Los Lonely Boys are an American musical group from

San Angelo, Texas San Angelo ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Tom Green County, Texas, United States. Its location is in the Concho Valley, a region of West Texas between the Permian Basin to the northwest, Chihuahuan Desert to the southwest, Osage Plai ...

. They play a style of music they call "Texican Rock n' Roll," combining elements of

rock and roll Rock and roll (often written as rock & roll, rock 'n' roll, or rock 'n roll) is a Genre (music), genre of popular music that evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s. It Origins of rock and roll, originated from Africa ...

Texas blues Texas blues is blues music from Texas. As a regional style, its original form was characterized by jazz and swing influences. Later examples are often closer to blues rock and Southern rock. History Texas blues began to appear in the early 1900s ...

brown-eyed soul Brown-eyed soul, also referred to as Chicano soul, is soul music performed in the United States mainly by Latinos in Southern California, East Los Angeles, and San Antonio (Texas) during the 1960s, continuing through to the early 1980s. AllMusic: ...

country A country is a distinct part of the world, such as a state, nation, or other political entity. It may be a sovereign state or make up one part of a larger state. For example, the country of Japan is an independent, sovereign state, while the ...

, and

Tejano Tejanos (, ; singular: ''Tejano/a''; Spanish for "Texan", originally borrowed from the Caddo ''tayshas'') are the residents of the state of Texas who are culturally descended from the Mexican population of Tejas and Coahuila that lived in the ...

. The band consists of three brothers: Henry (

guitar The guitar is a fretted musical instrument that typically has six strings. It is usually held flat against the player's body and played by strumming or plucking the strings with the dominant hand, while simultaneously pressing selected stri ...

vocals Singing is the act of creating musical sounds with the voice. A person who sings is called a singer, artist or vocalist (in jazz and/or popular music). Singers perform music (arias, recitatives, songs, etc.) that can be sung with or without ...

), Jojo ( bass, vocals), and Ringo (

drums A drum kit (also called a drum set, trap set, or simply drums) is a collection of drums, cymbals, and other Percussion instrument, auxiliary percussion instruments set up to be played by one person. The player (drummer) typically holds a pair o ...

, vocals) Garza. They follow the tradition of their father, Ringo Garza Sr., who formed a band with his brothers called the Falcones. The Falcones played

conjunto The term ''conjunto'' (, literally 'group', 'ensemble') refers to several types of small musical ensembles present in different Latin American musical traditions, mainly in Mexico and Cuba. While Mexican conjuntos play styles such as '' norteño' ...

music in

South Texas South Texas is a region of the U.S. state of Texas that lies roughly south of—and includes—San Antonio. The southern and western boundary is the Rio Grande, and to the east it is the Gulf of Mexico. The population of this region is about 4.96 ...

during the 1970s and 1980s. The debut single by Los Lonely Boys, "

Heaven Heaven or the heavens, is a common religious cosmological or transcendent supernatural place where beings such as deities, angels, souls, saints, or venerated ancestors are said to originate, be enthroned, or reside. According to the belie ...

", was a number-one hit on the ''Billboard''

adult contemporary chart The Adult Contemporary chart is published weekly by ''Billboard'' magazine and lists the most popular songs on adult contemporary radio stations in the United States. The chart is compiled based on airplay data submitted to ''Billboard'' by sta ...

and reached the

top 40 In the music industry, the Top 40 is the current, 40 most-popular songs in a particular genre. It is the best-selling or most frequently broadcast popular music. Record charts have traditionally consisted of a total of 40 songs. "Top 40" or " con ...

on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 in 2004. In 2009, they signed to an Austin-based indie label, Playing in Traffic Records, and released an EP, "1969" and three albums under their LonelyTone imprint, ''Keep On Giving: Acoustic Live!'', ''Rockpango'', and their newest release, ''Revelation''.

Musical career

The three brothers were discovered by a local club owner, John R. Steele, who hired them as his house band. When they started to attract attention in San Angelo they hired Mr. Steele as a road manager and they went on the road, finally ending up in

Nashville Nashville is the capital city of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the seat of Davidson County. With a population of 689,447 at the 2020 U.S. census, Nashville is the most populous city in the state, 21st most-populous city in the U.S., and the ...

where they landed a recording contract in the 1990s. After moving back to their home state of Texas, they recorded an album in 2003 in

Austin Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of Texas, as well as the seat and largest city of Travis County, with portions extending into Hays and Williamson counties. Incorporated on December 27, 1839, it is the 11th-most-populous city ...

Willie Nelson Willie Hugh Nelson (born April 29, 1933) is an American country musician. The critical success of the album ''Shotgun Willie'' (1973), combined with the critical and commercial success of ''Red Headed Stranger'' (1975) and '' Stardust'' (197 ...

