EASTSIDE LEGENDS - THE CARLOS BROTHERS (AKA THE SHADOWS)

Jimmy Carlos and Pete Antoniano were brothers who shared the same mother but had different fathers. They are credited as being the first Los Angeles-based act to bring the Mexican duet style into rhythm & blues.

They grew up in the Cabrillo projects in the city of Lon Beach, California. Their early influences were all-black doowop & R&B groups.

  Jimmy & Pete went to Banning High School in the city of Wilmington, California. There, they began performing under the name the Shadows at talents shows  and shows for local car clubs. They were asked to come and perform at El Monte Legion Stadium  at a show headlined by Ritchie Valens. Ritchie was impressed by duo and told them he would talk to his manager Bob Keane of Del-Fi Records. At the time Jimmy was 17 and Pete was 15.

  They recorded "Under Stars Of Love" and "Jungle Fever" under the name the Shadows. It was released in September of 1958 but the record went nowhere possibly because using the name the Shadows, they were thought to be black. "Under Stars Of Love" is a classic doo wop tune.

You May Listen To The Shadows "Under Stars Of Love" Here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=37VA3anuusM

You May Listen To The Shadows "Jungle Fever" Here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=42aKIWJrHzg

For their next single, the duo recorded "Tonight" and "Come On Let's Dance" For that session they were joined by Ritchie Valens who plays guitar on both sides. The record was released just one month after Ritchie's tragic death in February 1959. Fot this release they used the name The Carlos Brothers.

You May Listen To The Carlos Brothers "Tonight" Here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v00IbjSuqUU

You May Listen To The Carlos Brothers "Come On Let's Dance Here:

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

Once again the duo record a classic doo wop with "Tonight" and it is an Eastside gem.

Later in 1959, Jimmy & Pete would record "It's Time To Go" and "Little Cupid"

You May Listen To The Carlos Brothers "Little Cupid" Here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jaXwU1nxrqQ

In 1960 the brothers would record an updated version of La Bamba" and it would be released with "It's Time To Go" as the flip side. For the track " La Bamba" Ritchie's original track was used, Bob Keane added some violins and the Blossoms, a Los Angeles girl group added the backing.

You May Listen To The Carlos Brothers "La Bamba" Here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NrkfCgmso48

You May Listen To The Carlos Brothers "It's Time To Go" Here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YqCQ1y3nK2s

It's Time To Go" is another outstanding ballad.

The Carlos Brothers would quit music for a while but returned in 1963 for producer H.B. Barnum. They cut "Meet My Town", a sort of Beach Boys-styled tribute to Los Angeles and "I Realize". These tracks were released on the Zen label.

You May Listen To The Carlos Brothers "I Realize" Here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pGeUwz4jhYw

Although I have not been able to verify this I believe this single by the Tri-Dells to be the Carlos Brothers. Recorded in 1960 for the Eldo label "Baby I Love You So"/"Little Do I Know" has the same Carlos Brothers sound and both sides are believed to be written by Jimmy Carlos. The back-up band is the Phantom's Band which backed The Safaris for the Eldo label on "Image Of A Girl"

Discography:

The Shadows
1958 - Under Stars Of Love / Jungle Fever (Del-Fi 4109)


The Carlos Brothers
1959 - Come On Let's Dance / Tonight (Del-Fi 4112)
1959 - It's Time To Go / Little Cupid (Del-Fi 4118)
1960 - La Bamba / It's Time To Go (Del-Fi 4145)
1963 - I Realize / Meet My Town (Zen 106)

The Tri-Dells??

1960 - Baby I Love You So/Little Do I Know"

THE CARLOS BROTHERS AS THE IMPERIALS PLAYING IN SAN FERNANDO IN APRIL 1959
RULIE GARCIA AKA JOHNNY CHINGAS ON BASS

NO COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT INTENDED!!

Solely for historical, educational and listening pleasure.

CHICANO ROCKERS - CHAN ROMERO

Robert Lee "Chan" Romero was born July 7, 1941 in Billings, Montana.
Romero's heritage was rather mixed. His father was of Spanish and Apache stock while his mother was a mix of Mexican, Cherokee and Irish. Both had migrated to Montana during the Great Depression, seeking employment as migrant farm workers. His nickname was bestowed on him by his grandfather. Since Romero often ran around without footwear, the nickname, from a Spanish phrase meaning "little boy with pig's feet" seemed appropriate.

