you know, history. Now, we’re hopefully making some new history.

How come there are so many good musicians from Texas?

I don’t know, brother, you tell me. I just know that there’s good music all over. Talking about Texas music, it goes way back, man. Maybe it’s the ground, the water, the air. I don’t know.

Would George Bush wear a Los Lonely Boys T-shirt?

I think he would. As far as I heard, he ran with it on his iPod. And I think Obama would probably wear a Los Lonely Boys T-shirt.

Who goes to a Los Lonely Boys show and what do they do when they get there?

There’s a lot of dancing, a lot of staring, a lot of clapping, a lot of screaming, a lot of singing — just a lot of beautiful people that are enjoying what we do.

What does the band sound like these days?

You’re going to get a live rock show, brother. That’s a lot of fun for the people in the crowd as well as the people on stage. We’re all communicating, connecting and talking. You know, jokes are happening here and there. It’s a good time all around.

Obviously, you get a lot of Latinos and Latinas at your shows. Do white and black people go as well?

It’s a multiracial thing, man. All kinds of races, brother.

The reason I ask that is that I teach in prison and the population there is about 90 percent Hispanic. They’re into hip-hop and rap and I’m not sure they’ve heard Los Lonely Boys.

You know, we got familia that’s in there and stuff and we know what that’s all about. Thank God we never had to go through any of that ourselves, but God bless everyone that’s in there for sure. Hopefully, they do get to hear a little bit of Los Lonely Boys at some point.

Did the Grammy change things for you guys?

To be honest with you, it was a great situation when it happened. Just hearing our name called out was unreal. I almost didn’t believe it. “Did they really say Los Lonely Boys?” Then someone said, “Get up! Get up!” and then Beyoncé was saying, “You guys deserve it.” It was a dream come true. If you win a Grammy, then you’ve been noticed — whether it happens once or twice or 10 times. Once is an honor and it was something that we worked really hard for, too.

Where’s your Grammy in your house?

I’m looking at it right now in front of my TV.

It seems like there’s always more bands than bass players and bass players are never out of work. How’d you get to be the bass player?

I started playing guitar first, man, but me and Ringo and Henry all taught each other to play the drums and guitar. As to the bass, I had left for a while to be with my mom and when I came back, Ringo started playing the drums, Henry was playing guitar and my dad was playing rhythm. It was just kind of like, “OK, we need a bass player.” I was pretty much the only one without an instrument and they asked, “Can you play bass?’’ I said, “I think so.” It went from there. I tuned up a guitar with four strings, turned all the trebles down and the bass up and rocked it with four strings, man. Then I got my first bass and the rest is pretty much, history.

Any extra-strange gigs you can remember?

I can’t really say anything was strange, but there have definitely been some wild gigs. We’ve seen a lot of things, brother. The world’s a beautiful place and the people are beautiful, but they’re also crazy. But we’re all part of it.

Any advice for the next generation?

I’d tell them what it’s all about and that’s just to stay true to yourself. Music is a very valuable thing in this world and the message you can spread is timeless. It lasts forever in some situations, so you have to be careful and do the right thing with it.



What an awesome interview with JoJo. I can just hear him talking. I love reading stuff like this. Thanks, Bela!

[desertgirl7]

Now here is someone who know what he is talking about:

Los Lonely Boys, Alejandro Escovedo, Carrie Rodriguez
Wed., February 24, 7:00pm
The Moore Theatre

Price: $28-$33

http://www.stgpresents.org/artists/?artist=1181

Los Lonely Boyshttp://www.seattleweekly.com/events/los-lonely-boys-alejandro-escovedo-carrie-rodriguez-884673/

A trio consisting of three Mexican-American brothers from San Antonio, Los Lonely Boys aren’t being cute when they refer to their music as “Texican.” On the contrary, the band’s feet are planted just as firmly – if not more so – in rock and roll and country traditions as they are in their father Ringo Garza, Sr.’s conjunto roots. And, like so many other Texas natives, the band identifies with being Texan as if Texas were a country, a world, a universe unto itself whose citizenship trumps a person’s Mexican and American origins. And it’s a good thing they do, because the Garza brothers blend rock, soul, country, blues, and Latin styles as if barriers never existed between them, and they were all ingredients in a big stew. Lyrically, where other groups might sound sugary and trite, the Garzas’ point-blank earnestness brings an endearingly tender and introspective dynamic to their otherwise hot sound. With Alejandro Escovedo, Carrie Rodriguez. Moore Theatre, 1932 Second Avenue, 682-1414. SABY REYES-KULKARNI

Right, Bela! So beautifully said....

[lovemusic]

No headphones allowed
Onstage or on record, Los Lonely Boys got live if you want it
by Alan Sculley
http://www.csindy.com/colorado/no-headphones-allowed/Content?oid=1633701

Los Lonely Boys: No longer lonely. No longer boys. But still from Texas.
Los Lonely Boys, with Carrie Rodriguez
Tuesday, March 2, 7 p.m.
Pikes Peak Center, 190 S. Cascade Ave.
Tickets: $22, all ages; ticketswest.com, 576-2626.

The current Los Lonely Boys album, Forgiven, may not have been a full-blown concert performance, but it's close enough for rock 'n roll. Rather than hole up in a studio and spend ages overdubbing vocals and instrumental parts, producer Steve Jordan aimed to make the whole process feel as much like a live gig as possible.

So Jordan set up a sound stage in Austin, Texas, hit the record button, and documented what happened when brothers Henry (guitar), Jojo (bass) and Ringo Garza (drums) did what they do best, play together as a band.

"We had recorded pretty much live on every record," Jojo Garza says of the band's two previous albums, a self-titled 2003 debut and the 2006 release, Sacred. "But then there was a little dissecting going on toward the end of them, and you were doing vocals or separate guitar or bass tracks — you know how it goes. This, however, was very free.

"It was kind of like we had a stage in there," he adds. "There were some lights. We had our full rigs going, Henry's guitar rig, my bass rig and microphones set up and monitors and no headphones — no headphones at all."

After all, Los Lonely Boys has always been a touring band first and foremost. The brothers started out playing in a group led by their father, who encouraged them to go out on their own after witnessing their rapid development.

Success came quick: Their debut album yielded a breakout radio single, the cheerful, easy-going pop-soul song "Heaven." It rose to No. 2 on Billboard magazine's adult contemporary chart and also managed to crack the top 20 on its "Hot 100" singles chart.

The song's lasting popularity helped kept Los Lonely Boys on the album chart for a full 76 weeks. To top that off, "Heaven" won a Grammy for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group With Vocal.

But Sacred, solid though it was, failed to catch on. In retrospect, Jojo says the band felt rushed to finish the album.

"I think it's a really great album," he says of the band's sophomore effort. "But if you listen back to it, you can definitely tell the difference in how this album breathes."

Indeed, Los Lonely Boys manage to sound both energized and relaxed throughout the record, as the group once again delivers a wide-ranging mix of bluesy rock 'n roll, pop and soul, all spiced with a touch of the Garza brothers' Mexican heritage.

The group has been touring in support of Forgiven since the album was released back in July of 2008. A few months ago, the band put out a self-released EP, 1969, featuring five cover versions of bandmembers' favorite songs from that year.

While a full-length follow-up is still in the works, the EP gives the band that much more to draw upon for their current Acoustic Brotherhood Tour.

"We now have the luxury of having three albums out, so we've got a lot of material to pick from," says Jojo. "The show's going to change up pretty much every night. We're doing anything and everything we can, man."

[mamacitaRuth]

Los Lonely Boys share their slice of heaven

February 25, 2010 11:38 AM
WARREN EPSTEIN
THE GAZETTE
Since 2004, Los Lonely Boys have been asking the musical question, “How far is heaven?”

Their hit single “Heaven” remains their calling card, and as local fans learned when Los Lonely Boys played with Los Lobos at the World Arena a couple of years ago, they never seem to get tired of it. The three rocking Latino brothers jam with that song, stretching out the instrumentals until it becomes a huge improvisational anthem.

“We make it the last song we do every night; it’s kind of like a sweet ending,” guitarist and lead singer Henry Garza said from the road in Agoura Hills, Calif. “It’s where we give our thanks foremost to God. … I think people relate to it. Heaven’s not just a religious thing. Heaven is where your happy place is.”

Los Lonely Boys make a stop through Colorado Springs when they play the Pikes Peak Center at 7 p.m. Tuesday

So, where is Garza’s happy place?

“Oh man, there are so many places that make me happy,” he said with a laugh. “Definitely with my wife and kids back home (in Texas.) Not even doing anything — just being with them. That’s my heaven and my happy place … and the stage, playing for everybody. I really do love it. So, it’s a matter of finding that balance, you know?”

Henry and his brothers Jojo (bass guitar, vocals) and Ringo (drums, vocals) recently played a gig for service members in Iraq and Kuwait. They returned with a newfound respect for the men and women in uniform, so far from their happy places.

“It was an eye-opening, life-changing experience for us,” he said. “To see what men and women go through on a daily basis to protect this country. … We’re not big on war or any of that stuff, but we are for the human spirit.”

To honor that spirit in all the cities they play, Los Lonely Boys have created a Local Heroes contest. They’re asking for nominations, not just in the military, but diverse people who deserve special recognition for going above and beyond the call of duty. Winners will get four tickets to an upcoming show, a commemorative Los Lonely Boys coin and special recognition at the concert. To nominate someone, go to loslonelyboys .com/localhero.

Los Lonely Boys recognize some of their musical heroes in their latest CD, “1969,” which covers Santana’s “Evil Ways,” The Doors’ “Roadhouse Blues,” Blind Faith’s “Well Alright,” The Beatles’ “She Came in Through the Bathroom Window,” and Tony Joe White’s “Polk Salad Annie.”

“We voted together on our favorites,” Garza said. “It was just to give something to the fans while we’re still working on our stuff, making a new album and new stuff.”

The CD, released in October, pays tribute to a time that Garza speaks about in reverential tones, though it was before his time.

“Everything you want to know about life and partying and everything was 1969,” he said.

[lovemusic]

I came across this comment and thought I would share it with all of you. This person knows what he is talking about.


15 Mar 10
Los Lonely Boys – Live at the Fillmore
http://completeseries.us/movies-dvd-blu-ray/los-lonely-boys-live-at-the-fillmore/
Cory B. says:
March 15, 2010 at 5:22 am
My first real introduction to Los Lonely Boys was their appearance on CMT’s Crossroads show with the great Ronnie Milsap in 2005. That show was enough to tell me that these guys were certainly a step above most of today’s Top 40 stars in the talent department. After watching this dynamic concert filmed at San Francisco’s legendary Fillmore Auditorium in October 2004, it becomes all too clear that Henry, JoJo, and Ringo Garza are nothing less than a blessing as we suffer through the bleakest decade in American music. Sadly, Los Lonely Boys have had ONE hit single since hitting the national scene five years ago, and there’s a simple reason for this. If these guys were allowed on your local top 40 station, they would put today’s manufactured “American Idols” right out of business!

In a mainstream music scene where cookie-cutter stars can’t seem to deliver anything besides sex appeal, egos, theatrics, gimmicks, and songs that all sound the same, the Garza brothers deliver the things that really matter: strong singing, good songwriting, powerful musicianship, and a dynamic stage presence that will keep an audience on their feet all night. Los Lonely Boys stand out from the crowd by being the exact opposite of everything wrong with today’s top 40 hitmakers. They are the REAL DEAL, and the proof is in this fine concert DVD.

Any band that claims both Stevie Ray Vaughan and Ronnie Milsap as major influences can be nothing less than the real deal as far as I’m concerned, and with Stevie Ray’s former keyboardist Reese Wynans joining the band as a special guest, you know this has to be a show worth seeing. From start to finish, the Garza brothers rock their way through a vibrant set of high-energy, Tex-mex rock n’ roll played with power and passion. All three brothers are very proficient on their instruments and they sing nearly as well as they play. “More than Love” is a really nice ballad that spotlights the tight vocal harmony of the band. Other highlights include the intrumental showcase “Onda”, their top ten hit “Heaven”, and a fine version of the classic “La Bamba”.

As a bonus feature on the DVD, the brothers are shown goofing around backstage and mingling with fans. Also included is a red hot version of “Superstition” that really rocks. Any lover of blues-based rock n’ roll who has lost all faith in today’s young music superstars will be delighted to witness the talent and enthusiasm that these guys bring to the stage. Highly recommended to anyone who appreciates REAL music which is getting harder than ever to find these days.

Rating: 5 / 5

[cmedina]

http://mulletwrapper.com/article.cfm?ID=1642


Los Lonely Boys will gig at The Hangout March 19
Mullet Wrapper
Grammy award winning brothers, Los Lonely Boys, will make a spring break appearance at the Hangout, located ats the Gulf Shores Public Beach on Friday, ...March 19. Doors open at 7 p.m., and tickets are $20 in advance and $23 at the door. For more info, call The Hangout at 251-948-3030. The Texas trio, best known for its 2004 breakout single "Heaven," has been on the road more than six years with only a few weeks off between gigs. "We really don't get much time at home, man," bassist JoJo Garza reently told the Denver Post. "Most of the time we're home is around late October or November and we're either cutting tracks or getting ready to tour again." The band even played last year in Iraq and Kuwait for American troops. Known for their support for military men and women, and their devout Christianity, the band’s live shows are more about having fun. The band emerged as a group in Nashville in the 1990s and recorded their first album in 2003 in Austin at Willie Nelson's Pedernales recording studio. "Heaven", reached #1 on the Adult Contemporary chart, and #16 on the Billboard Hot 100, also crossing over even to the Hot Country Songs chart. "Heaven" was featured in Guitar and earned the band a Grammy Award for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal in 2005. "More Than Love" and "Onda" were nominated for Grammys in 2006. In 2007, Los Lonely Boys participated in Amnesty International's "Make Some Noise" project. Their cover of John Lennon's "Whatever Gets You thru the Night" is the second single from the resulting album. Their third studio album, Forgiven, was released on July 1, 2008. The band, now with Austin based Playing In Traffic Records, sang the US National Anthem to open game two of the 2008 World Series in St. Petersburg.

[Amor]

...The band, now with Austin based Playing In Traffic Records, sang the US National Anthem to open game two of the 2008 World Series in St. Petersburg. ..

Great Article...Cree & I were there - one of the best times yet!!!
(Boogey down... :) )

[jwintx]

http://toonsmusic.blogspot.com/2010/03/lost-lonely-boys-sacred.html?

