Los Lobos

The journey of Los Lobos began in 1973, when David Hidalgo (vocals, guitar, and pretty much anything with strings), Louie Perez (drums, vocals, guitar), Cesar Rosas (vocals, guitar), and Conrad Lozano (bass, vocals, guitarrón) earned their stripes playing revved-up versions of Mexican folk music in restaurants and at parties. The band evolved in the 1980s as it tapped into L.A.’s burgeoning punk and college rock scenes. They were soon sharing bills with bands like the Circle Jerks, Public Image Ltd. and the Blasters, whose saxophonist, Steve Berlin, would eventually leave the group to join Los Lobos in 1984.

Early on, Los Lobos enjoyed critical success, winning the Grammy® for Best Mexican-American Performance for “Anselma” from its 1983 EP …And a Time to Dance. A year later, the group released its full-length, major-label debut, How Will the Wolf Survive? Co-produced by Berlin and T Bone Burnett, the album was a college rock sensation that helped Los Lobos tie with Bruce Springsteen as Rolling Stone’s Artist of the Year.

A major turning point came in 1987 with the release of the Ritchie Valens biopic, La Bamba. The quintet’s cover of Valens’ signature song topped the charts in the U.S. and the U.K. Rather than capitalize on that massive commercial success, Los Lobos instead chose to record La Pistola y El Corazón, a tribute to Tejano and Mariachi music that won the 1989 Grammy® for Best Mexican-American Performance.

That kind of sharp artistic turn has become Los Lobos’ trademark, serving to both fuel the band’s creativity and keep its fans engaged. In 1992, that willingness to defy expectations led them to record Kiko, an adventurous album produced by Mitchell Froom that’s considered by many to be one the band’s very best.

Since then, Los Lobos has continued to deliver daring and diverse albums such as Colossal Head (1996), Good Morning Aztlán (2002), The Town and the City (2006), Tin Can Trust (2010) and Gates of Gold (2015). On top of that, the band’s live shows never disappoint, as documented on the recent concert recordings Live at the Fillmore (2005) and Disconnected in New York City (2013). Through the years, they’ve managed to keep things interesting with unexpected side trips like an album of Disney songs in 2009, along with countless contributions to tribute albums and film soundtracks. One of those – “Mariachi Suite” from the 1995 film Desperado – earned the band a Grammy® for Best Pop Instrumental Performance. Los Lobos’ love letter to the city of Los Angeles as their album Native Sons (2021), returned the band to the Grammy winner’s circle with Best Americana Album of 2022. In 2023, Los Lobos celebrated its 50th anniversary as a band, a rare and impressive feat, as the band continues its great legacy.

Los Lobos has sold millions of records, won prestigious awards and made fans around the world. But perhaps its most lasting impact will be how well its music embodies the idea of America as a cultural melting pot. In it, styles like son jarocho, norteño, Tejano, folk, country, doo-wop, soul, R&B, rock ’n’ roll and punk all come together to create a new sound that’s greater than the sum of its parts.

The Labra Brothers have established themselves regionally, not only as the standard within their core genre of Latin Funk & Soul, but as a dynamic and diverse juggernaut of musical presentation. Their versatility has become more evident with each new original studio recording they have released, which explains why the band has become so heavily pursued for a wide range of public and private events. The Brothers have gained momentum after playing opening roles for Los Lobos and Average White Band within the last two years. In 2022, they were voted “Best Latin” by the Cleveland Music Awards, which preceded their recognition as “Best Latin Rock Band” by Cleveland Magazine in 2023. Additionally, the Labras released their Latin Funk single, “Be Cool,” which is accompanied by a music video filmed in San Luis Potosí, Mexico.

There was no moment in particular that inspired The Labra Brothers to create music together, which is part of what makes their story so unique. Having been raised in rustbelt northeast Ohio by parents with diverse musical backgrounds of their own, the Brothers developed a broad musical palette over the course of their younger years – which combined the blues sounds of John Lee Hooker & Stevie Ray Vaughan, the latin & world influence of Marc Anthony & Carlos Santana, the iconic mariachi music of Vicente Fernandez, and the overt versatility and Chicano swagger displayed by Los Lobos of East LA. More than a mere appreciation for music was the early discovery of their own musical talents, and the sheer love for playing and singing the songs of their strongest influences. Before long, the squad of siblings were putting their talents to work within their own original creations. They had discovered their ability to so effortlessly fall into an instrumental groove, and sing in harmony so naturally, that one could only assume it was the product of some kind of mystical family telepathy. For these boys, music was more than a talent or skill, it had become an inherent quality, a device for communication, shared between brothers.

The band continues to grow their repertoire of original music, and has maintained a team of professional musicians that have completed a vibrant and spirited group. To further warrant their familial title, the youngest brother in the Labra family, Antonio, has recently joined the ranks as band percussionist. To see this band at a live stage show event is to experience an urge to dance that even the strongest can’t resist. It may even leave you wondering if there are open positions remaining within the family.