  Chan's earliest influence was Elvis Presley when he saw Elvis on the Steve Allen show in 1955. He was also influenced by rockers Gene Vincent, Carl Perkins and Chuck Berry. The came Ritchie Valens.

The teenaged Chan Romero hitchhiked to East Los Angeles, California in 1958. He heard Ritchie Valens' "Come On Let's Go" on the radio and was inspired to write "Hippy Hippy Shake" and thus launched his career. An uncle introduced Romero and his music to an A&R representative from Specialty records, Sonny Bono. Bono was particularly taken with a song called "My Little Ruby" and asked Romero to polish the song and to return in a few weeks. Romero needed to return to school in Montana and never returned to Specialty.

  Upon forming a band on his return, it soon became clear that Valens had a tremendous impact on Romero, so much so that the two artists, who never met, sounded alike and shared much the same ethnic heritage. Two months after the plane crash that claimed Valens' life, Montana DJ & manager Don Redfield sent a tape to Valens' manager, Bob Keane, in Los Angeles. Keane was greatly impressed with the recordings and hailed Romero as a successor to Valens, immediately signing him to a contract on Del-Fi records, the same label as Valens. In June of 1959, Chan entered Gold Star Studios in Hollywood and recorded with the same band that backed up Ritchie.

  Keane introduced him to Valens' grieving mother with whom Romero became close. Her home served as Romero's home during his visits to Los Angeles; he slept in Valens' bedroom.

  Del-Fi would release "Hippy Hippy Shake" and "If I Had My Way" in July, 1959. It became a hit in the US, Australia and the UK. The Swining Blue Jeans would have a top 20 US hit with it in 1964. It even became part of the Beatles set in their Hamburg days.

You May Listen To Chan Romero "Hippy Hippy Shake" and "If I Had A Way" Here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yxhFUU6BgDU

The follow-up record was "My Little Ruby" and "I Don't Care" (Del-Fi 4126) recorded in September 1959, again a rocker with a ballad on the flip.

You May Listen To Chan Romero "My Little Ruby" Here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_95rL61sgWY&playnext=1&list=PL33D946C7067D41BF

You May Listen To Chan Romero "I Don't Care Here"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2R6s6pjVUt8


This later "odd-ball" 1965 Romero release "It's Not Fair" is listed as being in the Northern soul genre.

If you are looking for Chan Romero's music, this is the CD to buy. Released on Del-Fi in 1995.

Track List:

01. My Little Ruby
02. I Don't Care
03. Hippy Hippy Shake (Studio)
04. I Want Some More
05. If I Had A Way
06. Memories Of You
07. Your Love
08. It's Not Fair
09. Rockhouse
10. My Angel
11. Hippy Hippy Shake (Demo)
12. Baby Doll
13. Boppin' & Hoppin'
14. La Bamba
15. Playboy

Chan Romero was inducted into the Rockabilly Hall Of Fame on May 15,2007 and is currently living in Palm Springs, California.

NO COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT INTENDED!!

Solely for historical, educational & listening pleasure.

EASTSIDE LEGENDS - RITCHIE VALENS

Ricardo Esteban Valenzuela Reyes was born May 13, 1941 in Pacoima, California. He is credited with being the fist Hispanic rock star. He was enouraged to take up music at an early age by his father.             His early musical influences were traditional Mexican mariachi, flamenco guitar, R&B and jump blues. His musical versatility crossed many genres including pop, rock, R&B, blues and rockabilly.
 
Although his music career lasted only eight months, his musical legacy and impotrance in the Mexican-American music movement and the Eastside Sound will live on forever. Not only a talented guitarist & vocalist, Ritchie wrote many of his own songs.
 