Friday, March 27

Los Lonely Boys - Sacred 2006

Gotta say this CD is one of the better surprises I have heard in a long time. Can't recall what made me want to pick the CD up, maybe I just like the simplicy of the title...maybe because their name reminded me ever so lightly of the John Carpenter film: Vampires: Los Muertos. Maybe I was hoping for some dusty, bad assed southern blues, roadhouse meyham...some Johnny Winter nastiness...

Whatever the reasons, I was not prepared for the exceptional collection of songs contained inside this disc. The Lost Lonely Boys dress their blues up with sublte latin rhythm, intricately layered guitar...hints of organ and brass, as well as a sonic bottom end bass. The vocals are rich and smooth efortless gliding through wonderfully crafted melodies of sadness and regret.

Los Lonely Boys are a tightly knit combo...a band of brothers: Henry (guitar), JoJo (bass), and Ringo (drums). The music is in constant motion encompassing inovative, unpredictable accent chords that augment a solid blues structure. I am reminded of Dave Alvin's "Museum Of Heart", and as much as I love Dave Alvin, the Lonely Boys offer up a dish that's a little richer, and little more smooth and a perfect package of Texican rock and blues.


Posted by Mr. Toon at 8:00 PM
spref=fb

[lovemusic]

Excellent article, Janene. Thanks for posting it. I love Sacred! I still say it is completely under-rated. I was listening to it last week and, again, thought how much I love songs like Orale, Roses, My Loneliness, Home and Living My Life. I wish the Boys would play some of those songs on the road. They really are exceptional.

I encourage people to comment on this post. You can do it if you have a Gmail account. Let's support the people who know good music when they hear it. I did!

[senoRita]

BMI Christian Music Awards Honor the Genre’s Most Played Songs
Sun, Apr 25, 2010 @ 07:51 AM PST

Casting Crowns’ Mark Hall Takes Home Two of the Night’s Top Honors

BMI saluted the writers and publishers of the past year’s most performed songs on Christian radio and television during the BMI Christian Music Awards on April 21 at the company’s Music Row offices in Nashville. BMI named Casting Crowns'“Voice of Truth” Song of the Year, while the group’s frontman Mark Hall earned the prestigious Songwriter of the Year title. BMI Vice President Jody Williams, along with Senior Director Thomas Cain and Associate Director Beth Mason, of BMI’s Writer/Publisher Relations department in Nashville, presented awards for 25 songs in five categories: Christian Rock, Contemporary Christian, Inspirational, Urban Gospel and Southern Gospel.

Gospel star Kirk Franklin, Christian rock outfit Sanctus Real and Casting Crowns’ Mark Hall delighted the packed room by delivered scorching performances of their award-winning songs.

Longtime Christian music pacesetters Steven Curtis Chapman and Mark Hall took home BMI Song of the Year crystals for “Voice of Truth.” Recorded the by Hall’s award-winning band Casting Crowns, “Voice of Truth” was published by Club Zoo Music, Inc., My Refuge Music, Peach Hill Songs, Sparrow Song and SWECS Music.

It was a good night for the lead singer of Casting Crowns, who also earned his second BMI Christian Songwriter of the Year honor. Mark Hall’s hits ““Lifesong,” “Praise You in This Storm” and “Voice of Truth,” all recorded by Casting Crowns, garnered three BMI Christian Awards in both the Contemporary and Inspirational categories.

The ceremony also feted Songs of Greater Vision as Publisher of the Year. The award is determined by the highest percentage of copyright ownership in award songs. The company’s two honored songs, “Do You Want To Be Forgiven” and “Don’t Let The Sandals Fool Ya,” secured individual BMI Christian Awards for writer Rodney Griffin.

Some of the night’s other big winners included 2007 Trailblazers of Gospel honoree Yolanda Adams; producer/songwriter Ed Cash; urban gospel star Kirk Franklin; producer, arranger and musician Jay Joyce; songwriter/producer Kenny Greenberg; Israel Houghton and Percy James Bady; songwriter Fred Douglas Washington, Jr.; the Crabb Family’s Gerald Crabb; songwriter/artist Aaron Shust; producer/songwriter/author Matt Bronleewe; and brothers Henry, JoJo and Ringo Garza. Songwriters Marcia Henry, George Jordan, Sandy Knight, Doug McKelvey and Kevin Keith Walker, along with Day of Fire’s Greg Hionis, songwriter/producers Ian Eskelin and Liz Hooper, Sanctus Real producer Chris Stevens and Sanctus Real member Dan Gartley, each took home their first BMI Christian Music Award.

Publishers winning multiple awards were BMG Music Group (Bridge Building Music/Careers-BMG Music Publishing/Zomba Songs), Club Zoo Music, Inc., My Refuge Music, SWECS Music, EMI Music Publishing (EMI-Blackwood Music, Inc./Sparrow Song) and Gotee Music, Inc.


http://www.breathecast.com/Christian.Music.News-BMI.Christian.Music.Awards.Honor.the.Genre%E2%80%9 9s.Most.Played.Songs/1_3835.htm

[senoRita]

Broadband on Tour With Los Lonely Boys

Be sure to click on the link below to see an awesome video!

http://www.ericsson.com/thecompany/stories/100527_los_lonely_boys_20100527150115

A family business that is constantly on the move, Grammy Award-winning rockers Los Lonely Boys rely on CDMA mobile broadband to keep their tours running smoothly and to stay connected with management, vendors, fans and family.

Its 9:43pm at the Wheeler Opera House in Aspen, Colorado, and Los Lonely Boys – brothers Henry, Ringo and Jojo Garza – are opening the show with a blistering rendition of their song, "Senorita."

There may be only three musicians on stage, but behind the scenes a crew of five spend nine hours each day, 200 days a year, executing logistical and production details orchestrated by tour manager, Glenn Felton. A 20-year veteran of the concert tour production business, Glenn pulls it all together with his mobile phone, a laptop and a mobile broadband connection from Verizon Wireless.

In a line of work where fixed broadband connections are either scarce or expensive to rent, mobile broadband enables Glenn to work not only on the bus but at each tour venue. A typical afternoon involves planning upcoming shows, dealing with promoters and conveying updates on stage requirements and catering – all while attending to dozens of issues like stage wardrobe needs, band and crew laundry, ordering meals and procuring gear.
Glenn snaps a photo from the side of the stage and uploads it to the group's Facebook page, then retreats to a corner where he has set up operations. He checks e-mail whenever he can, and no detail is too trivial for his immediate attention.

"I'm taking care of finances, I'm budgeting, I'm watching payroll and making sure we're getting paid, making sure my crew is happy and the band is happy," he says.

Stanley Zadrozny, executive director for network technology development at Verizon Wireless, says that such demanding use is possible because the company has "a proud history of providing the best 3G wireless network in the US and continues to update, upgrade, expand and improve it."
"Verizon's development of 4G LTE in 25 to 30 US metropolitan areas by the end of 2010 lays the groundwork for the next giant leap in user experience," Zadrozny says.

After the show, settling into a leather booth in the bus' forward lounge area, Glenn begins checking e-mail and the latest weather forecasts. "Out here on the road we get great connectivity," he says. "This is where my day starts and ends. Often I'll leave some work for the bus, and while we're moving I’ll catch up on e-mails to friends and family."

Mobile broadband enables Glenn to conduct the band's business round-the-clock, whether on a mountain pass or in a congested city. "There’s nothing I've run into that I can’t send over the mobile network," Felton says. "It saves us money, time and paper, and we keep everyone happy and productive."

[desertgirl7]

Thanks, Senorita, both the article and video were great! What would we do without Glenn and this "tech-spertise"?

[lovemusic]

What a great video! Thanks, Rita. Glenn is becoming quite the star. He sounds and looks good. Very well done video.

[M6L24M86]

Awesome video! Really shows how much work that goes into everything! Thanks for sharing!

As an aside... I'm in that video too! Lol! When it shows him checking the boy's Facebook, my comment is the first one at the top of the page ;) haha I also spy Ev as the 2nd one!

[senoRita]

Awesome video! Really shows how much work that goes into everything! Thanks for sharing!

As an aside... I'm in that video too! Lol! When it shows him checking the boy's Facebook, my comment is the first one at the top of the page ;) haha I also spy Ev as the 2nd one!

You must have and eagle eye. I went back and looked again :eek: and sure enough your and Ev were there. :D

[lovemusic]

Takin’ Texas Tour Makes Stop In Round Rock On July 28 –

OurSports Central
Posted on June 4, 2010 by admin
June 4, 2010 – Pacific Coast League (PCL) Round Rock Express
http://associatednewstoday.com/takin-texas-tour-makes-stop-in-round-rock-on-july-28-oursports-central/0816

Grammy Award-winning Texican rock band Los Lonely Boys will headline a night of music and fun at The Dell Diamond in late July, Ryan Sanders Baseball announced Friday. The event is scheduled for Wednesday, July 28; gates open at 5:30 p.m. CDT with music starting at 6.

The show will be part of Los Lonely Boys’ 2010 “Takin’ Texas” Tour, presented by State Farm Insurance. Special guests Vallejo and Patricia Vonne also will perform at the event.


Tickets are available through the Round Rock Express Baseball ticket office at 512.255.2255 or online at www.RoundRockExpress.com. Advanced-purchase tickets are $20; day-of-show tickets are $25. Kids 12 & under will get in free with the purchase of one paid adult per child.


“This is a great line-up for Texas music fans,” Express CEO Reid Ryan said. “We appreciate the partnership with State Farm Insurance that allows us to bring this type of family friendly entertainment to The Dell Diamond.” The stadium is the home of the Houston Astros Triple-A affiliate, the Round Rock Express, whose primary ownership group includes Texas icon Nolan Ryan and his family.


Los Lonely Boys hail from San Angelo, Texas, and feature a style of music that pulls from rock, blues, soul, country and Tejano. Brothers Henry (guitar, vocals), Jojo (bass guitar, vocals) and Ringo (drums, vocals) released their fourth major-label studio album – 1969 – last fall. Their 2006 Sacred album peaked at No. 2 on the U.S. charts.


Earlier this year, Los Lonely Boys were named “Best Rock Band” at the Austin Music Awards. They have a past connection with baseball as they sang the national anthem prior to Game 2 of the 2008 World Series in St. Petersburg, Fla. The group’s song “Heaven” reached No. 1 on the Adult Contemporary chart and No. 16 on the Billboard Hot 100 list; the song also made its way onto Guitar Hero: On Tour and won a 2005 Grammy Award.


Vallejo, which formed outside of Birmingham, Ala., in the early 1990s, is now based in Austin. The rock band consists of A.J. Vallejo (lead vocals, guitar), Alejandro Vallejo (drums), Omar Vallejo (bass guitar, vocals), Bruce Castleberry (guitar, vocals) and Alex Geismar (percussion). Vallejo has released nine studio albums since 1994, most recently 2008′s Thicker Than Water, and one E.P. album, 2009′s Temporary Thing.


San Antonio native Patricia Vonne has released three studio albums. She also has appeared in several films, including Quentin Tarantino’s 2005 cult-classic Sin City. Tarantino used Vonne’s song “Mudpies and Gasoline” in his film Hellride, which starred the late Dennis Hopper.

[carollg]

OOOOOOOH to live in TEXAS! :D

Thanks for posting this article...

[cre8ivepoet]

OOOOOOOH to live in TEXAS! :D

Thanks for posting this article...

I'd park my butt right in San Angelo. lol :D

[Amor]

Awesome video! Really shows how much work that goes into everything! Thanks for sharing!

As an aside... I'm in that video too! Lol! When it shows him checking the boy's Facebook, my comment is the first one at the top of the page ;) haha I also spy Ev as the 2nd one!

OMG, Michelle, you do have an 'eagle eye'. It is fast, but I saw it - so cool!! LOL

[lovemusic]

Los Lonely Boys at WHBPAC
By Tiffany Rizzano
http://www.danshamptons.com/content/danspapers/issue12_2010/25.html

Aptly dubbing their sound "Texican rock 'n' roll," Austin, Texas-based Los Lonely Boys will head to the Hamptons on June 19, performing at the Westhampton Beach Performing Arts Center. Combining elements of country, Tejano, blues, classic rock and soul, this Grammy Award-winning band of brothers - Henry, Jojo and Ringo Garza - continues to garner fans of all styles of music with their unique sound. "We try to weave everything into our musical burrito," the band said.

The group has only been back on the road for the past few weeks, after taking some time off and cancelling a slew of dates in April and May after Jojo, bassist and vocalist, was diagnosed with lesions on his vocal chords. His physicians recommended the time off and the group had to begrudgingly cancel shows so he could take the time to rest. Now they're eager to get back on stage and hit the road again. And Jojo is doing well. "[He] is very much enjoying getting back on stage," the band said. "He is healing and is slowly easing back into the vocal spotlights."

Unfortunately, his vocal problems forced the band to put off the release of their next planned release, which had been set for this coming fall. But, the group said, they hope to release it early next year and they said fans should expect an album of songs that will make you want to move. "These new recordings rock and groove," the band said. "We found guitar tones that really reflect the mood for which we wrote these songs for - very strong tones and grooves."

This will be their first album of original material released since they left Epic Records, which is owned by Sony Music Entertainment, in 2009. It will also be the first album released by the collaboration of their own label, Lonely Tone Records, and Playing In Traffic Records, another Austin area indie label, owned by their manager, which will distribute and market the album. But the band said there's no bad blood with Epic; it was just time for a change. "We were grateful for what we accomplished with Epic Records and all the people who worked there," the band members said. "It was just time to bring the business closer to home, especially in this time of changing methods for labels."

Los Lonely Boys released three albums of original music for Epic. Their first, self-titled released, put out in 2004, earned them a Grammy for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal for their hit single "Heaven," which reached #1 on the Adult Contemporary chart and #16 on the Billboard Hot 100. They were also nominated for subsequent Grammys. Their last album on Epic, 1969, an EP released in 2009, was a tribute to music from the year 1969. "Through time we realized that a lot of the magical music came from artists and songs from that special year of 1969," the band said.

Growing up in Texas, Los Lonely Boys started out as a backup band for their father, who also played in a band with his brothers, The Falcones, which performed conjunto music around southern Texas in the 1970s and 1980s. The name Los Lonely Boys comes from a song their father wrote for them when they were children. "I'm just a lonely boy," was one of the lines from that song. To reflect their Mexican-American heritage, they used "los" instead of "the."

