Los Lobos

Infobox Musical artist
Name = Los Lobos

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Img_capt = Los Lobos performing in 2005.
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Background = group_or_band
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Origin = East Los Angeles, California, United States
Genre = Tex-Mex,Rock en Español, Chicano rock, rock
Years_active = 1973–present
Label =
Associated_acts =
URL = http://www.loslobos.org/
Current_members = Steve Berlin
Louie Pérez
Conrad Lozano
David Hidalgo
Cesar Rosas
Past_members =

Los Lobos ("The Wolves") are an American rock band. They are 3-time Grammy Award winners. Their music is influenced by rock and roll, Tex-Mex, country music, folk, R&B, blues, and traditional Spanish and Mexican music such as boleros and norteños.

History

Los Lobos released an independent LP in the late 1970s, and an EP in 1983. Their first major-label, critically acclaimed release was 1984's T-Bone Burnett-produced "How Will the Wolf Survive?" They released a follow up album entitled "By the Light of the Moon" in 1987. In the same year they recorded some Ritchie Valens covers for the soundtrack to the film "La Bamba", including the title track which became a number one single for the band. In 1988 they followed with another album, "La Pistola y El Corazón" featuring original and traditional Mexican songs. Seen as akin to commercial suicide, the album sold poorly.

The band's first noteworthy public appearance occurred in 1980 at the Olympic Auditorium in Los Angeles when they were hired by David Ferguson and CD Presents to open for Public Image Ltd. In the late 1980s and early 1990s the band toured extensively throughout the world, opening for such acts as Bob Dylan and the Grateful Dead.

Los Lobos returned with "The Neighborhood" in 1990, and the creative and wildly experimental "Kiko" (produced by Mitchell Froom) in 1992. In 1991, the band contributed a lively cover of "Bertha", a song which they often performed live, to the Grateful Dead tribute/rain forest benefit album "Deadicated." In 1994 they also contributed a track, "Down Where the Drunkards Roll", to the Richard Thompson tribute album "Beat the Retreat".

On the band's twenty-year anniversary they released a two-CD collection of singles, out-takes, live recordings and hits entitled "Just Another Band from East L.A."

In 1995, Los Lobos released the prestigious and bestselling record "Papa's Dream" on Music for Little People Records along with veteran guitarist and singer Lalo Guerrero. The band also scored the film "Desperado" with the Gipsy Kings. The album track "Mariachi Suite" won a Grammy Award for Best Pop Instrumental Performance, and stands as their last Grammy Award to date (the other two Grammy Awards were in the category of Best Mexican-American Performance in 1983 and 1989 for the albums "Anselma" and "La Pistola y El Corazon".

In 1996 they released "Colossal Head". In spite of the fact that the album was critically acclaimed, Warner Brothers decided to drop the band from their roster. Los Lobos spent the next few years on side projects.

Los Lobos signed to Hollywood Records in 1999, and released "This Time". Hollywood also reissued 1977's "Del Este de Los Angeles". In 2000, Rhino/Warner Archives released the "Cancionero: Mas y Mas" boxed set.

On the night of October 23 1999, while the band was on tour, Sandra Rosas, wife of Cesar Rosas, was kidnapped from her house. She was found dead on November 22 2000. Her half-brother Gabriel Gomez was convicted of her kidnapping and murder and was sentenced to life in prison without parole.

In 2002, the band released their Mammoth Records debut, "Good Morning Aztlan"; they released "The Ride" in 2004. "The Ride" featured artists such as Tom Waits, Mavis Staples, Bobby Womack and Elvis Costello covering Los Lobos music along with the band.

Los Lobos released its first full-length live-show DVD "Live at¨the Fillmore" in 2004. The DVD captures the band's act over a two-day period in July at the famed San Francisco venue.

In September 2006, Los Lobos released "The Town and the City" to much critical acclaim. The album's lyrics deal with Louis Perez's childhood in East Los Angeles while the music portrays complex and original soundscapes reminiscent of their previous release "Kiko". Jaime Hernandez did the artwork for the album. [Gale, Dan (2005). [http://loslobos.setlist.com/discography/lpindex.html Los Lobos LP/DVD Discography] . Retrieved February 24, 2006.]

In 2007 the group performed the song "Billy 1", Bob Dylan's cover from "Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid" album, recorded in "I'm Not There" soundtrack.

The group is now in the studio recording the next album which will be an album of Disney covers.

Members

* David Hidalgo -Vocals, Guitar, Accordion, Fiddle, Requinto Jarocho
* Louie Pérez -Vocals, Guitar, Drums, Jarana
* Cesar Rosas -Vocals, Guitar, Bajo Sexto
* Conrad Lozano -Vocals, Bass, Guitarron
* Steve Berlin -Keyboards, HornsUnofficial member:
* Cougar Estrada -Tour drummer, Percussionist

Discography

*"Si Se Puede!", 1976
*"Los Lobos Del Este De Los Angeles", 1978 (LP), reissued on CD in 2000
*"...And a Time to Dance", 1983
*"How Will the Wolf Survive?", 1984
*"La Bamba [Original Soundtrack] ", 1987, US 2xPlatinum
*"By the Light of the Moon", 1987
*"La Pistola y El Corazón", 1988
*"The Neighborhood", 1990
*"Kiko", 1992
*"Just Another Band From East L.A. - A Collection", 1993
*"Music for Papa's Dream", 1995
*"Colossal Head", 1996
*"This Time", 1999
*"El Cancionero Mas y Mas", 2000 (boxed set)
*"Good Morning Aztlán", 2002
*"The Ride", 2004
*"Ride This - The Covers EP", 2004
*"Live at the Fillmore", 2005
*"Acoustic En Vivo", 2005

*"Wolf Tracks - Best of Los Lobos", 2006
*"The Town and The City", 2006

Compilation albums

*"", 1988 (one of Various Artists)
*"", 1995 (primary score composer and performer)Look at All the Love We Found (album) 2005 (One of Various Artists)

DVD

*"Live at the Fillmore", 2004

ingles

"La Bamba" went to #1 on the Hot 100 singles chart in 1987. It is one of only a few non-English songs to top the charts in the US.

See also

*"Desperado" Soundtrack

External links

* [http://www.loslobos.org/ Los Lobos Homepage]
* [http://www.jambase.com/headsup.asp?storyID=9391 JamBase.com Article]
* [http://www.masbakersfield.com/home/ViewPost/30506 Mas Magazine Article]

References