Don’t let anyone tell you we don’t appreciate diversity and variety in our Daily Audio Stash. One of my favorite sub-genres of music is recordings from the early 20th century about “marihuana”. The Tallbrothers pay tribute to what they call the “Reefer Jazz” of greats like Louie Armstrong and Cab Calloway.
One of the greats whose name doesn’t get the recognition it deserves is Lalo Guerrero. This song, “Marihuana Boogie”, popped up in my music search and I found his biography fascinating, as told by his son, Mark:
Lalo Guerrero is rightfully recognized as the “Father of Chicano Music” because no other Chicano artist has come close to writing and recording more great songs in virtually every genre of Latin music, including salsa, norteña, banda, rancheras, boleros, corridos, cumbias, mambos, cha cha chas, socially relevant songs, swing, rock & roll and blues. He has also created children’s music, comedy songs and parodies, in addition to being a world-class singer. All the above offers just a glimpse of over 700 songs he’s recorded since his first record in 1939, with Los Carlistas on Vocalion Records.
Lalo Guerrero has performed all over the United States, Mexico and in Paris, France. He has received countless awards, including being declared a National Folk Treasure by the Smithsonian Institution in Washington D.C., a National Endowment of the Arts Fellowship, a Nosotros Lifetime Achievement Award, and the National Medal of Arts, presented by President Clinton. He has been invited to the White House three times, by Carter, Bush (the 1st), and Clinton.
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