Ritchie began as a member of the band, The Silhouettes, led by Gil Rocha out of the Pacoima/San Fernando area. Rocha wanted to get his band a recording contract and went to Bob Keane owner of Del-Fi Records in Hollywood. The "Little Richard Of San Fernando" would be invited to Keane's home where some demos were recorded. In 1958 Keane signed Ritchie & that's when his named was changed to Ritchie Valens. In July of 1958 Ritchie entered Gold Star studio & cut "Come On Let's Go" and "Framed"

You May Listen To Ritchie Valens "Come On Let's Go" Here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ozr-EItKGu8

You May Listen To Ritchie Valens "Framed" Here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yIP369aJE_E

His next record was probably the first double 'A Sided" 45 in rock history. My mother married a man from Pacoima who had a copy of Ritchie's new record "La Bamba" and "Donna". He always played "La Bamba" on our home turntable but being the curious lad that I was I flipped it over & much to my excitement, I fell in love with "Donna". I saved up enough allowance to buy my own copy and that single is what led me into record collecting. "La Bamba" was Ritchie's re-working of a traditional folk song. "Donna" was a dreamy ballad Ritchie penned for his girlfriend, Donna Ludwig and it would reach #2 on the national charts.

You May Listen To Ritchie Valens "La Bamba" Here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jp6j5HJ-Cok

You May Listen To Ritchie Valens "Donna" Here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HMcHbh6HBDk

Ritchie would next release "Fast Freight" and "Big Baby Blues" under the name Arvee Allens which would later be released under the name Ritchie Valens. "Fast Freight" featured a surf style guitar long before surf music would become popular. "Big Baby Blues" also an instrumental featured Ritchie's blues guitar riffs.

You May Listen To Arvee Allens "Fast Freight" Here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=btH5Z7Ykk34

You May Listen To Arvee Allens "Big Baby Blues" Here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0SgmLJggtWY

The same record would be issued under the name Ritchie Valens

Ritchie would make an appearance on Dick Clark's American Bandstand and appear in the Alan Freed movie "Go Johnny Go"

In early 1959, Valens was traveling the Midwest on a multi-act rock and roll tour dubbed "The Winter Dance Party." Accompanying him were Buddy Holly with a new back-up band, Tommy Allsup on guitar, Waylon Jennings on bass, and Carl Bunch on drums; Dion and the Belmonts; J.P. "The Big Bopper" Richardson; and Frankie Sardo. None of the other performers had backing bands, so Buddy's backup band filled in for all the shows. Conditions for the performers on the tour buses were abysmal, and the bitterly cold Midwest weather took its toll on the party; Carl Bunch had to be hospitalized with severely frostbitten feet, and several others (including Valens and The Big Bopper) caught colds.
The bus they all were taking on the tour was plagued with a defective heater and Holly decided to charter a small plane for himself and others. Valens, Holly, Richardson, and the pilot were killed when their small plane crashed soon after taking off from Clear Lake, Iowa on February 3, 1959. Don McLean referred to it as "The Day the Music Died".

After Ritchie's death Del-Fi would release the following singles:

That's My Little Suzie (US #55) / In A Turkish Town?Del-Fi 4114 (1959)
Little Girl (US #92) / We Belong Together?Del-Fi 4117 (1959)
Stay Beside Me / Big Baby Blues?Del-Fi 4128 (1959)
The Paddiwack Song / Cry, Cry, Cry?Del-Fi 4133 (1960)

Ritchie Valens EPs

A Remixed version of La Bamba would be released in 1987

Ritchie Valens Albums:

Ritchie Valens (1959) -- Del-Fi DFLP-1201 (US #23)
Ritchie (1959) -- Del-Fi DFLP-1206
Ritchie Valens In Concert at Pacoima Jr. High (1960) -- Del-Fi DFLP-1214

Over the years Ritchie's music has been re-issued in a number of different ways. Of special interest to fans & collectors are the following:

Ritchie Valens: The Lost Tapes Del-Fi DFCD-70009 (1995)