Los Lonely Boys will be at WHBPAC on June 19 at 8 p.m. Tickets $100/$85/$70. For info about the band: loslonelyboys.com. Tickets or info on the show: 631-288-1500 or whbpac.org.

[lovemusic]

LOS LONELY BOYS GIVE BACK WITH FORGIVEN
http://420lifeinsurance.com/420lifeinsurance-blog/?p=13

Since achieving a massive breakthrough three years ago with their chart topping single “Heaven,” Los Lonely Boys – the Texican trio comprised of brothers Henry, Jo Jo and Ringo Garza - have achieved multi-platinum album sales, a Grammy Award for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group in 2005, and widespread acclaim from critics and fans alike. Now, the brothers Garza return with Forgiven, a passionate CD that finds each member of the trio reaching new levels in their playing and singing. With a feeling of true brotherly love throughout, Forgiven is in every bit an instant rock ‘n’ roll classic.

Forgiven is the culmination of what Los Lonely Boys has been building towards for the past decade, the fulfillment of the belief and support of not just millions of fans, but also such notable artists as Willie Nelson (who appeared on the band’s major label debut), Carlos Santana (with whom they toured, as well as writing and playing on “I Don’t Want to Lose Your Love” from his 2005 album All That I Am) and Los Lobos (with whom they’ll team for the 2008 edition of the Los Lonely Boys’ Brotherhood Tour). From the bluesy groove of the opening song “Heart Won’t Tell a Lie,” to the yearning plea of the title track, to the heartfelt faith of “Love Don’t Care About Me,” Forgiven impresses from beginning to end. Throw in a rollicking version of the Steve Winwood/Spencer Davis Group hit “I’m a Man,” and Los Lonely Boys have captured the essence of their band on a disc that is sure to garner widespread appeal.
The band is quick to credit producer Steve Jordan, who suggested the band perform live in the studio, an approach they had not previously tried. “It was good having him with there,” Jo Jo says. “Steve is smart, and has a good heart and good ideas. He had ways to keep the flow going, capture the mood. It sounded better and was easier to create with this format. He’d be there with us, standing there and jamming with this percussion thing he made, like a microphone shaker thing. When we got together with him he was one of the guys. His last name when he was with us wasn’t Jordan, he was Steve Garza!”

To Jordan, who in addition to being an in-demand producer is an elite drummer that has toured with Stevie Wonder, Eric Clapton, Keith Richards, Bruce Springsteen, and Bob Dylan, to name just a few, the live in studio approach seemed natural. He says, “Obviously from ‘Heaven’ we knew what great songwriters they are and what kind of sound the group has. They sing wonderfully together, three brothers with this chemistry. I went to see them live at the Fillmore last year and it was a great show. They play all-out live. So I thought the best way to capture them, where I would be satisfied and to instill some fun in the process was to capture that live energy and the groove of them playing.”

Asked to name their favorite track, each brother has different answer. Henry says, “They were all so magical, but for me the one that is the foundation is the name of the album, ‘Forgiven.’ When we played that song, for me in my heart and I hope my brothers too, I got that vibe that we knew what this was all about again, what we’re all about. It’s an actual prayer that’s turned into a song, purposefully made that way. For me it was just that whole experience. Felt like a cleansing.”

Ringo makes his debut as featured vocalist on “Superman,” a song he penned for his wife. “I wanted to write for my wife,” he explains. “Henry suggested the Superman theme, and I took if from there. I’ve never sang lead vocals before. I enjoy singing with my brothers. They would always ask me if I wanted to sing lead, but I just wasn’t ready. Third album, I guess.”

Interestingly, Jo Jo’s favorite track, “There Is A War Tonight,” was reserved as a bonus track, for copies of the disc purchased from Wal-Mart. “The song is about the obvious war,” he says, “but also the war every night in our homes and our neighborhoods. There is bloodshed and broken hearts every day. We’ve put it at the front of the show, and are really enjoying playing it.”

Before embarking on the Brotherhood tour, Los Lonely Boys took time from their busy schedule to perform a handful of intimate shows in their hometown of Austin, raising money for Music for Literacy, and offering guitars and lessons to 10 children from Big Brothers Big Sisters and 10 from the Sunshine Camp of Austin. Beyond funds and awareness being raised, Los Lonely Boys lend a hand whenever they can. They like to give back the joy they have received, and also appeared on last year’s John Lennon Tribute disc to benefit Darfur.

“There is no end to giving back,” says Jo Jo. “It’s our way to give thanks to our fans who believe in us and our music, and it’s important to us. There is no reason to hide real human ups and downs, to having hearts and feelings. There is no pedestal. People gave us this. They believe in God, in Jesus and most of all, good will. If I am walking down the street and see someone in need, there is no way I won’t stop and try to help them. That’s the way we are.”
Though the approach they took in recording Forgiven was new, the songs remain the same unique blend of conjuto, Tex-Mex, blues rock, and pop that made the band famous. Los Lonely Boys sound proud of how far they’ve come, and of their latest release.

“We came from a town with nothing,” Ringo says. “Came from nothing but love and brotherhood - Familia. That’s what drove us. We want to let everybody know that we’ve worked the hardest, really trying to please each other and the fans. We thank the good Lord that we’re able to. Of all the success we’ve had, it’s still amazing to hear fans sing the words to the songs we’ve written with our hearts. We write them and think nobody will probably like them. But (then) we play them and people sing them back to us! It’s amazing and we appreciate it so much. If I could give a hug to every crowd member, it wouldn’t be enough.”

[Amor]

OMG...how in the world can you not love these guys?? !!!! Wish I could bring them home with me...LOL.

[RMELO10]

I whole heartly agree! They are fantastic men and have shown that they are not letting all this fame and attention go to their heads! They are well grounded and this is a piece of the puzzle from where sucess comes from! I wish them all the glory that God can give them in the fact they they give back to the community and keep their families as their priority! God will reward them! ORALE!

[MelBAustria]

Amazing words from these 3 brothers!
They are such great guys! Love the article!!

Mel
:cool:

[senoRita]

June 18, 2010
Los Lonely Boys

Colonial Theater, Pittsfield, MA
www.TheColonialTheater.org
June 17
by Terry Larsen
Proclaimed "the best bar band in the world" by mentor Willie Nelson, Los Lonely Boys burst on to the national scene in 2003 with a multi-platinum studio album. Eight recordings later, LLB has established itself as one of the most popular bands of our day. On an evening in June, the "Texican" rock 'n roll trio performed in the beautifully refurbished Colonial Theater to the enthusiastic reception of an adoring audience.

Over its history, rock and roll has developed many sub-genres and iconic performers. Some of these, such as the music of Carlos Santana, Jimi Hendrix, fellow Texan Stevie Ray Vaughan, and the influence of blues masters such as Buddy Guy were immediately evident in the performance. As one might expect of musicians from the heart of Texas, elements of Texas Swing and Tejana were also heard. Henry, Jojo, and Ringo Garza point to the influence of their musician father Enrique (Ringo) Garza as their most important and enduring influence.

LLB played for more than 90 minutes without intermission, one piece often blending into the next. The technical proficiency of each player was thrilling, as was their ability to blend the elements of a wide range of styles into a beautifully unified whole. The singing was first rate - Henry and Jojo sharing the leads, all three providing backup vocals; the timbre of each brother's voice so similar as to be nearly indistinguishable. Jojo, the ebullient bassist and MC, charmed the audience with his patter, physical antics, and his virtuosity on a six stringed electric bass. Henry, quietly charismatic, played shredding licks with ease - a powerful lyricism that was breath-taking. Ringo drove his brothers on by providing a sure, vigorous percussive platform for each song. The dynamic range, degree of nuance, and sophistication in the playing must be heard to be appreciated. LLB may have honed their chops in bars, but the lines they played rival anything played by conservatory-trained musicians. It should be noted that the volume of amplified sound was appropriately loud for rock 'n roll, but not painfully so. Los Lonely Boys rocked our world!

http://www.inthespotlightinc.org/2010/06/los-lonely-boys.html

[desertgirl7]

Amazing review, Senorita. I love the way the author worded this so eloquently. It is so hard for me to put into words how talented the Boys are when I'm trying to explain to people why I'm so crazy about them. This article gives the perfect description of their God-given gift and the way they use it to touch our lives. Thank you so much for sharing it with us!!

[Vanessa]

I agree! They have rocked my world! Thanks for sharing.

[senoRita]

Los Lonely Boys' Texican rock headlines Columbia’s Summerfest


The Texas natives keep family at the center of their music.

By Pierce Courchaine

Published June 24, 2010

Most bands would call it a day when they discovered their bass player and occasional singer had lesions on his vocal cords. For brothers Henry (guitar), Jojo (bass) and Ringo Garza (drums) of the Texas-based rock band Los Lonely Boys, it was just a minor set back.

The band canceled roughly three weeks of its summer tour then continued on its travels across the country, which includes a free concert June 30 at Columbia’s Summerfest. Guitarist and singer Henry Garza said even canceling the dates in those first three weeks wasn’t preferable, but it was necessary.

“When it comes to your brother, family comes first,” Garza said. “It wasn’t a hard decision.”

Garza said Jojo recovered from his ailment and is singing again during shows.

Los Lonely Boys hail from San Angelo, Texas, a city of about 100,000 located three hours northwest of San Antonio. Their music is a fusion between blues, rock and Tejano or, as the band calls it: Texican.

“People like to put labels on music all over the world,” Garza said. “We figured we’re going to have to label it so we might as well label it Texican rock and roll. It’s kind like a musical burrito, and we’re the tortilla.”

That tortilla, Garza said, is filled with all of the band’s musical influences, from their father to Stevie Ray Vaughan to The Beatles. But the word “Texican” isn’t as original as the band initially thought.

“Texican is just basically a Mexican from Texas,” Garza said. “The word’s been around for a long time. We thought we made it up but once we started doing research we learned it was made up a long time.”

Although the band is proud of its Mexican heritage and doesn’t hesitate to sing the occasional song in Spanish, Garza said the last thing the brothers want to do is flaunt their background.

“You should always be proud where you come from, we are,” Garza said. “We don’t want to capitalize on it all the time. Our skin and our language speak for itself.”

The band plans to release an acoustic album sometime before the end of year and its latest studio album will see a release date sometime early next year. Garza was hush on the details surrounding the next album, but it will be released on the band’s own label for the first time since leaving Epic Records.

“Any chance you get to walk without somebody rolling you in a baby carriage, you get a lot more freedom and a lot more say in what you do,” Garza said.

As far as tackling writing songs, Garza said everyone chips in and no song is written in the same way.

“They come out whenever they want, you can’t put a formula on it,” Garza said. “You got to let it flow. There’s no real right way to record a song.”

After all the success Los Lonely Boys have had, Garza remains deeply loyal to his fans and his family.

“It’s been a blessing playing with my brothers and recording,” Garza said. He then paused for a moment, as if to think of anything to disprove what he had just said.

“It’s got a couple walls in there, like any natural human beings, but I wouldn’t say it’s anything out of the ordinary.”


http://move.themaneater.com/stories/2010/6/24/los-lonely-boys-texican-rock-headlines-columbias-s/

[mamacitaRuth]

Red-hot ‘Texicans’
By AARIK DANIELSEN
Thursday, June 24, 2010

Surveying the landscape of modern music, Los Lonely Boys occupy an interesting place, acting as something of a Tex-Mex twin to Lenny Kravitz. Both acts stitch the sounds of relatively apparent influences together — in Los Lonely Boys’ case, they unapologetically evoke acts such as Santana, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Jimi Hendrix and Los Lobos — to form seamless, infectious pop numbers full of peace, love and sweltering guitar jams.

For more than 10 years, the West Texas power trio, formed by the brothers Garza, has supplied listeners with a spirited, seasoned fusion of blues, rock, country and Tejano tones the band calls “Texican.” Their standout songs, “Staying with Me,” “More Than Love” and the 2004 hit “Heaven,” draw strength from the band’s tight-knit familial harmonies, heartening melodies and smoky, soulful grooves. Fleshing out that vision, Los Angeles Times writer Reed Johnson said the band has “absorbed the explosiveness of hip-hop beats, lending a contemporary urban vitality to their heroic vision of blues-rock.”

As delighted as listeners have been by records and radio tunes, the Grammy-winning group was most definitely built for the road. Calling them “fluent, intuitive players,” the Washington Post’s PostRock blog said the brothers “might be the best bar band in America.” Guitar licks that stir on radio soar live; pleasingly layered vocal tracks give way to the full force of up-close-and-personal harmonies; grooves that grab the casual listener can animate an entire audience. When the band plays Summerfest next week, they should do so with a renewed spark, having been back on the road for a short time since lesions found on bassist/singer Jojo Garza’s vocal cords compelled the band to cancel dates in April and May. Los Lonely Boys seem to be the sort of band that must be seen to truly be heard.

If there’s a major complaint to be made, Johnson articulated it well, writing “the trio’s Achilles’ heel remains its robust but interpretively limited vocal stylings and its lyrics, which tend toward well-worn sentiments. … It’d be nice to see them push their songwriting to the same sophisticated level as their musicianship. They have the talent and commitment to do it.” Hopefully, as Los Lonely Boys continue to transform themselves and transfer their live energy through recordings and songwriting, they’ll transcend their influences and be the sort of band others emulate years down the road.

Reach Aarik Danielsen at 573-815-1731 or e-mail ajdanielsen@

[senoRita]

Los Lonely Boys set to bring their sound to Ribfest

By Jessica Cilella | Daily Herald StaffContact writer

Los Lonely Boys bring their "Texican" rock to Naperville's Ribfest at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, July 1.

Although their claim to fame came in 2003 with the release of their self-titled album, Los Lonely Boys are far from being lonely seven years later.

With more than 40 shows before November, the trio is busy traveling the country, constantly surrounded by thousands of enthusiastic fans. A new album also is in the works, keeping the brothers occupied when they're not jamming with a crowd.

Despite their schedule, the band, which won a Grammy in 2005 for its song "Heaven" and ended up going multiplatinum with the self-titled album, made sure Naperville's Ribfest was on its list of tour stops for another year.

"We've enjoyed performing at Ribfest before and we are very excited to be coming back," JoJo Garza, the middle brother and bass guitarist for the band, wrote in an e-mail interview with the Daily Herald.

The boys will fill the festival with their unique "Texican" sound Thursday, July 1, at 6:30 p.m. on the U.S. Cellular North Stage.

