Opening for Los Lobos and moving into the future.

Summer is finally here! It has always been my favorite time of the year. Even with a crazy schedule, there is not one day I wish I was soaking my toes in the Malibu beach. I am extremely thankful for everything that has been happening for me in the past 6 months. First of all, I am so grateful for all the support I’ve been getting on the release of my video for my song “Tell Me”. The response has been overwhelming. In just 3 months we’ve been able to reach almost 3,000 hits! That’s almost 1,000 hits a month. That might not seem like much, but for an independent artist like myself without a major push and advertising from a huge record label, I am extremely proud. Once again, I’d like to thank everyone who contributed and made this video so special. In between a touring schedule we took some time to shoot another video, this one for the title track of my album Keep on Movin’. We shot this one in my hometown of El Paso Texas. We were very fortunate to shoot this video at St. Anthony’s Seminary. Being a very personal and motivational song we couldn’t have been blessed with a better location. We’re releasing the video at my “official” CD release party in Oct.
Out of all the gigs I have done this year, the one that was the most exciting for me was when we got invited to be the supporting act for Los Lobos. I hadn’t performed in El Paso since last October and so to come home and perform in front of 8,000 people was a special homecoming. I have been a huge fan of Los Lobos since I was a kid and even luckier to become friends with David Hidalgo once I moved to LA, so being on the same bill with those guys was really special. The played a great show as always and it was definitely a night to remember. I have included highlights from the Los Lobos concert below. I want to thank Jaime Blanco and his staff at DoubleScope films. They were responsible for shooting the event and did an amazing job. DoubleScope films was also generous enough to feature me on 2 episodes for “Under the Frequency”, an online music show that interviews and spotlights local and national bands on the move. The show is targeted for music lovers around the world so make sure and check them out! (http://www.DoubleScopefilms.com)
As far as plans for the future go, we are already planning a Texas tour starting in Sept. We are playing all the major cities including San Antonio, Dallas. Houston, Corpus Christi and of course, Austin. Be sure and add my Facebook Fan page for details. Once all of that is out of the way, I’m heading into the studio to work on the next record. I’ve written about 16 new songs for this album and the initial demos already sound fantastic! I’m really excited to get started on the new tracks, I know the fans will really like the new direction by music is heading. The preliminary title of the album is called “Let it Shine” and will include plenty of rockin’ tunes along with some slow jams, funky grooves and a heavy dose of Chicano Soul! As always I’d like to thank everyone to writes to me on my blogger, facebook and twitter sites. It is your support that keeps me moving and groovin’. Hope to see ya’ll at the shows. Always remember that the greatest thing we can do as human beings is to love one another. Keep smiling, keep dreaming and Keep on Movin’. Thanks for reading!

As we welcome a new decade

First of all, I want to wish everyone a Happy New Year! May everyone find the comfort and success you want and deserve. As for me, I plan to work as hard as ever in 2011. It has been a while since my last blog so I apologize for that. I plan to write this year at least twice a month to keep everyone up to date with my silly adventures. Last year was such a productive year with the release of my album and now it’s even more of a challenge to go out and promote it! This year has already started on a good note. I’m scheduled to perform at this year’s SXSW festival in Austin which I am absolutely excited about. Austin is always such a great city to perform. I’m looking forward to visiting again. We are also planning a tour of Texas, CA and some east coast shows this year. We’re hearing that the album is making a buzz among blues lovers in Japan so that is exciting as well.
I have also started a new project, an idea that had been fiddling round my head for a while now. I have taken 8 of my songs and re-arranged them in a Mexican folklore style. We’re keeping it very traditional simply vihuela, guitarron, Mexican harp, voice and nylon guitar. No electric instruments at all. The songs will be in Spanish and English and the arrangements sound amazing! I am a big fan of Jarocho music from Veracruz as well as Mariachi music and to hear my songs done that way is really special. Look out very soon for a DVD of us performing those songs live in the studio.
I would also like to add that we have just shot two new videos in support of “Keep on Movin’. The first one we did here in Los Angeles and it’s for the song “Tell Me”. It’s a simple little song that I wrote with a very classic feel to it. Almost like my version of a classic oldie. Fans really love this song so I shot this for them. The other was for “Keep on Movin” the title track of my album. We were very blessed to have been allowed to shoot this video in a monastery in El Paso. Being an inspirational song, we couldn’t have found a better location. Look out very soon on my youtube channel for the release of these two videos.
So as this year begins, so do the new challenges. Let’s focus on accomplishing unfinished business. No need to get there as fast as we can, but rather enjoy our journey there. The best part of life is living it! Because once all is said and done, the only thing we can look back and enjoy is how we got there. Acceptance is the key to happiness. Let yourself be free from the negativity that surrounds you and soon positive energy will follow. No need to waste time with pointless matters. Convey yourself with a greater sense of natural intensity that is satisfying to the mind and soul rather than imposter with the physicality of things. Status and beauty is only a man made condition which feeds the egotistical mind of the afflicted. As I have gotten older, I have learned that being a person with great faith overcomes those with great power. Like that midget whose faith over weighed the sad giant who claimed to be king of the village. Believe in yourself! Be strong, take your life as far as you can take it, Love everyone and Keep On Movin’. See you soon.

Thanks for reading!