Los Lobos

Over a span of more than 50 years, Los Lobos have created an unprecedented body of work and a legacy of greatness. The numbers are staggering: over 100 gigs a year for five decades running, crossing millions of miles to rock millions of fans, 17 studio albums, seven live LPs, three compilations, two EPs, two DVDs, and more than 40 guest appearances on their friends’ recordings. As a result, Los Lobos has garnered four Grammys, an Austin City Limits Hall of Fame induction, the ALMA Ritchie Valens Pioneer Award, NEA and Hispanic Heritage Foundation Honors, Congressional recognitions, plus countless “Keys to the City” and “Los Lobos Day” celebrations. And those are just a few of the highlights.

But beyond all the hoopla and applause is the tremendous heart. Rather, hearts. Cinco corazones. Five blood brothers who have dedicated their off-stage time to helping others, working for peace and justice, penning some of the most literate and important music of their time, transforming the hard cries from the East L.A. barrio into songs of hope, tales of common folk finding ways to endure. Los Lobos were weaned on late-night radio’s soul, R&B, and doo-wop and cured through the African-American currents of the blues, jazz, and rock ‘n’ roll. As proud Chicanos, their songs have always glistened with the distillation from their Mexican and Latin American roots – nourished by Norteña and rancheras, buoyed by bolero and cumbias, soaring on the rhythms of son huasteco and son jarocho.

Los Lobos have helped spread the rich diversity of cultures across every continent, throughout the global community. Kids in Antwerp now know about Aztlán. Residents of Luxor and Ghana are crooning Lalo Guerrero. People from Laos and Bulgaria are belting “La Bamba” – all thanks to The Wolves as cultural ambassadors. And in the true rebel spirit, they did it all on their own terms, against formula as one of the tightest, one of the best, one of the most prolific bands ever. And, amazingly, with the original founding members as the pack the entire time.