Musical influences, brotherhood and, of course, saucy ribs are just a few topics Garza shared his thoughts on.

Q. Is it tiring to tour so much?

A. It gets a little tiring, but it's never tiring enough to want to stop. Maybe to take a little break.

Q. Have you ever been to Naperville before, and what did you think about it?

A. We've enjoyed performing at Ribfest before and, yes, we are very excited to be coming back.

Q. How do you like your ribs cooked?

A. About 5'5", blonde, oh ribs - just kidding. We like them cooked to the point they fall off the bone - and saucy!

Q. Where do you find inspiration for your music?

A. Inspiration comes from home, life, people. Basically, it comes from every corner of the world! We have our eyes and ears open, most importantly, our hearts! There's too much to talk about in this crazy life.

Q. What has it been like to grow as a musician with your two brothers?

A. It's been the best thing for us as familia and as co-workers. We are able to do things musically that most would have to work on to do on a normal basis. There's not a lot of questioning anymore, rather it's a lot more knowing.

Q. Is it difficult to be in a band with them sometimes?

A. No. We are able to work through any and every problem we encounter together. It actually makes it easier. I love my bros. God bless them.

Q. How has your life changed since winning a Grammy Award?

A. The only real changes I've noticed is that people seem to know us all over the place. Our time has become scarce due to constant work. Other than that, we pretty much have stayed the same. Always will.

Q. What is it like to work with Willie Nelson, and for him to have called you his favorite band?

A. To work with Willie was an absolute dream come true. It was actually our father's dream. We have been super blessed.

For him to say we were or are his favorite band is just jaw-dropping to me. There are so many great musicians out there; it makes us feel very special. Thanks, Willie.

Q. Who else do you like to tour or perform with and why?

A. We had the honor to jam with Carlos Santana. That was sick awesome! He's not only one of the greatest guitar legends to ever live, he's also one of the first Latino artists to really break things open for us and our people. Of course, we had Ritchie Valens, but he's right there.

Q. You are having a special free private acoustic performance for underprivileged kids at 1 p.m. Thursday, July 1, in Wentz Concert Hall at North Central College. Why did you decide to do this?

A: It was never our choice to put a price on good music. That damage was done before we were even here, but if it were up to me, music and or concerts would always be free. It's a way to show people that we want your time, your eyes and ears, not your money, and we want to give back as much as we can!

Q. Reports are that you have an album scheduled to be released toward the end of this year. If so, when can fans except to see the new album and what will they hear on it?

A. There is no actual release date as of yet, but we are working on a new record. Fans can expect one thing from this record: music you'll want to hear over and over again. You're gonna get Texican rock 'n' roll as usual, but it's got a sharper edge. It's gonna cut right through what people call music today. That's my take on it, hope fans feel the same!

[dragonfly383]

Los Lonely Boys gave a little slice of Heaven to some special fans on Thursday.

The band played a private concert at North Central College's Wentz Concert Hall for underprivileged and special needs families, giving a concert experience to children who may otherwise never experience one.

The performance was a prelude to their evening show at the Naperville Exchange Club's Ribfest. The club gave out 450 tickets for the private performance to area community groups such as NCO Youth and Family Services, Metropolitan Family Council and Loaves & Fishes Community Pantry.

"We work all year long on Ribfest in order to give these guys the funds they need to do the programs they need," said Don Emery with the Exchange Club. "To have the opportunity to bring 400 or 500 of them together to get a free concert ... is easy to do."

Los Lonely Boys, comprised of Garza brothers Henry, Ringo and JoJo - shared their "Texican" hits for just over an hour, strumming songs like "Hollywood," "Staying with Me," "Nobody Else" and their Grammy Award-winner, "Heaven."

In between, they encouraged children in the audience to work hard and follow their dreams.

"It's important for us to do as much as we can to give back, try to give time and hopefully some kind of inspiration to these children and the people that are having these hard times ... or even good times," bass guitarist JoJo said after the show.

Matt Kuecker, 24, who is in the Western DuPage Special Recreation Association's adult day program "Rec and Roll," had been listening to his Los Lonely Boys CD all week and got to the hall an hour early to get a front-row seat. He said he was excited to dance along to the music.

"It's very nice for the Exchange Club to do this for the children with special needs, especially a lot of them in wheelchairs that don't have to deal with the sun or the crowds," said Becky Phillips, whose daughter takes part in the "Rec and Roll" program.

After the show, the brothers stuck around to hand out drumsticks, sign autographs and snap pictures with each of their fans. Ringo even gave two boys an impromptu drum lesson.

Jan Urso of Naperville brought 10-year-old son Jack who is in the Naperville Police Department's Fastrack program that uses electronic technology to help find people with special needs if they go missing.

Urso was impressed by the band's musical talent and its generosity.

"They were just such performers and incredible, their instruments and their singing," she said.

"They just seem like they have hearts of gold and it's so nice of them to see their fans and come to this type of arena."

written by Melissa Jenco, Daily Herald staff

[desertgirl7]

Los Lonely Boys set to bring their sound to Ribfest

By Jessica Cilella | Daily Herald StaffContact writer

Los Lonely Boys bring their "Texican" rock to Naperville's Ribfest at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, July 1.

Although their claim to fame came in 2003 with the release of their self-titled album, Los Lonely Boys are far from being lonely seven years later.

With more than 40 shows before November, the trio is busy traveling the country, constantly surrounded by thousands of enthusiastic fans. A new album also is in the works, keeping the brothers occupied when they're not jamming with a crowd.

Despite their schedule, the band, which won a Grammy in 2005 for its song "Heaven" and ended up going multiplatinum with the self-titled album, made sure Naperville's Ribfest was on its list of tour stops for another year.

"We've enjoyed performing at Ribfest before and we are very excited to be coming back," JoJo Garza, the middle brother and bass guitarist for the band, wrote in an e-mail interview with the Daily Herald.

The boys will fill the festival with their unique "Texican" sound Thursday, July 1, at 6:30 p.m. on the U.S. Cellular North Stage.

Musical influences, brotherhood and, of course, saucy ribs are just a few topics Garza shared his thoughts on.

Q. Is it tiring to tour so much?

A. It gets a little tiring, but it's never tiring enough to want to stop. Maybe to take a little break.

Q. Have you ever been to Naperville before, and what did you think about it?

A. We've enjoyed performing at Ribfest before and, yes, we are very excited to be coming back.

Q. How do you like your ribs cooked?

A. About 5'5", blonde, oh ribs - just kidding. We like them cooked to the point they fall off the bone - and saucy!

Q. Where do you find inspiration for your music?

A. Inspiration comes from home, life, people. Basically, it comes from every corner of the world! We have our eyes and ears open, most importantly, our hearts! There's too much to talk about in this crazy life.

Q. What has it been like to grow as a musician with your two brothers?

A. It's been the best thing for us as familia and as co-workers. We are able to do things musically that most would have to work on to do on a normal basis. There's not a lot of questioning anymore, rather it's a lot more knowing.

Q. Is it difficult to be in a band with them sometimes?

A. No. We are able to work through any and every problem we encounter together. It actually makes it easier. I love my bros. God bless them.

Q. How has your life changed since winning a Grammy Award?

A. The only real changes I've noticed is that people seem to know us all over the place. Our time has become scarce due to constant work. Other than that, we pretty much have stayed the same. Always will.

Q. What is it like to work with Willie Nelson, and for him to have called you his favorite band?

A. To work with Willie was an absolute dream come true. It was actually our father's dream. We have been super blessed.

For him to say we were or are his favorite band is just jaw-dropping to me. There are so many great musicians out there; it makes us feel very special. Thanks, Willie.

Q. Who else do you like to tour or perform with and why?

A. We had the honor to jam with Carlos Santana. That was sick awesome! He's not only one of the greatest guitar legends to ever live, he's also one of the first Latino artists to really break things open for us and our people. Of course, we had Ritchie Valens, but he's right there.

Q. You are having a special free private acoustic performance for underprivileged kids at 1 p.m. Thursday, July 1, in Wentz Concert Hall at North Central College. Why did you decide to do this?

A: It was never our choice to put a price on good music. That damage was done before we were even here, but if it were up to me, music and or concerts would always be free. It's a way to show people that we want your time, your eyes and ears, not your money, and we want to give back as much as we can!

Q. Reports are that you have an album scheduled to be released toward the end of this year. If so, when can fans except to see the new album and what will they hear on it?

A. There is no actual release date as of yet, but we are working on a new record. Fans can expect one thing from this record: music you'll want to hear over and over again. You're gonna get Texican rock 'n' roll as usual, but it's got a sharper edge. It's gonna cut right through what people call music today. That's my take on it, hope fans feel the same!



Thanks for posting this Senorita! I love reading interviews with the Boys!

[senoRita]

You are very welcome! I love reading their interviews too. :)

[lovemusic]

There is a good article and pictures at the following link. Sorry it will not let me copy the story or pictures. The story is on pages 16-18.

http://issuu.com/mercadonuevo/docs/masmagazine_july_2010/17?mode=a_p

[lovemusic]

Gozamos
http://gozamos.com/2010/07/interview-henry-garza-of-los-lonely-boys/

Interview: Henry Garza of Los Lonely Boys
By Jose Luis Benavides on July 5, 2010

On June 29, 2010 the legendary rock band, Los Lonely Boys, played with Los Lobos in Grant Park for a massive crowd of eager fans. The Chicago summer sun beat down on the audience well into the evening, and the cool lake air offered brief, but pleasant relief, as Henry Garza (guitar and vocals) and his brothers, Ringo (drums, vocals) and Jojo (bass guitar, vocals) rocked out to their best songs. From backstage I caught sign of a young girl, in her mid 20’s sobbing in the audience, not in any hysterical fashion, but in a deep and moving way. She cried what seemed to be tears of joy and release, as she perhaps thought of a lost loved one, as LLB played their classic hit, “Heaven.”

The Garza brothers were surprised later that evening by a once-in-a-life-time guest performance with Robert Plant formerly of the classic rock band, Led Zeppelin. Backstage, after playing drums for Los Lobos throughout their set, Garza brother Ringo rejoiced, jovially jumping, his long hair bouncing with him. “I just played with Robert Plant, man. I can’t believe it,” Ringo exclaimed. The energy among the fan was, yet heartfelt. These brothers from San Angelo, TX were as earnest and eager to share the music they love today as when they started jamming out as kids, playing music for the first time with their father.

The audience, a sea of smiling faces, arms stretched out with their lighters almost lit for the stellar performance. The faces ranged from old to young, black, white, brown you name it, everyone unified in their love and admiration of the stellar line-up of performers. Taste of Chicago security, staff, vendors, police officers and fire fighters all lined the backstage area for a chance to catch a glimpse of this historic rock ‘n roll moment.

Henry’s energy and enthusiasm, his endearing voice and absolute sincerity carried from on stage into our interview, proving Los Lonely Boys music just as relevant today as when they first started playing the songs they grew up listening to with their dad. I was moved by Henry’s openness, his warmth and his tenderness in our conversation. I felt like I was really talking to a friend, a sibling or a confidant. Garza opens up our conversation with a heartfelt and inviting, “What’s up, brother? How are you.” And that’s exactly the kind of man Henry Garza is, a brother to all his fans and an enigmatic musician, strong in his belief that music brings people together.

Henry, what’s one of your earliest memories with music?
Man, music starts for us with our dad. Our dad taught us to play. Me personally, I can remember when he gave me my first guitar, playing some boogy woogy at 4 or 5 years old. Our father is a musician and our mother sings. We grew up in a musical house. Our music stems from our roots, conjunto music. That’s what our parents were playing. Our dad was always writing and performing, and our mom was always singing.

What did you grow up listening to?
We grew up listening to everything from conjuntos to corridos, the Beatles to Richie Valens. We loved Chuck Barry too, and even some country stuff. Really for us, our dad was the one who wrote all those songs. We would hear him playing a cover of something and didn’t event know it was a cover. When we heard those songs on the radio, we said, hey they’re playing your song, dad. For me it ranges from all different kinds of guitars, Los Lobos, Santana, Jimmy Hendrix.

When did you decide you were going to be a musician?
We’ve been working as a family, as a family of three sons, that was a our means of survival. We’ve been doing that ever since we were little bitty vatos. Ringo must have been 9 or 10 years old. I must have been 13. For us it was never about the money. It was a learning experience, and a blessing to make our music together. Growing up on the road, I wouldn’t wish that on anyone. But it taught as molded us into who we are today.

What was it like recording your first album?
We had already written a lot of music, Kevin in Austin, TX. Willie Nelson’s nephew saw us play one time. “He comes up to us and tells us he’s Willie Nelson’s nephew and we were like whatever, yeah right. We did a gig, and sure enough Willie Nelson came in and watched us play. We became real close. When somebody like that takes an eye to you, and takes you under their wing, that’s inspiring. Even if Willie hadn’t stuck with us it, it’s like, ‘hey look Willie Nelson’s check them out. Lets check them out.’ We started recording in the study soon after that. If Willie woulda showed up and didn’t like us it wouldn’t have mattered to us. You gotta keep at it because people are always looking.

What were some of the challenges, or issues you faced entering the music scene?
We went through a lot of things, from racism to simpler stuff like the way we were living. I think like any family, we had family problems, issues. Losing a son, when I was 18 years old. That’s where the music comes from, deep inside. What God has entrusted us with is to make the music. My brothers remember lots of stuff too. It’s trying out there. I was blessed with more kids after the death of my son. I’m blessed with a real family, real music. Trying to provide for your family is hard. We’re living proof that you can make dreams happen. What ever you do, if you do it from the heart and with a lot of hard work.

You mentioned racism? What was going on?
We were 3 Mexican dudes with our dad. There were some places, I remember, where we walked in and they’d shout, “get those Mexicans off the stage.” We were young kids, man. Then we’d start playing, “Your cheating heart,” and we saw their faces change. Being young, I don’t know if you have any nieces, or nephews, but children are fearless. We were young when that was going on. And even today, it’s still happening. It’s everywhere and not just with us. We just experienced it through the industry and the business. We not with our skin color, but with our music.
Our skin color speaks for itself.

We believe in the music spirit. Music knows no color. Let the music speak through the human spirit. Just as a human being, not as a Mexican American. Where’s the heart? Where’s the love? This land is your land. This land is my land. This land was made from you and me. Who says a piece of paper owns anything. We have to take care of ourselves. I’m in Chicago, looking at different colored people walking around, because where they are right now is getting away from TV. That’s what’s beautiful about the music. You can get away for 2 hours. You can go vent.