01. We Belong Together 02. Blues With Drum 03. Ritchie's Blues 04. Come On, Let's Go 05. In A Turkish Town 06. Dooby Dooby Wah 07. Bluebirds Over The Mountain 08. I got a girl named Sue       became later "That's My Little Suzie" 09. Let's Rock and Roll 10. Donna 1 - unfinished song 11. Donna 2 - without modifications 12. Blues Instrumental 13. Cry Cry Cry 1 14. Cry Cry Cry 2 15. Malaguena - test with piano 16. Blues - Slow 17. Stay Beside Me 18. Rhythm Song 19. Guitar Instrumental 20. Rock Lil Darlin' 21. Cry Cry Cry - false start 22. Cry Cry Cry - complete take 23. Cry Cry Cry - break down 24. Cry Cry Cry - complete take - take 3 25. Dooby Dooby Wah - takes 1,2,4 & 7 - false start 26. Dooby Dooby Wah - take 16 27. In A Turkish Town - take 13 - false start 28. In A Turkish Town - take 14 29. La Bamba - takes 1 & 2 - break down and false start 30. La Bamba - complete band track - take 5 31. La Bamba - band track 32. La Bamba - band track - take 8 33. Bluebirds Over The Mountain - take 1 - false start 34. Bluebirds Over The Mountain - take 3 - complete 35. Bluebirds Over The Mountain - master session 36. Bluebirds Over The Mountain - take 5 - complete 37. That's My Little Suzie - take 1 - false start 38. That's My Little Suzie - take 2 39. Ooh! My Head - fragment of early version 40. Donna - Commercial

The Ritchie Valens Story (1993) -- Rhino/Del-Fi 71414

1. Narration of Ritchie Valens' Story As Told by Bob Keane, Producer And Manager of Ritchie Valens (21:57)
2. Ritchie Valens - Big Baby Blues (single version) (1:58)
3. Ritchie Valens - Bluebirds Over The Mountain (demo) (1:02)
4. Ritchie Valens - Boney-Maronie (LP version) (2:50)
5. Ritchie Valens - Come On, Let's Go (demo) (2:17)
6. Ritchie Valens - Come On, Let's Go (single version) (2:06)
7. Ritchie Valens - Donna (demo) (1:55)
8. Ritchie Valens - Donna (single version) (2:33)
9. Ritchie Valens - In A Turkish Town (demo) (2:13)
10. Ritchie Valens - La Bamba (Gold Star recording session) (2:35)
11. Ritchie Valens - La Bamba (recorded at Gold Star, the B-side of Donna) (2:07)
12. Ritchie Valens - Let's Rock & Roll (demo) (1:30)
13. Ritchie Valens - Malaguena (demo) (3:04)
14. Ritchie Valens - Paddiwack Song (LP version) (2:34)
15. Ritchie Valens - Ritchie doing commercial for Winter Dance Party, followed by radio announcer from Des Moines, Iowa, Feb 4, 1959 the day after the fatal plane crash (1:41)
16. Ritchie Valens - Rock Little Darlin' (demo) (1:17)
17. Ritchie Valens - Stay Beside Me (single version) (2:28)
18. Ritchie Valens - Summertime Blues (live in concert at Pacoima Jr. High) (3:07)
19. Ritchie Valens - That's My Little Suzie (demo) (2:53)

Come On, Let's Go! (1998) -- Del-Fi DFBX-2359

Deluxe 3-CD, 62 track set featuring all tracks from the three original albums plus rare demos and outtakes. 62 page booklet features biography and rare photos. Package also comes with poster, picture cards, and Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame campaign cards

A fabulous movie about Ritchie's life was released in 1987 entitled "La Bamba" starring Lou Diamond Phillips.

In 1989 Ritchie would receive his own star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame. In 1993, the United States Post Office would release a commorative stamp.

If you are really interested in Ritchie Valens & his life I urge you to buy the book "Ritchie Valens - The First Latino Rocker" by Beverly Mendheim.

They call it "The Day The Music Died" but for me Ritchie's death was in part the beginning of my record collecting and for many young Chicanos it would be a launching-pad that would inspire the evolution of the Eastside Sound.

Ritchie will always be remembered as his music and legend are passed on from generation to generation.

NO COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT INTENDED!!

Solely for historical, educational & listening pleasure.

SOUTHERN SOUL SPINNERS

DJ's Soulera 5150 and Ruben Molina bring their "stax of wax" to the V.F.W. Post in the City Of Industry, California on September 3, 2011. The sounds of sweet soul music will fill the air and the pitchers will be filled with ice cold beer. Bring your low-rider wheels and your favorite lady or man and join in on the fun while the records spin.