A true life story from the Mexican Revolution and a mojado’s migration from Chihuahua to Califas come alive as our Chicano musical hero Lalo Guerrero shares The Ballad of Pancho Lopez.
Mas…POCHO History 101: Lalo Guerrero’s ‘Ballad of Pancho Lopez’ (video)
Lalo Guerrero, the Father of Chicano Music, loved tortillas and loved to boogie with his chucos suaves homies. He also loved this hyna (jaina) called Juana, as he notes in this 1949 release Marihuana Boogie. She makes him feel like he’s flying!
Mas…Lalo Guerrero: My hyna is named Juana – ‘Marijuana’ (video, lyrics)
It doesn’t get more pocho than this! Lalo Guerrero, the father of Chicano music, tells the story of Pancho Claus, Santa’s cousin from south of the border, in this 1956 classic.
[Editor's Note: When we shared our Happy Birthday Ritchie Valens story on Facebook last Friday, FB user Danna Carina commented, "Ritchie was the subject of my senior thesis and I graduated with my Bachelors yesterday ON HIS BIRTHDAY. Good omen I suppose!"
We wanted to see what she wrote, and to share it with you.
She agreed, and noted, "Writing this paper was a very intimate and intellectual experience, so it makes me very happy to share it with Pocho.com and the Chicano community."
Thank you, Danna Carina, and congratulations on your graduation from SUNY Purchase.]
Mas…My SUNY Senior Thesis: Ritchie Valens and the Creation of Chicano Rock
The great Lalo Guerrero can hardly sing for all the weeping as he performs There’s No Tortillas. And who can blame him?
Here’s our favorite (non parody) Lalo Guerrero song — he calls it a “boogie woogie jitterbug”:
Mas…Saddest song ever! Lalo Guerrero sings “There’s No Tortillas” (video)
Before there was Bordertown, there was The Culture Clash show. Only about TWENTY-SOMETHING YEARS AGO, so SUCK IT humorless haters!
(It was my first showbiz writing gig!) Big props and eternal thanks to the Culture Clash guys!
And before all of us, there was LALO GUERRERO doing Chicano satire, hell, INVENTING it! Check out Guerrero’s singing There’s No Chicanos on TV!
Mas…Roots of Chicano Satire: Lalo Guerrero and Culture Clash (videos)
It doesn’t get more pocho than this! Lalo Guerrero, the father of Chicano music, tells the story of Pancho Claus, Santa’s cousin from south of the border, in this 1956 classic.
Lalo Guerrero is the Father of Chicano Music. His amazing musical legacy (he died in 2005) includes the classic Spanglish “boogie-woogie jitterbug” Los Chucos Suaves – the kick-ass dance-tune inspiration for Zoot Suit (the musical.) We especially like the abstract piano solo that goes off into outer pachucostan and comes back in the nick of time. ¡Que suave!
The late Chicano musical pioneer Lalo Guerrero called out Hollywood on its racist casting practices on last century’s Culture Clash TV show.
From Latino USA: Little Julian Herrera was a heartthrob singer in East L.A.’s rock and R&B music scene. But one day, he disappeared, taking with him the secrets behind his identity and his fate. A fascinating story from Alex Schmidt.
Mas…Missing: Little Julian Herrera, East Los Chicano Rock ‘Bigfoot’ (audio)
Pancho Claus? He’s Santa’s cousin from south of the border! Long before he recorded novelty tunes, Lalo Guerrero was a star. Some call him the Father of Chicano music.
Mas…Merry Christmas from ‘Pancho Claus’ and Lalo Guerrero (videos)
In 2008, Monterey County education officials (Central California) mounted a massive effort to stage three separate productions of Luis Valdez’ epic play, Zoot Suit, featuring combined casts and crews of kids from all their high schools. This documentary follows the teachers, Valdez, local volunteers and student actors from planning through auditions to show time.
The next time someone complains that arts education programs are a waste of money or that teachers are ripping off taxpayers, ask them to watch this video. They probably won’t watch, but if they do, and still don’t think Monterey County did a good thing, un-friend them on Facebook. With friends like that, you don’t need enemies!
If they agree, then let’s all bailar to Lalo Guerrero’s Los Chucos Suaves!
Mas…Documentary: ‘Zoot Suit’ knows the way to Monterey (video)