That’s what’s hard about being Latino. We didn’t have anybody standing up for our rights yet.

What does it feel like when you’re on stage? Does it still feel the same way it did when you first started making music?
When I was growing up on the road we didn’t ever go to concerts. We see those faces smiling, now. It still feels magical. Like you really don’t know where it comes from. It’s still that natural. It still feels pure. We love playing and making music. Putting a smile on someone’s face, a tap to your feet, a tear in your eye. I believe music is for the soul. It’s always been like that for me. I thank our dad for that.

[senoRita]

What a great interview. Thanks for posting it, Bela.:cool:

[Amor]

What a beautiful and heartwarming interview. It justs makes me take a deep breath and so amazingly thankful that I know The Boys and have that priviledge. It's strange, but Henry, JoJo and Ringo see themselves differently than us fans do...they represent to me love, peace, honesty, trustworthy, compassionate, true to themselves, and last, BUT DEFINITELY NOT LEAST, magnificient talent!!!! ...and so much more in between that.

I just want to hug them and say thank you and I love them...simple and from my heart.

[lovemusic]

How far is Heaven?
Los Lonely Boys fans will find it Saturday at Whataburger Field
Richard Guerrero Jr./Special to the Caller-Times
Corpus Christi Caller Times
Posted July 9, 2010 at 3:33 a.m.
http://www.caller.com/news/2010/jul/09/how-far-is-heaven/?partner=RSS

CORPUS CHRISTI — An odd thing happened on the way to a new Los Lonely Boys album — the band’s first post-major label release: Life, unfortunately, got in the way.

Put more specifically, bassist/vocalist JoJo Garza learned he had lesions on his vocal cords in April, forcing the band to cancel a string of tour dates and delay the release of the act’s first full-length studio album of original material since 2009’s “Forgiven.”

“My voice specialist told me it’s vital to take care of this medical issue now if I want to continue making music,” said the bassist/vocalist in an April post on the band’s website. “Nothing is more important to me than sharing this passion with my fans, so I cannot ignore this problem.”

Corpus Christi fans need not worry. The San Angelo-bred band already is back on the road and is set to make the most of a Corpus Christi Hooks postgame concert at Whataburger Field on Saturday.

Garza said in an e-mail interview that although the band’s original plans for a new album have fallen through, Los Lonely Boys look to begin working on a new album following an extensive tour leg across the U.S. through September, as well as a three-day stint in the Netherlands.

“A lot of things were put on hold due to that factor,” Garza said. “They found some abnormalities on my vocal cords. I’m recovering very quickly and very well now. We will resume progress (on the album) very soon.”

A fiery blues rock trio comprised of brothers Henry, Ringo and JoJo, Los Lonely Boys first turned Coastal Bend heads with an explosive performance at the “Blues on the Bay” festival shortly after the release of the band’s eponymous album.

The band’s major-label debut spawned a crossover hit, “Heaven,” which charted on the Billboard Hot 100, the Adult Contemporary chart and Hot Country Songs chart in 2004. Highlights since include a full-band appearance on the Carlos Santana album, “All That I Am,” and more recently, winning the “Best Rock Band” award in March at the Austin Music Awards.

Los Lonely Boys split with Epic after the band released a covers CD-EP of songs released at the end of the Age of Aquarius titled “1969” in October. For the project, the band chose to balance traditional bar band material such as The Doors’ “Roadhouse Blues” with more esoteric choices such as Blind Faith’s “Well All Right” and Tony Joe White’s “Polk Salad Annie.”

“A few (of the covers) were from our days way back when,” Garza said. “‘Polk Salad Annie’ and ‘Well Alright’ were new to us but are very cool tunes. ”

Following the band’s current run of dates, Los Lonely Boys plan to return to Willie Nelson’s famed Pedernales recording studio to track their first album for their newly formed label, Lonelytone.

While their upcoming recording effort will be the first for the fledging label, Los Lonely Boys are hardly strangers to the do-it-yourself motto: The band self-released its first two albums in the late ‘90s following a fruitless effort to secure a record deal in Nashville some years before.

“We started our own label, Lonelytone Records, so that we could be in control of our recordings,” Garza said. “(Austin-based) Playing in Traffic Records handles the promotion, marketing and distribution for our label.”

Garza offered precious few details about the new recording project except to say that the band is planning to record a few guest appearances for possible inclusion on the album. “All (of the) songs are written by us. We are doing some collaborative efforts as well,” he said. “It’s always good to try something else, but that does not mean that it always makes the record.”

[mamacitaRuth]

There is a great blog piece written by the lead singer of Making Movies --- the band that opened for LLB in KC. He has many good things to say about that night!

http://cafemagazine.com/index.php/component/myblog/guest-blogs-making-movies-open-up-for-los-lonely-boys-in-kansas-city.html

Guest Blogs: Making Movies open for Los Lonely Boys

As guest segments, we will be featuring musicians who tell their side of the story. Whether they open up for big acts or have an amazing tour, they choose to share their experiences with Café Con Música.

In this installment of the guest blog, Enrique Chi and Juan-Carlos Chaurand of Making Movies, share their experiences as the opening act for Los Lonely Boys at the Voodoo Lounge in Kansas City.

http://cafemagazine.com/images/bloggers/561/MM-one-sheet-(RGB).jpg

By Enrique Chi, lead vocalist and guitarist for Making Movies

Having the opportunity to play a sold-out show with seasoned musicians is always exciting and a bit intimidating. We got the call about the gig while on tour on our way to Austin, TX (coincidentally where Los Lonely Boys honed their chops) and so we were excited to have something great to come home to.

The day of the show, we we felt like "cholitos en la ciudad." Making Movies is so used to being a punk band (in our DIY attitude not so much sound) that we were like, "You mean we don't have to get dressed in the van, we can eat the catering so we don't have to eat our own arroz con frijoles, you have staff to help us load in, and you got us our favorite whiskey?" I guess we still aren't used to that kind of treatment. Our set felt great, and the 1,500 Los Lonely Boys fans were very open to our sound. Their crowd was extremely diverse both in age and ethnicity I remember spotting a 45-year-old red-haired lady just dancing away to our music.

Los Lonely Boys went on about 9 pm and they are truly a great live band. Their bass player Jojo fills up so much space with this lines and chording that their trio sounds like a freight train. They played so tightly and kept the music interesting for over 2 1/2 hours. I can see why they continue packing venues. They are a mulit-platinum Grammy-winning act yet were still so humble. They all introduced themselves to us, listened to our set and graciously took pictures with us for fans. I always like to learn as much from successful musicians and that night my biggest lesson was in humility. They treated their audience like it was an honor to play for them and the audience reciprocated the feeling. We were taking detailed notes.

By Juan-Carlos Chaurand, percussionist for Making Movies

We found out we were gonna open for Los Lonely Boys we were on the way back from our Texas tour, which is a little ironic since they are from Texas. We had just played in their state and got great feedback. I was excited and realized this was a great opportunity for us.

We opened the show and played in front of a sold-out crowd which was a diverse crowd but at the same time mainly white or Caucasian (if you want to be politically correct). At first it was a little intimidating because we weren't sure how the crowd would react, but the more we got into our set the more we saw women dancing off to the side and people clapping there hands and bobbing their heads to the rhythms of our music. So by the end of our set everyone seemed to enjoy it and gave us a wonderful response. One of the ladies who worked for the venue was on their Twitter page talking highly about us as we were playing.

We got off stage and went to pack up our stuff and there were Los Lonely Boys. They all came up to us and introduced themselves to us and Jojo (the bass player) said, "You guys f*ing rocked!" So of course we all were very happy with that comment.

PS. Mamacita, I hope you don't mind my putting the actual article in your post. I find it easier to read and we have a permanent record in case the other site archives their content. Bela

[senoRita]

Los Lonely Boys

Los Lonely Boys at the Tropicana Pavilion
Published: Tuesday, August 10, 2010 4:47 PM MDT
When someone is blessed with a gift and depends on that gift to feed his soul and provide sustenance for the body and is then faced with the possibility of losing that gift, the world seems to stop.

Welcome to Jojo Garza’s reality. Earlier this year, doctors discovered lesions on Jojo’s vocal cords. He underwent surgery and he and his brothers Henry and Ringo were forced to cancel tour dates of their band Los Lonely Boys through May. The Garzas are a faithful, heavy-believers-in-a-higher-power group of guys who don’t take their successes lightly—nor let their setbacks get them down. They trusted in their faith and it paid off. Jojo is on the mend and the boys are back out on the road, taking things easy—but not too easy. Let’s just say ZZ Top aren’t the only boys from Texas who can blow the doors off a roadhouse.

Los Lonely Boys emerged as a group in the 1990s and immediately proceeded to make some serious waves in the sea of music that is the Texas scene. They’ve caught the attention of Carlos Santana, who took the guys under his wing and included them on a national tour—and later perform on his album All That I Am. Willie Nelson invited them to record at his Pedernales Studio because he took a shine to their innovative style and musical integrity.

These are some impressive endorsement from two different directions of musical styles.

And the praise and assistance was warranted. Los Lonely Boys went directly to the top of the music charts with their debut single, “Heaven,” which also earned them a Grammy.

While they’re not new to the music scene, there’s still a good chance that some people don’t know about Los Lonely Boys.

Consisting of Henry (guitar, vocals), Ringo (drums, vocals, and Jojo (bass, vocals), the San Angelo natives are continuing the tradition of their father, Enrique Garza, Sr., who formed a band with his brothers called The Falcones. The Falcones played conjunto music in southern Texas during the ‘70s and ‘80s up until one of the brothers passed away. Enrique continued to tour on his own with his sons becoming his backup band. Then the “kids” wanted to do their own thing, so they hit the ground running, armed with their talent and natural vocal blend that only brothers can pull off. They also had the wisdom for crafting songs with lyrics that extend beyond their years.

To date, Los Lonely Boys has released three studio albums, two live albums and a Christmas album. “Heaven” topped the Billboard adult contemporary chart, reached the Top 40 on Billboard’s Hot 100 and crossed over to the Hot Country Songs chart.

Last year they recorded an EP that paid tribute to an era of music that inspired their music entitled, 1969. Lending their Latin rhythms, harmonies and spin, they recorded Santana’s “Evil Ways,” The Beatles “She Came In Through the Bathroom Window,” Tony Joe White’s “Polk Salad Annie,” The Doors “Roadhouse Blues,” and Blind Faith’s “Well All Right.”

The Garza brothers play a style of music they dub “Texican rock ‘n roll,” combining elements of rock and roll, blues, soul, country and Tejano. Their songs about slices of life and love combine Stevie Ray Vaughan blues, Santana-style guitar licks, R&B with their own roots in conjunto serving as the foundation.

We recently caught up with Jojo Garza in a phone interview. Here’s how it went:

Q. First of all, we were sorry to hear about your vocal injury. What a scary situation to find yourself in. How are you doing now?

J.G. It sure was big and scary, but so many people were praying for me and sending their love to meand my brothers. Despite the whole situation, it was cool to see how many people really do care. Right now, I still notice a little difficulty and I’m still recovering, but it’s not as bad as it was a couple of months ago.

Q. Not being able to sing and tour must have had a big impact.

J.G. It had an impact that completely stretched to the extended family members and beyond. It didn’t just effect me and my brothers. That’s when I realized it was time to make a change. I’d just turned 30 at the same time. Talk about a big wake-up call from God, saying “Hey, let’s try something else here.” It’s important that I listen. I definitely want to keep singing with my brothers.

Q. So what new projects are you working on? Wasn’t there an album in the works last time we talked?

J.G. There was an album but that came to a halt due to the surgery. Work on that won’t start until later this year.

Recently, we’ve done an acoustic tour that went over very well and we’re in the process of recording some of those live performances. We’ve picked the best songs from the best places. The CD is called Keep On Giving. It’s coming out next month—or within the next two months. It’s about peeling off the layers—that’s why we really dig these acoustic shows; catching the rawness of what music is about. People walk away with something more than what they're getting at an electric show. I don’t know if intimacy is the right word—I guess it is. We talk a lot more. It’s a softer, more mellow way for people to really connect with us. It’s like being at a party with friends and there’s a fire and someone’s passing the guitar around. Someone sings and you see who can play the guitar and pretty soon there’s that cat who can get everyone jamming around a fire.

Q. Do you guys do that when you’re just hanging out too?

J.G. All the time. Sometimes we’re at a birthday party and someone will have to remind us that, “hey, we’re having a birthday party.” But we wind up in a room, jamming. It’s a constant thing.

Of course, we’re also regular people. We like to go to the movies, go out to dinner and hang with our kids and girls.

Q. Tell us about the 1969 project?

J.G. We are all about our own material—but last year was the 40th anniversary of 1969, so we wanted to hop on that train. We just wanted to pay tribute to a few good tunes from that year, and the few we recorded, barely chipped away at the great music of that era. We wanted to capitalize on that and share our love of these songs. We also wanted to have something out so people know we’re still here and doing things a little different.

For the 50th year, we’re talking about recording another five tunes.

Q. Do you have a favorite song from that release?

J.G. My favorite is “Well All Right.” Buddy Holly recorded it, but we didn’t know the song that much. Steve Winwood with Blind Faith recorded it, too, and they didn’t do too much with that song. We got on it, learned the lyrics, learned the keys and played it. We got a good vibe with it. It’s a good song to hear on the radio.

Q. Speaking of which, how important is it to you guys to get your songs on radio?

J.G. For us, it’s all about the music. Each song has it’s own life and you never know whether it will ever make it to radio. There’s nothing too commercial about the songs on our upcoming release. If it happens one of them gets on the radio, that’s cool—but we just want to spread the music.

Q. You guys have earned a lot of respect from musicians like Carlos Santana and Willie Nelson. What does that mean to you? It would seem that it would mean more than one more trophy for the mantle.

A. I couldn’t have said it any better. I completely agree. That’s when you know it’s real. When the guys who have the talent and have worked hard to earn respect—guys who have been there and have been playing the music—come up to the young cats from San Angelo and say we “had the light”... that’s a serious compliment. We were like, “Okay, if you say so, but we just believe in Christ and God and we’re also humble. We don’t know about carrying a light.