's Pedernales recording studio. The album was initially released by Or Music and later acquired by

Epic Records Epic Records is an American record label owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America Sony Corporation of America (SONAM, also known as SCA), is the American arm of the Japanese conglomerate Sony Group ...

for distribution in March 2004. The group's first single, "Heaven", reached number one on the Adult Contemporary chart, and number 16 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, and number 11 at top 40. "Heaven" was featured in '' Guitar Hero: On Tour''. In 2005, the song won a

Grammy Award for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal The Grammy Award The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by ...

. Other songs nominated for Grammys include "More Than Love" and "Onda," both in 2006. In 2005, the group recorded "I Don't Wanna Lose Your Love" with

Carlos Santana Carlos Humberto Santana Barragán (; born July 20, 1947) is an American guitarist who rose to fame in the late 1960s and early 1970s with his band Santana, which pioneered a fusion of Rock and roll and Latin American jazz. Its sound featured ...

for the

Santana Santana may refer to: Transportation * Volkswagen Santana, an automobile * Santana Cycles, manufacturer of tandem bicycles * Santana Motors, a former Spanish automobile manufacturer Boats * Santana 20, an American sailboat design by W. D. Sch ...

album '' All That I Am''. In June of that year, the group appeared in an episode of CMT's "Crossroads" show with country music legend Ronnie Milsap. Their 2006 album, ''

Sacred Sacred describes something that is dedicated or set apart for the service or worship of a deity; is considered worthy of spiritual respect or devotion; or inspires awe or reverence among believers. The property is often ascribed to objects (a ...

'', features the song "Outlaws". In a "closing of the circle", Enrique Garza Sr. sings the verse about the "missing outlaws, just like me". Willie Nelson, who is credited on the 2004 album, also provided a verse which makes reference to his hit " On the Road Again". In 2007, Los Lonely Boys participated in

Amnesty International Amnesty International (also referred to as Amnesty or AI) is an international non-governmental organization focused on human rights, with its headquarters in the United Kingdom. The organization says it has more than ten million members and sup ...

's Make Some Noise project. Their cover of

John Lennon John Winston Ono Lennon (born John Winston Lennon; 9 October 19408 December 1980) was an English singer, songwriter, musician and peace activist who achieved worldwide fame as founder, co-songwriter, co-lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist of ...

's " Whatever Gets You thru the Night" is the second single from the '' Instant Karma: The Amnesty International Campaign to Save Darfur.'' The song was released on

iTunes iTunes () is a software program that acts as a media player, media library, mobile device management utility, and the client app for the iTunes Store. Developed by Apple Inc., it is used to purchase, play, download, and organize digital mul ...

on April 17, with the entire album available on June 12 courtesy of

Warner Bros. Records Warner Records Inc. (formerly Warner Bros. Records Inc.) is an American record label. A subsidiary of the Warner Music Group, it is headquartered in Los Angeles, California. It was founded on March 19, 1958, as the recorded music division of the ...

. "Whatever Gets You thru the Night" is noteworthy as John Lennon's only US number-one solo single while he was alive. Their third studio album, '' Forgiven'', was released on July 1, 2008. The album was recorded at East Side Stages in Austin and was produced by Steve Jordan. On October 23, 2008, Los Lonely Boys sang the

national anthem A national anthem is a patriotic musical composition symbolizing and evoking eulogies of the history and traditions of a country or nation. The majority of national anthems are marches or hymns in style. American, Central Asian, and European n ...

to open game two of the 2008 World Series in St. Petersburg, Florida. In March 2009, Los Lonely Boys left Sony/Epic and signed with Austin-based Playing In Traffic Records. In March 2010, the group was awarded "Best Rock Band" in the Austin Music Awards. The trio released a tribute EP titled "1969" on October 13, 2009, paying homage to the 40th anniversary of the titular year with covers of Santana's "

Evil Ways "Evil Ways" is a song made famous by Mexican-American rock band Santana from their 1969 self-titled debut album. It was written by Clarence "Sonny" Henry and originally recorded by jazz percussionist Willie Bobo on his 1967 album ''Bobo Motion'' ...

The Doors The Doors were an American Rock music, rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1965, with vocalist Jim Morrison, keyboardist Ray Manzarek, guitarist Robby Krieger, and drummer John Densmore. They were among the most controversial and influential ro ...

' "

Roadhouse Blues "Roadhouse Blues" is a song by the American rock band the Doors from their 1970 album '' Morrison Hotel''. It was released as the B-side of "You Make Me Real", which peaked at No. 50 on the U.S. ''Billboard'' Hot 100. "Roadhouse Blues" charted ...

Blind Faith Blind Faith were an English supergroup featuring Steve Winwood, Eric Clapton, Ginger Baker, and Ric Grech. They were eagerly anticipated by the music press following on the success of each of the member's former bands, including Clapton a ...

's version of

Buddy Holly Charles Hardin Holley (September 7, 1936 – February 3, 1959), known as Buddy Holly, was an American singer and songwriter who was a central and pioneering figure of mid-1950s rock and roll. He was born to a musical family in Lubbock, Texas ...