Q. Which one of you is the most stubborn about getting the music just right?

J.G. We all care about what we’re giving to people. Also, to each his own. Henry is serious about his guitar, Ringo feels the same about the drums and I’m that way about the bass, and we’re always helping each other in the process. We’re all picky. I might be the most picky, maybe.

Q. Have you ever had to record a song you didn’t want to? Have you always been in charge of your own destiny?

J.G. Of course, that’s always been the way of Los Lonely Boys. We had a great run with Epic Records. We’ve also told them what they could do with certain songs. We did it in the most affectionate way. We always made our own choices with people trying to help us make the right choices.

The fans have always been great and we listen to the fans.

Q. Has there ever been a song too personal to record?

J.G. It’s all about sharing—even when it gets personal. Maybe it’s a therapy thing, but what’s going on in the world happens to all of us— some have the ability to share—while some people honor us by paying attention to what we’re saying, lending that ear.

Q. What’s in store for Laughlin this trip? Are you going “acoustic?” That seems to be the wave at the moment.

J.G. We’re bringing some Texican rock and roll and we’re coming hard core. Every night we hear what people are saying about the show and they’re digging what we’ve been doing the last few dates. We’re on a different road, doing things different and sometimes it’s a two-hour show. I’m thinking we might keep rocking and rocking until the cows come home.

We’re bringing a good time—it’s brotherhood, family-hood, love and a good time. We might just hang out. I’m not sure if we’ll do any acoustic sets—those tend to be a little mellow. Right now, we’re going electric. We gotta plug in.

http://www.laughlinentertainer.com/articles/2010/08/10/news/cover/doc4b8da524e3399714533142.txt

[velvetsky0222]

That was a fabulous interview. So many questions answered. Thanks senoRITA.

[Belle]

I agree with Jeanette - great interview. Thanks, Rita, for putting it up here! :cool:




.

[cre8ivepoet]

Google alert:

http://www.marionstar.com/article/20101014/NEWS01/10140305/Artists-go-acoustic-at-Palace

BY KURT MOORE • The Marion Star • October 14, 2010

MARION -- Two acts will bring music back to its roots this weekend at the Marion Palace Theatre.

Folk singer Peter Oyloe will present his thinking man's folk sound to the Downtown Marion theater Friday as he plays an 8 p.m. show at the May Pavilion. Grammy Award-winning Los Lonely Boys, whose first single "Heaven" reached number one on Billboard's Adult Contemporary Chart, will bring its Texican rock to the main Palace stage at 8 p.m. Saturday.

Both Oyloe and Los Lonely Boys' Jojo Garza talk about taking music back to the basics, breaking out the acoustic guitars and paying homage to the greats of yesteryear while stamping a little bit of themselves onto the process.

"I think Los Lonely Boys are more like homemade cookies than Chips Ahoy," said Garza, who plays with his brothers Henry Garza and Ringo Garza Jr.

"We sing all the parts and perform it all."

LOS LONELY BOYS

When asked to describe the band's music, Jojo Garza answers quickly.

"Good music and real music."

The band calls its sound a Texican rock 'n' roll. It is a mixture of rock and blues, soul and country naturally infused with the band's own Latin sound.

"It's a collaboration of music from the beginning of time," said Garza, who said he and his brothers continue to splice together different styles of music to produce their own. "Once you solidify yourself you may as well just be a statue. It's never going to stay the same."

He said that splicing doesn't mean getting away from the roots. Listeners will only hear real instruments, no synthesizers or computerized loops. Some of the music will be played acoustically.

Los Lonely Boys have played with music legends such as Willie Nelson, Ronnie Milsap and Santana. Garza said they all treated the band like family, including Nelson who let them use his music studio. He said the Mexican-American rock guitarist Santana told them they are now carrying the musical "torch" of Latin-influenced music once carried by the late Ritchie Valens and then by Santana.

Los Lonely Boys hit the music charts with "Heaven" in 2004, topping Billboard's Adult Contemporary Chart and reaching the Top 40 on the Billboard Top 100. Once with Epic, the band is now under its own label, Lonely Tone Records, which is affiliated with the label Playing In Traffic Records founded by Los Lonely Boys' manager Kevin Wommack.

The band is touring in support of its newest release, "Keep on Giving: Acoustic Live!" released on Sept. 28. The album contains moments from Los Lonely Boys' Acoustic Brotherhood Tour."

Work on another album was postponed because of some health problems of Jojo's, but he said everyone is now back to work and he expects a new album to be released in 2011.

Local musician Devin Christopher Harbolt Davila Miller, who competed in the Palace Theatre's Lights, Camera, Amateurs talent show earlier in 2010, will open for the band.

Tickets for Los Lonely Boys are on sale for $25, $30 and $40 depending on seating preference. College rush tickets are available in the box office an hour before the show at a cost of $10 each. Students must present a student photo ID.

[lovemusic]

Los Lonely Boys: Tex-Mex trio goes acoustic on tour
http://www.vindy.com/news/2010/oct/14/los-lonely-boys-tex-mex-trio-goes-acoust/?newswatch
Published: Thu, October 14, 2010 @ 12:00 a.m.If you go
Who: Los Lonely Boys
When: 8 p.m. Friday
Where: Stambaugh Auditorium, 1000 5th Ave., Youngstown
Tickets: Call 330-743-2717
Place:Stambaugh Auditorium
1000 Fifth Ave., Youngstown


Originally the plan this year called for the Los Lonely Boys to continue touring and also finish up recording a new album; however, fate stepped in this past spring when bassist-vocalist Jojo Garza was diagnosed with a serious vocal-chord injury.

Thankfully, the Texas native made a full recovery, but the band still wanted to get something new to its fans. That’s when the decision was made to release “Keep on Giving: Acoustic Live,” a 13-track, unplugged affair featuring its No. 1 single “Heaven” along with a Tex-mex cover of The Rolling Stones’ “Beast of Burden.”

“We did a few acoustic shows in the past and thought it was a really cool thing,” said Garza, calling from San Angelo, Texas.

“A lot of people really seemed to dig how it was a little bit mellow and more intimate. So, I think, it was just a good way to show people how songs are written and how we can jam songs out all day long but we can also break them down and still make them sound alright. To be honest, playing acoustically for me is a whole different perspective. It sounds completely undressed and raw, and there is nothing to cover up anything. It’s a guitar, bass, set of drums and three vocals.”

The platinum Los Lonely Boys — Garza with his brothers Henry (guitar, vocals) and Ringo (drums, vocals) — arrived on the music scene in 2004 with a bang on the guitar-heavy jam “Heaven,” which epitomized not only the group’s power trio sound but also its deep spiritual beliefs.

Since then, the threesome has explored the boundaries of its Tejano-influenced, roots-rock-inspired sound across a few studio albums. Though it may not have come close to achieving the same level of mainstream success, the group’s lone massive hit succeeded in creating a loyal fan base allowing it to tour nonstop.

Garza is optimistic the band’s following will be excited about its next studio album, tentatively due out in 2011. Already, Los Lonely Boys are debuting a new untitled song on the acoustic tour, which comes to Youngstown on Friday at Stambaugh Auditorium.

“It’s a pretty cool tune,” Garza said. “It’s beyond up-tempo. It’s push, push, push the entire time. This is kind of unique because we’ve incorporated a traditional dance and style of music of the Mexican heritage. So we use that basis and incorporate some things we’ve learned along the years. I think virtually that we created a kind of staple in rock history. I shouldn’t probably say that — and you probably shouldn’t print that — because everybody has an opinion.

“But when you can incorporate something that goes as far back as 60 years or more and make it sound fresh, I think it’s a good thing. I think it’s definitely going to stick with people, and they’ll be like, that’s definitely rock ’n’ roll there, and that’s Texas-ican rock ’n’ roll.”

Sticking with people is something the Los Lonely Boys have been doing since day one. Garza admits the threesome’s longevity is equally perplexing and inspiring.

“From day one it’s been a mystery to us, but I’ll tell you what, we’re very thankful, and I think what a lot of people do get from it is we try to be regular people,” Garza said. “We invite everyone in, and we’re family. Also, we’re not afraid to show our spiritual side and talk about that if people want to talk about that. I just think there are a lot of things people can connect with us about just being human beings, and that’s one of the reasons they keep coming back, for sure.”

[senoRita]

Los Lonely brothers grateful for musical giftsBy Rege Behe, PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Thursday, October 14, 2010

After selling millions of records and winning a Grammy Award, Los Lonely Boys could have moved to Nashville, Los Angeles, New York or any other musical mecca to enhance their career.

But the trio of brothers -- Henry, Jo Jo and Ringo Garza -- still make their home in San Angelo, a mid-sized Texas city in the middle of the Longhorn state.

"This is our roots," says Jo Jo Garza in advance of the band's appearance Tuesday at the Pepsi-Cola Roadhouse in Burgettstown. "We are who we are because of this place. And to be honest with you, San Angelo is a really nice place to raise a family. It's not too big, not too small, and it's always been pretty good to us."

The Garza brothers, in turn, have been pretty good to their fans. The trio's new release -- "Keep on Giving: Acoustic Brotherhood Live!" -- features a mix of originals and covers. The title is instructive. Talking to Jo Jo Garza for even a few minutes indicates he isn't a typical musician.

For starters, he doesn't think his talent gives him special standing.

"God has blessed us all with gifts," he says. "Not all of us are on stage, not all of are building or designing skyscrapers. Not all of us are working in skyscrapers. We're all here for a reason, brother, and for us to be able to have the gift of music, to be taught that all things in our lives are a gift, is a beautiful thing. As we've gotten older, we see that through the shows we've played and the people we've met."

Jo Jo Garza has particular reason to be grateful. Earlier this year, lesions were found on his vocal chords, forcing the cancellation of a tour and setting back the release of an album of new material. He says he's now fully recovered, and the band is committed to finishing the record.

In the interim, "Keep on Giving," recorded in Colorado earlier this year, showcases a rawer, more intimate Los Lonely Boys sound that's stripped down to the basics.

"It's definitely a little more personal, musically," Garza says. "That's the way we write most of our songs. When we share that side of the music with people, it's kind of special."

"Keep on Giving" also illustrates the band's diversity. If Los Lonely Boys chose, they could be a dynamite cover band, if their versions of the Beatles' "She Came in Through the Bathroom Window," Santana's "Evil Ways" and "Beast of Burden" are any indication.

The latter especially is surprising because it was the first time Jo Jo Garza played the Rolling Stones song.

"My approach when you play somebody else's song, if you can't at least do it like they did it, don't do it," he says. "If you can, you should be able to make it your own at that point. We're not playing any of these songs to make them better, because they are already as good as it gets. It's really an honor for us to put our fingerprints on it and say 'Hey, we really dig this song.' "

Garza says his health scare made him take stock of his life. He admits, "I am just 30, but there are a lot of miles on this 30."

Whatever happens in the future, he's acknowledges his present good fortune.

"I wouldn't change it for the world," he says, "because I wouldn't be who I am today. I'm very thankful to the Good Lord that we are still kicking and moving in the right direction. Or at least trying to."

http://http://pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/ae/music/s_704142.html

[lovemusic]

Excerpt from Dana Fuchs' Blog:
Thursday, September 23, 2010

http://danafuchsblog.blogspot.com/2010/10/died-gone-to-telluride.html

Also, I want to thank our dear friends who joined us for the great Tegelen Bluesrock Festival in The Netherlands last month. We were so excited to play before (& then hang out with after) one of our fave bands & new friends the Los Lonely Boys. Their show was just incredible. Everyone should see these guys live. I just watched the documentary on them called: Los Lonely Boys: Cottonfields to Crossroads. So touching and inspiring. The guys are truly the real deal!!!

[senoRita]

With brother recovered, Los Lonely Boys return
Intelligencer Journal
Lancaster New Era
Oct 21, 2010 16:23 EST

JoJo Garza feared the worst.

When doctors earlier this year found lesions on the vocal cords of the bassist and singer for Los Lonely Boys, Garza got scared.

His thoughts turned to the music he makes with his brothers, guitarist/singer Henry Garza and drummer/singer Ringo Garza.

"I thought it might be the big 'C', brother," Garza says during a telephone interview. "I thought that maybe I would never again get to sing with my brothers. It was terrible."

Happily, the diagnosis wasn't that dire.

His vocal cords were damaged but not diseased. There was nothing that rest and recuperation wouldn't heal.

"What a relief," says Garza, 30. "It's hard to describe. But that doesn't mean it was easy to shut it down, even for a little while."

Garza's health problems forced Los Lonely Boys, which will perform Sunday night at the Forum in Harrisburg, off the road -- painful for a band that tours incessantly.

His woes also ended the band's recording sessions for what would have been Los Lonely Boys' fourth studio album, which the band planned to release this fall.

The brothers had to, at least temporarily, shelve those plans so JoJo Garza's vocal cords could heal.

After a couple of months of complete rest, he had to ease back into singing, performing one night and then taking a couple off.

Garza has passed every test administered by his doctors and says he's feeling great and ready to tackle the rigors of an extended tour.

"Nothing's better than being on-stage," he says.

The brothers had planned to tour behind the studio album this fall. With those plans in disarray, they decided to fill the void by releasing a live album -- "Keep On Giving: Acoustic Live."

The album gives fans a different musical slant on some of the band's most famous songs, including the Grammy-winning "Heaven," and includes some surprises.

Fellow Texan musicians Alejandro Escovedo and Carrie Rodriguez help out on "Heaven" and also are featured on a cover of the Rolling Stones' "Beast of Burden."

"We'd never played that one before, brother," Garza says with a laugh. "Alejandro wanted to do that one so we said, 'Go for it; you lead and we'll follow.' "

The album also includes versions of "Senorita" and the minor hit "More Than Love," and two other covers, the Beatles' "She Came in Through the Bathroom Window" and Santana's "Evil Ways."

Electric versions of the latter two songs also are included on the 2009 EP "1969," which features five songs released that year.

"I'd like to do another one of those," Garza says. "There was so much great music made that year."

Before that, however, Garza says they will release some music of their own. The band plans to return to the studio later this year to complete the delayed studio album and, hopefully, have it ready for release early in 2011.

The Garza brothers were destined to become musicians as their father, Enrique Garza, and his brothers, had a band called the Falcones that played in southern Texas in the 1970s and 1980s.

The senior Garza recruited his own sons as his backing band before they decided to branch out on their own.

The brothers released their self-titled debut in 2004 and the single "Heaven" became an immediate hit, reaching No. 1 on billboard's adult contemporary chart and later winning a Grammy for best pop performance by a duo or group.

Los Lonely Boys has released two subsequent studio albums -- "Sacred" in 2006 and "Forgiven" in 2008.

"Nothin' beats playing with your brothers," Garza says. "Nothin'."

Los Lonely Boys

Sun. 8 p.m. $25-$45
Whitaker Center at the Forum

[lovemusic]

Keep on Giving: Acoustic Live!
http://www.allmusic.com/album/keep-on-giving-acoustic-live-r1961635/review

Offering a different side of their stage persona, the three brothers who are the Texas trio Los Lonely Boys compile an all-acoustic album from two shows taped in Colorado during March of 2010. The 13 songs on Keep on Giving: Acoustic Live! are taken from the band's three studio albums and previously issued live shows. Interestingly, in some ways Los Lonely Boys come off more energetically than they do on their electric dates. There is much more at stake in an acoustic setting: energy needs to be projected by musical ability rather than volume. This is displayed vocally in the seamless three-part harmonies of "Senorita," "More Than Love," and "Crazy Dream" especially. The blazing guitar/bass interplay between Henry and JoJo Garza is still extant everywhere here, but it's tighter. Since Ringo's drum kit is the same size, the pair has little choice but to push dynamically to remain out in front (check out the long instrumental intro and solo sections of "Oye Mamacita"). The sound here has an as-it-happened, raw and gritty quality -- not a board tape, but it hasn't been doctored, either. What makes this set worthwhile for those who already have the band's catalog items is the inclusion of covers. Spirited, passionate readings of material by Santana ("Evil Ways"), the Rolling Stones ("Beast of Burden"), and the Beatles ("She Came in Through the Bathroom Window") supplement the band's material especially well. The encores, "Beast of Burden" and the hit "Heaven" (of course), feature guest spots by Alejando Escovedo and Carrie Rodriguez, adding to the net value of this set for fans.

[lovemusic]

Live: Los Lonely Boys, Houston
http://30daysout.wordpress.com/2010/11/29/live-los-lonely-boys-houston/

http://30daysout.files.wordpress.com/2010/11/los-lonely-boys-1.jpg?w=389&h=285

I can’t think of a better way to kick off the holidays than with some live music, and Saturday’s casual in-store performance by Los Lonely Boys at Houston’s Cactus Music and Record Ranch fit the bill. LLB, from San Angelo, have been kicking around since 1997 with a smooth blend of Tejano, country and soul, all topped with some fiery guitar work from elder brother Henry Garza. When they hit the little stage on Saturday, the (free) beer from St. Arnold Brewing Company was flowing and so was the good will.

The Garza brothers, including Jojo on second acoustic guitar and vocals (he plays bass in a more conventional concert setting) and Ringo (drums) on shaker, welcomed the crowd like family and kicked with “Oye Mamacita” and “Crazy Dream.” The strong suit here is the Boys’ harmony, showcased to perfection on a cover of the Beatles’ “She Came In Through The Bathroom Window.” They brought it all home with a glittering acoustic version of their Top 20 hit “Heaven.”

One knock on the Boys is that they are slow workers – they haven’t released many albums since their big breakthrough in 2004 and were working on only their fourth studio album for release this fall when Jojo encountered vocal cord troubles. But he sounded fine on Saturday, and let’s hope we can get more of their “Texican Rock and Roll” out into circulation soon. Their latest album is a live affair, titled Keep On Giving: Acoustic Live! and it features a couple guest appearances by Texas favorites Alejandro Escovedo and Carrie Rodriguez.

[Belle]

From Adam Coronado, San Antonio Current

http://sacurrent.com/music/story.asp?id=71772

Before writing this piece, when the words “Los Lonely Boys” came up, I thought only of a bluesy pop trio of Richie Valenses doing Stevie Ray Vaughan impressions in music videos that look like they were shot in the ’90s. The Mexican-American trio’s songs are comprised of melody sugar and harmony codeine. Their playing is skillful, but always puts likeability ahead of daring or discomfort. I was more than disappointed to find that searching the band on stuffwhitepeoplelike.com yielded the result “Sorry, but you are looking for something that isn’t here.” Somebody get on that, I thought.

But then I watched guitarist Henry Garza’s face-melting performance of “Onda” at the 2007 Rochester International Jazz Festival.

“I’ve never heard another band that plays so much based on feel,” local singer-songwriter Lynette Brehm recently told me in the band’s defense.

She’s dead on. Watching Henry play solo electric is like watching Picasso doodle. The work may not become the artist’s legacy, but, god****, if it isn’t an icon just casually kicking ass. Not to be outdone, his brothers Jojo (bass) and Ringo (on drums, of course) are capable of weaving in, around, and over Henry with the flowing tenacity of jets in a dogfight. This is not a trio of harmless San Angelo boys playing white blues. These guys clearly slaved at the pulpit of Carlos Santana, Stevie Wonder, and, yes, the guy who introduced white America to “La Bamba.”

In a phone interview, drummer Ringo said the band’s playing style is purely “in the moment.”

“[We’re] trying to ride this tornado,” Ringo said. “We’re trying to be shapeless and formless. None of us can read notes. The only teaching we’ve ever had is with each other.”

It’s this familial playing style that sets crowds aflame and even some of the performers the band has met. While playing for troops in Kuwait and Iraq last year, the performance of a guest harpist/serviceman led to bloodshed. “We were jamming,” Ringo said “and, I guess he busted his lip with his harmonica and still kept playing with blood on his harmonica, bro!”

Los Lonely Boys’ passionate playing goes back to the late ’80s when the band still had single-digit ages, gigging at restaurants and clubs as a backing band for their father, Ringo Garza Sr., formerly of the conjunto brother-band The Falcones.

“It was before I started playing the drums, I was probably five years old,” Ringo said. “My father turned to me and my brothers and said, ‘Mi hijos, if we’re gonna do this, we gotta have a name.” Ringo thought of a song of his father’s with the lyrics “I’m just a lonely boy/I ran away from home/so I could be on my own.” Inspired, Ringo blurted the subject of the song, but with a plural Tex-Mex spin: Los Lonely Boys. His brothers hated it. His dad loved it. It stuck.

Twenty-plus years, three albums, one Grammy, and a Denny’s-sponsored burger later, Los Lonely Boys have staked their claim over what they call “Texican Rock ‘n’ Roll,” a premium blend of blues, soul, and country strained through a pop colander. The bond of brotherhood permeates their lives. They tour together. They write together. They fish, play Xbox, and break into spontaneous Stone Cold Steve Austin impressions together.

They also all understand that there are listeners out there who don’t expect their fierce live show (cough, Coronado, cough).

“There’s a lot of fans that just go based on our albums,” Ringo said. “Then they come and see a show and I don’t mean to toot our own horns…” •

[senoRita]

Thanks for posting that excellent article! Wish I could be at the White Rabbit on Friday. :cool:

[Belle]

Rita - the White Rabbit show has been canceled. :(

[senoRita]

Rita - the White Rabbit show has been canceled. :(

I just read that on the web but no reason was given as to why. :confused:

[Belle]

Rita - it was something to do with the venue - not the Boys. They're ok.

[Belle]

http://www.shorefire.com/index.php?a=bio&o=441

[PS It's pronounced Rock pahngo. Pango rhymes with bongo.]


Shore Fire Media



Los Lonely Boys


Can anything even more magical happen in the already charmed career of Los Lonely Boys? You bet. It’s called Rockpango, their first self-produced long player on their own LonelyTone/Playing In Traffic Records. And yeah, it’s magical indeed.

At least as magical — and maybe more so — as debuting in 2003 with a multi-chart gold single, selling millions of albums, winning a Grammy, racking up reams of critical acclaim, opening for The Rolling Stones, and many more accomplishments for the Texican rock’n’roll trio of brothers. Plus playing and recording with such legends as Willie Nelson and Carlos Santana, associations that give a strong hint at what’s at work here on Rockpango.

After proving themselves one of the most stunning and wonderful musical success stories of the last decade, Los Lonely Boys are now carving out their legend with their fourth studio album. Even though the band has already shown they can “up the ante with greater musicianship and confidence” (People) every time out, on Rockpango they heighten the trajectory, open up their sound, and show what flourishing maturity feels like from these veteran yet still young and burgeoning musical talents.

Rockpango is a spirit and sound coined by Los Lonely Boys that takes the next step from fandango (a beat of loving celebration) and then huapango (another infectious Latin rhythm that gets the fiesta cooking) to a full-scale Tex-Mex American roots rock party galore. Bursting out of the gate with the simmering and slinky “American Idle” that scans today’s tough economic times, and wrapping up 10 tracks later with the fierce and fiery assertion that love is the answer on “Believe,” Los Lonely Boys look at the big picture around us with the concerns and continuing faith that come with well-grounded adulthood.

Their ever-expanding musical vision fills the set with new facets that further reveal the group’s already notable artistic diversity. “16 Monkeys” is a delightfully funky slice of infectious neo-bohemian wit and wordplay, while orchestration by the Tosca String Quartet adds classic rock-pop sophistication on the achingly beautiful “Road To Nowhere” and the Beatle-esque gem “Smile.” And they fuse deep blues with a hip-hop twist on “Porn Star,” which includes a razor-sharp rap at the tail end by Kush, one of their Texas extended family relations.

They soar on “Fly Away,” rip it up to percolating Latin beats on “Love In My Veins” and “Baby Girl,” and reassert their mastery of the classic music that influences them as demonstrated on their recent 1969 EP. They deliver ‘60s style blues-rockers on the rousing title tune and powerfully loping “Change The World” — two more slices of their spot-on social commentary and consciousness.

The trademark Los Lonely Boys genetic vocal blend is deeper, richer, more fluent and confident than ever. The rhythms are utterly irresistible as well as flush with smart syncopation and muscular drive, abetted on some tracks by tour percussionist Carmelo “Melo” Torres. The brothers’ songwriting skills stamp indelibility on every winning number. And Henry Garza goes even beyond what Guitar World hails as being a “guitarist with chops out his ass who doesn't care about chops [and] just opens up and plays.” Joined by veteran Austin player Riley Osbourn on keyboards, Los Lonely Boys deliver and more on Rockpango.

“I’m super proud of it,” says JoJo Garza, bassist and middle brother in the triumvirate. “It’s just progress, maturation and growth. Growing up, being older, seeing the world we’re living in. It’s also touching base with home.”

Los Lonely Boys tale to date is already the stuff legends are made of: Playing behind their father as kids in cantinas and honky-tonks. Moving to Nashville in their teens to try to win a record deal. Returning to their native Texas, where the brothers made their bones on the club scene as a live act. Releasing their self-titled debut, which goes double platinum, and penning a #1 radio hit in “Heaven.”

Two more stellar studio albums followed: Sacred (2006) and Forgiven (2008). In 2009, they cut 1969, an EP that leaps back four decades to reveal how the group’s roots extend well past their birthdates on songs by The Beatles, Santana, The Doors, Buddy Holly and Tony Joe White. 2010 brought about the release of Keep On Giving: Acoustic Live! a snapshot of their recent acoustic tour.

So after all that, what’s left but to meet the new decade with the great leap forward, upward, outward and onward of Rockpango? “It was just time to grow and change,” explains JoJo. “But not change too much. It’s kind of like a tree. A tree doesn’t actually change much as it grows. It gets taller, grows more branches, gets thicker and stronger.

“I think it’s one of our best if not our best,” he adds. “We took the ball and I think we scored a touchdown.”

And after eight years of championship seasons, Rockpango paves the way for Los Lonely Boys to enter the rock’n’roll pantheon of legendary musical artists while also remaining true to themselves. “We’re still Lonely Boys,” JoJo insists, chuckling in agreement that they are also now Los Lonely Men who have truly come of age on their latest. “We’re still family, we’re still three brothers, we’re still doing what the
good Lord has blessed us with, and that’s singing and playing for people who really want to listen.”


© 2011 Shore Fire Media

[crazy4LLB]

http://www.mywesttexas.com/entertainment/article_fe310a8f-033a-5a0d-86a8-d191495f8b2d.html

[RosieJeanne]

Awesome review of the show at West Texas Music Fest. Too bad the turnout was bad.

"Los Lonely Boys came on at a little before 10. Henry Garza is as exciting and virtuosic as anyone can be on lead guitar without entering that rarefied region of the real greats whose sound is immediately recognizable. His Marshall amps scream, as if he is channeling the sadly-departed guitarists of the past. Listening to him, I understood why the immortal Santana would want to play with the band. Yes, they are that good. Jojo Garza is one of those rare bassists who transforms his instrument into a fully expressive vehicle rather than a supporting act. The synergy between the two brothers is fascinating to behold. Their other sibling, the humorously named "Ringo" on drums, appears to have about six hands he plays so fast and fluidly.

Perhaps Henry could explore some of the slower, more reflective moments that he starts songs with more fully. There are "Little Wing" echoes of SRV and Hendrix -- but he needs to extend them into complete songs.

But as a whole, Los Lonely Boys are about good as it gets."

[Amor]

Hey, Tasina wanted me to post this for her. It is so COOL! :cool:


Bay Native Circle - March 9, 2011 at 2:00pm | KPFA 94.1 FM Berkeley: Listener Sponsored Free Speech.

http://www.kpfa.org/archive/id/68123

Host Lakota Harden interviews Carolyn Forbes and Hulleah Tsinhnahjinnie about the life and work of Dr. Jack Forbers, with his songs recorded in the '70s. And Ringo Garza, drummer of Los Lonely Boys talks about their upcoming cd "Rockpango" and their success as a grammy winning band of Brothers w

[Loving Henry]

Ev
You are the bomb!:D

[Belle]

http://www.americansongwriter.com/2011/03/los-lonely-boys-rockpango/

American Songwriter review of Rockpango -

Los Lonely Boys
Rockpango
LonelyTone/Playing in Traffic
Rating: ★★★★☆

Let’s cut right to the chase – Rockpango, the first album of original material by Los Lonely Boys in three years — is superb. The brothers Garza – Henry, JoJo and Ringo – have stayed with the urban-tinged Texican rock they showcased in their 2004 self-titled debut album. Yet there’s a playful confidence in this self-produced album that some artists almost never find, certainly not this early in their careers.