's "Well All Right",

The Beatles The Beatles were an English Rock music, rock band, formed in Liverpool in 1960, that comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are regarded as the Cultural impact of the Beatles, most influential band of al ...

' "

She Came in Through the Bathroom Window "She Came In Through the Bathroom Window" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles from their 1969 album ''Abbey Road''. Written by Paul McCartney and credited to Lennon–McCartney, it is the fifth song of the album's climactic B-side me ...

", and

Tony Joe White Tony Joe White (July 23, 1943 – October 24, 2018), nicknamed the Swamp Fox, was an American singer-songwriter and guitarist, best known for his 1969 hit "Polk Salad Annie" and for "Rainy Night in Georgia", which he wrote but which was first ma ...

's "

Polk Salad Annie "Polk Salad Annie" is a 1968 song written and performed by Tony Joe White.
Its lyrics describe t ...

". The EP was produced by Andy Johns and marked the first release on their new label. Following their 2009-2010 tour, which included roughly 200 shows seen by over 350,000 fans, Los Lonely Boys headed back to the studio to complete their fourth full-length studio album. It was announced on January 14, 2011, that the new album, entitled ''Rockpango'' (a

Spanglish Spanglish (a portmanteau of the words "Spanish" and "English") is any language variety (such as a contact dialect, hybrid language, pidgin, or creole language) that results from conversationally combining Spanish and English. The term is mos ...

word that means "rock party"), would be released on March 29. ''Rockpango,'' which features 11 original tracks, marks the first full-length studio album released by the band on their LonelyTone imprint for Playing in Traffic Records. A deluxe edition of the album will include three bonus songs, a behind-the-scenes video, and a fold-out poster of the cover art. In early 2014, Los Lonely Boys released their fifth studio album, ''Revelation''. The album represents new territory for the Boys, with the conjunto touches on "Blame It On Love" and the reggae groove of "Give A Little More", among many other new sonic elements. In 2016, the band recorded a cover version of

John Fogerty John Cameron Fogerty (born May 28, 1945) is an American singer, songwriter and guitarist. Together with Doug Clifford, Stu Cook, and his brother Tom Fogerty Thomas Richard Fogerty (November 9, 1941 – September 6, 1990) was an American mu ...

's "

Born on the Bayou "Born on the Bayou" (1969) is the first track on Creedence Clearwater Revival's second album, '' Bayou Country'', released in 1969. It was released as the B-side of the single "Proud Mary" that reached No. 2 on the '' Billboard'' charts. The s ...

", to be included in the project ''Quiero Creedence''. This album, scheduled for July 2016 release, is a tribute to

Creedence Clearwater Revival Creedence Clearwater Revival, also referred to as Creedence and CCR, was an American rock band formed in El Cerrito, California. The band initially consisted of lead vocalist, lead guitarist, and primary songwriter John Fogerty; his brother, ...

by various Latin recording artists. In October 2019, Los Lonely Boys canceled all upcoming performances after Jojo Garza announced he was leaving the group, causing the band to take a temporary hiatus. On April 21, 2022, with Jojo having allegedly changed his mind after two years, Los Lonely Boys announced they were joining

The Who The Who are an English rock band formed in London in 1964. Their classic lineup consisted of lead singer Roger Daltrey, guitarist and singer Pete Townshend, bass guitarist and singer John Entwistle, and drummer Keith Moon. They are considered ...

on some tour dates in Dallas, Houston, and Oklahoma City. They announced alongside it that they had officially reunited, with new music and additional shows coming soon.

Members

*Henry Garza (b. May 14, 1978) vocals,

* Jojo Garza (b. June 4, 1980) bass, vocals * Ringo Garza (b. November 29, 1981)

percussion A percussion instrument is a musical instrument that is sounded by being struck or scraped by a beater including attached or enclosed beaters or rattles struck, scraped or rubbed by hand or struck against another similar instrument. Exc ...

, vocals

Supporting musicians

Reese Wynans Reese Wynans (born November 28, 1947) is an American keyboard player, who has done session work and has been a member of Double Trouble and progressive rock band Captain Beyond. In 2015, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a ...

(2004) organ, keyboards, piano * Michael Ramos (2006) organ, keyboards, piano, vocals * Carmelo Torres (2008, 2009) percussion

Discography

* ''

Los Lonely Boys Los Lonely Boys are an American musical group from San Angelo, Texas. They play a style of music they call "Texican Rock n' Roll," combining elements of rock and roll, Texas blues, brown-eyed soul, country, and Tejano. The band consists of th ...

'' (2004) * ''

'' (2006) * '' Forgiven'' (2008) * ''Rockpango'' (2011) * ''Revelation'' (2013)

References

External links

Official Los Lonely Boys websiteThe Texican Chop Shop websiteLos Lonely Boys Documentary: Cottonfields and CrossroadsLos Lonely Boys collection
at the

Internet Archive The Internet Archive is an American digital library with the stated mission of "universal access to all knowledge". It provides free public access to collections of digitized materials, including websites, software applications/games, music, ...