JoJo Garza has said that refocusing on love and familial roots are the major themes of this album. In fact, the brothers approached the album as a back-to-basics project with thoughts of their early years entertaining passersby on Texas street corners with music inspired by Santana, The Beatles, The Doors, Tony Joe White, and other musical icons.Growling guitars and saucy percussion kicks off the first track “American Idle,” about America’s tough economic times. Much has been made about the love song “Fly Away.” The brothers had the video for it shot around the Continental Club – site of some of their early gigs – and on the streets of Austin. While it’s a powerful song, it certainly has plenty of competition right on this album. Consider “Baby Girl.” If that song’s rhythm and melody were turned into food, they’d be red hot Jalapenos and several shots of Tequila. And for just plain fun, it’s tough to beat the catchy and just plain silly “16 Monkeys” with orchestration by the Tosca String Quartet.

Those that thought the brothers’ early success – including a Grammy Award for Best Pop Performance for the No. 1 single “Heaven” off their twice-platinum debut – would be the high point of their careers can be forgiven. The 11 songs on Rockpango show the brothers are not only masters of their art but have a comfort level in their maturing sound that allows them to expand it without losing its essence.

[cliffd64]

Gotta love that review! Lucky reviewer got to listen all the way through! Can't wait to sit down with a pair of headphones and experience it for myself!

[senoRita]

Los Lonely Boys, “Rockpango” (Playing in Traffic/Lonelytone). 3 stars.

Since they’ve thrived on an amalgamation of musical styles, it makes perfect sense for Los Lonely Boys to use a little “Spanglish,” for the title of their first full-length studio album in three years.

In LLB terminology, “Rockpango” translates to something close to “rock party,” and that mood infuses the 11-song set from start to finish.

Brothers Henry, Ringo and Jojo Garza, who shot to fame thanks to the breakthrough chart-topper “Heaven,” eight years ago, offer a wild mix of styles here that somehow falls together seamlessly. They are not shy about their influences at all because LLB’s sound offers a little of everything.

The cleverly-titled opening cut “American Idle,” is funky with vocals slightly reminiscent of Michael Jackson, while the percussive, soulful/funk mix of “Love in My Veins,” just might recall traces of Santana.

There are some other stellar songs, notably the soulful ballad “Road to Nowhere,” which is lifted by sweet harmonies and “Rockpango,” which captures the fury of Jimi Hendrix and the brothers’ late fellow Texan Stevie Ray Vaughan.

The only flat out dud is the weird “16 Monkeys,” which is a complete waste of space, albeit a relatively brief one.

Tracks to download: “Rockpango” “Road to Nowhere.”

http://blog.masslive.com/playback/2011/03/new_album_reviews_jennifer_hud.html

[NM 420]

16 monkeys is my favorite. very cool tune:cool:

[senoRita]

Oralé Orlando, I see that you are in TX and going to the CD Release in Austin. Give the boys a big hug for me. I'm traveling to Steamboat Springs, Colorado to see the band on April 2nd.

:)

[senoRita]

Here's another review of Rockpango.

Los Lonely Boys “Rockpango” Review
By Eiko Watanabe
March 29

The Los Lonely Boys’ album “Rockpango” can be translated as “rock party,” but their music is more rock, blues, Latin, country, and soul. The album is well done in terms of colorful flow between tunes. It’s a great album to listen to when relaxed.

The album starts with a Latin rock tune “American Idle.” Henry Garza’s heavy guitar sound makes their vocal harmony more dramatic. The tune is a perfect fit to kick off the album. The next track “Fly Away” is the first single from this album. It’s a more acoustic based sound; the tempo is relatively slow but the sound is very fun, tasty, and stylish.

Funky Latin sound comes back with the third track “Love In My Veins” starts. The uplifting tune would make for a fantastic live performance because it certainly makes you want to stand up and dance. song actually is reminiscent of Carlos Santana.“16 Monkeys” is a really fun song. The tune starts with the lyrics “Sixteen monkeys on a chuck wagon rolling down the road.”It’s a departure from the group’s ‘trademark’ vocal harmony though; it sounds like they are rapping throughout the song.

“Road To Nowhere” is somewhat disappointing; it comes between “Love In My Veins” and “16 Monkeys” and really alters the mood of the album. The song is a beautiful and nostalgic slow-paced country song, but it is very awkward to cut off the groove from “Love In My Veins” that resumes right after with “16 Monkeys.”

“Baby Girl” gives the listeners some pleasing sexy Latin rock sound. The combination of guitar riffs and percussion with occasional Spanish lyrics makes the song very attractive.

“Porn Star” is a very interesting tune with a mixing scratch sound effect based on blues music. The rapper named Kush, who is signed with the band’s own label, performs at the end of the song, which is a nice addition to the song.

The album ends with a hard rock tune “Believe.” It is a powerful ending, which is a great way to end an pretty eclectic sounding album from the group.

Track list

1. American Idle
2. Fly Away
3. Love In My Veins
4. Road To Nowhere
5. 16 Monkeys
6. Rockpango
7. Smile
8. Baby Girl
9. Change The World
10. Porn Star
11. Believe

http://blastmagazine.com/the-magazine/entertainment/music/los-lonely-boys-rockpango-review/

[lovemusic]

Los Lonely Boys believe the stage is Heaven, to perform in Greeley
http://www.greeleytribune.com/article/20110331/ENTERTAIN/703319955/1015&parentprofile=1015

The Greeley Publishing Co.
By Dan England

dengland@greeleytribune.com

@$ID/NormalParagraphStyle:JoJo Garza calls Tuesday, the day of Los Lonely Boys’ latest release, “just like any other day.” When he starts telling you why, you see his point at first, but it’s almost impossible to overlook the unbridled enthusiasm in his voice.

His band played Jay Leno’s “Tonight Show” the night before, and that was only part of the hectic schedule that he and his two brothers still find challenging, even years after the trio finally hit it big with the 2004 self-titled release that spawned the hit “Heaven.” So, JoJo admits in a phone interview that he hasn’t had a lot of time to reflect on the new project, given the band’s touring, which will include a performance in Greeley or Wednesday at the Union Colony Civic Center, 701 10th Ave.

Yet, when he does start talking about the new record, “Rockpango,” it’s like he can’t help himself. It’s the best ever, he says. They worked their butts off on it, he says. It’s got so many styles, there’s something on it for everyone, he says.

You’d have to expect a little bit of this, given that he made the album and the band wants to move a few copies. But there are other, deeper reasons why he’s so excited; one of them is the simple fact that there was a time last year when he and his brothers didn’t know if they would ever record again.

JoJo began recording vocal tracks for the album last year, but he didn’t think he sounded like himself. He visited a voice clinic in Denver and doctors not only pulled him off of a tour, they said the problem might be cancer.

“My brothers, they were really broken, and I was broken, and I wondered if I would ever get to sing again,” he said. “I wasn’t able to talk for three months.”

That’s not the only reason he raves about the album. It is the band’s first on its own record label and also more varied than the last two releases, “Sacred” in 2006 and “Forgiven” in 2008, he said. The band was always a mix of styles anyway, such as country, rock, folk, Latin and TexMex, but the band mixed in sounds influenced by Stevie Wonder and Michael Jackson in addition to its usual Stevie Ray Vaughn, Carlos Santana and Jimi Hendrix, he said.

The title track from the latest record sounds like a Hendrix track, but JoJo said he and his brothers turned a traditional Mexican Wapango track and set it to rock ‘n roll. Maybe Jimi listened to Wapango, he said and laughed.

JoJo said the chance to record and write is a blessing even with a rejuvenated voice. He and his brothers are writing on the road and squeezing in time to play in between the constant gigs and the occasional appearance.

“We’d always dreamed of playing for millions,” JoJo said, “but we didn’t realize the hard work that came with that.”

Still, they’re happy to do it, given their poor background — there were years JoJo said they had the music and each other and that was it — and a decade of struggle as a band before “Heaven” helped make them big.

“We fell into some money and fame, and it really exploded,” JoJo said. “It was a good thing. Now we’re just thankful for it.”

After all, they have more than a voice. They continue to have opportunity.

“The voice is strong again, and the bond is stronger between us brothers,” he said. “We’re just really excited.”

[mamacitaRuth]

NICE....very nice.

[mmmbopnmommy]

kool...thats why we love 'em so! LOL:D

[rebmorren]

Like! Like! Like! Like!:)

[lovemusic]

NPR Interview with Los Lonely Boys.

http://www.npr.org/player/v2/mediaPlayer.html?action=1&t=1&islist=false&id=135048985&m=135087468

[lovemusic]

Here is the written version of the story on NPR. Be sure to check out the actual NPR site since it has audio including a couple of songs from RockPango:

Los Lonely Boys: Band Of Brothers
by NPR Staff
http://www.npr.org/2011/04/03/135048985/los-lonely-boys-band-of-brothers

The three brothers who make up Los Lonely Boys each bring their own personality to their Tejano-inflected rock and country songs. In conversation, however, they speak almost as if with one voice — constantly finishing each each other's sentences, letting one story flow seamlessly into another.

As they tell Weekend Edition guest host David Greene, fraternal harmony runs deep in their family: Their father, Ringo Garza Sr., was in a band with his own brothers called The Falcones, and made a point of bringing up his sons in a musical house.

"Our father was our biggest influence," says bassist Jojo Garza. "He showed us all kinds of music — of his music, as well as the music of a lot of the greats."


Those greats included the likes of Elvis Presley, Chuck Berry, Fats Domino, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Three Dog Night, Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson. Nelson is also a family friend — the brothers have even golfed with him.

"He's just a person you want to be around at all times," says guitarist Henry Garza. "He's much like our dad in the way we feel around him. Our dad has always been the missing outlaw to Willie, Waylon, Kris Kristofferson and those guys."

On the new album Rockpango, the trio, which also includes drummer Ringo Garza Jr., seems to wear its influences on its sleeve: "16 Monkeys" has clear echoes of the Beatles' "Taxman," and the guitar on "Love In My Veins" is Santana all over. Henry Garza says it's not an accident.

"When we're recording, I think we all try to channel our heroes and teachers," he says. "I definitely am trying to tap into Jimi Hendrix, Carlos Santana, Stevie Ray [Vaughan]."

The group has been through tough times together, on stage and off. Most recently, Jojo Garza sustained a vocal cord injury that made him constantly raspy and threatened to grow worse the more he used his voice. He and his brothers feared that he might never talk again, let alone sing.

Thankfully, he pulled through the ordeal. Henry Garza says Jojo's vocals on the Rockpango track "Smile" will always remind him of those difficult days and the joy he felt when they came to an end.

"When we tracked that song, I just cried my eyes out," he says. "I could cry right now."

[lovemusic]

Los Lonely Boys' tour is anything but a "Road To Nowhere"

Post by Erica Krug on 4/15/2011 12:05pm
http://dane101.com/music/2011/04/15/los_lonely_boys_tour_is_anything_but_a_road_to_now here

If you have only heard their radio-friendly single, "Heaven," then you might not know that Los Lonely Boys can bring the heat. Next to 'Easy Listening,' 'Adult Contemporary' is the most cringe-worthy of names for a music genre, conjuring up images of Kenny G playing a jazz flute (pronounced "yazz" to the more distinguished listener.) When "Heaven" reached number one on the Billboard Adult Contemporary Charts in 2004 and won a Grammy Award for best pop performance, Los Lonely Boys were pegged, at least on the radio. And while "Heaven" is a great song (and even better live) with sincere lyrics and perfect harmonies, the three brothers who are Los Lonely Boys shine when they dig in on the harder stuff. Near the end of their show at the Barrymore Theatre in Madison Tuesday night, bass player Jojo Garza leaned over to turn himself up, right before they ripped into Steve Winwood and Jimmy Miller's "I'm a Man;" Jojo trading verses and sharing harmonies with his older brother, and guitarist, Henry. Let the masses have "Heaven," it was their spirited rendition of "I'm a Man" that left me wanting more from this all-in-the-family power trio.


Los Lonely Boys are Henry, Jojo and Ringo Garza, born in 1978, 1980 and 1981, from San Angelo, Texas. Henry wears tinted glasses and flips back his long, wavy black hair when he hits the long notes after a furious solo on his Stratocaster guitar. Jojo is a phenomenal bass player with a mischievous smile and a shiny black pompadour. He likes to play loudly and reminds me of how a modern-day Richie Valens would look. Ringo, sweet Ringo, wails on the drums and sports a large cross around his neck; he likes to play his drums one-handed at times, his other drum stick clenched between his teeth. Perched behind the drum kit he looks like a plus-size supermodel on a photo shoot while a wind machine constantly blows at his chin-length hair, the same dark shade as his brothers' manes.


The brothers grew up playing music together with their father, Henry (Ringo) Garza, Sr. of The Falcones (a band that he was in the '70s and '80s with his seven siblings.) After spending time playing in Nashville in the '90s, the brothers returned to Texas in the early 2000s where they managed to catch the eye of Willie Nelson who invited them to Farm Aid and allowed them to record in his studio. Los Lonely Boys played at the Barrymore on Tuesday as part of their tour promoting their fourth studio and second self-released album, Rockpango (a Spanglish word for 'rock party.') And it's a 'rockpango' that they put on for the audience. The band opened with an instrumental number that teased at Cream's "Sunshine of your Love" and Michael Jackson's "Billie Jean." And at one point Henry grabbed a harmonica out of nowhere and lit into War's "Low Rider." It's obvious that these guys are enjoying themselves musically- the brothers are a joy to watch as they play off each other's energy. And it's also entertaining to see their interactions between songs as they engage in friendly banter. After a conference between the three, Jojo tells the audience, "Don't mind us, we're just conversating." Or, while Henry and Ringo consult one another, he says, "Is there something that you would like to share with the whole class?"

When they weren't too busy teasing each other, Los Lonely Boys played a number of new songs from Rockpango Tuesday evening. I pretend to not be sentimental and I genuinely gravitate toward their more energized and harder rock numbers, but the song that I downloaded from this album and cannot stop listening to is "Road to Nowhere." Sung by Jojo and played by the band early in their set, this song makes me weak in the knees. I want to hear the lyrics, "Out the door I'm in a hurry/ To finally tell you I'm sorry/ For everything I said/ I'm all over town/ I can't slow down/ I took a ride on Main Street/ I drove around all day/ Looking for the road to nowhere/ 'Cause that's where she said she's gonna stay," while slow dancing to a juke box somewhere warm and clutching a Sol beer. For now I'll settle on getting to hear the song live at the Barrymore, but I have a feeling that this song is going places; "Heaven" might need to make room for the "Road to Nowhere."