La Mafia
Encyclopedia
La Mafia is a four-time Grammy Award
-winning musical group. It has its roots in the Northside neighborhood of Houston, Texas
and has charted a course as a Latin music band.
created an original style that survived various changes in the music industry. The band consists of Tim Ruiz on bass, David de la Garza on keyboards and background vocals, Joe Gonzales on drums and Viktor Pacheco on Guitar in 2007. The band has won 2 Grammys & 2 Latin Grammys was nominated in 2009 for a Latin Grammy for the album Eternamente Romanticos.
La Mafia, seeking to expand their musical horizons, began touring extensively in Mexico
and Latin America
beginning in the late 1980s. The practice of Mexican-American artists performing in Mexico on a large scale was unheard of before La Mafia. Back home, La Mafia has performed in front of three record-setting crowds at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo
at the Houston Astrodome.
and En Tus Manos
and Latin Grammy Awards for its CDs Para El Pueblo and Nuevamente. It also has received eight Premio Lo Nuestro Awards and 12 Tejano Music Awards, including a Lifetime Achievement Award from the latter, numerous Billboard awards and was listed in the top 10 Billboard Latin Artists for the entire decade of the 1990s, ranking La Mafia as the most successful Latin artist Houston has ever produced.
and his group Los Kumbia All Starz
to a battle of the bands
. A.B. Quintanilla responded by making a video saying that he accepted and that the battle would be held at Robstown, Texas
on August 2, 2008. A press conference was held in San Antonio, Texas
on July 30, 2008 where both groups answered questions to the fans. The two stages were set side to side and the rules were each group had to sing 3 songs in a row. The battle began as they tossed a coin to see who would sing first. Oscar called heads and heads it was, so he elected A.B. Quintanilla
to go first. For his first 3 songs he chose 3 Tejano
songs he wrote and he got his two special guest singers Elida Reyna to sing the first two and Jesse Turner of Siggno to sing the third one. Then La Mafia sang "Estás Tocando Fuego" and two more 1990s Billboard hits. For Kumbia All Starz
's second turn, their lead singer DJ Kane
and Ricky Rick performed the hit single "Shhh!" and two other songs with the dancers from DJ Kane's group when he was a solo singer, John and JD. La Mafia then performed with 3 more songs. Kumbia All Starz
sang 3 more songs, then A.B. Quintanilla
asked Oscar De La Rosa if they could sing one more song, and Oscar agreed, and so Ricky Rick and Melissa Jiménez got on stage and performed the hit song "Rica Y Apretadita
". La Mafia then sang 3 of their biggest hits, and after that the crowd was screaming for more, so they sang one more song. At the end of the night La Mafia was declared the winner.
Robert Gonzales - guitar & bass guitar
Marion Aquilina - guitar
Israel (Speedy) Villanueva - bass guitar
Adolf Alonso - bass guitar
Rudy Martinez - bass guitar
Tony Rodriguez - drums
Mario Gonzalez - drums
Adam Mosqueda - drums
Michael Aguilar - drums
Jesse Moreno - Sax
Jesse Peralez - Sax
Rick Patino - Sax-Trumpet
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
-winning musical group. It has its roots in the Northside neighborhood of Houston, Texas
Houston, Texas
Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
and has charted a course as a Latin music band.
History
La Mafia was founded in 1980 in Houston, TX. Vocalist Oscar De La Rosa & producer/keyboardist/accordionist Armando Lichtenberger Jr.Armando Lichtenberger Jr.
Armando Liechtenberger Jr. is a member of Tejano musical band La Mafia, where he is the keyboardist and accordionist.- References :...
created an original style that survived various changes in the music industry. The band consists of Tim Ruiz on bass, David de la Garza on keyboards and background vocals, Joe Gonzales on drums and Viktor Pacheco on Guitar in 2007. The band has won 2 Grammys & 2 Latin Grammys was nominated in 2009 for a Latin Grammy for the album Eternamente Romanticos.
La Mafia, seeking to expand their musical horizons, began touring extensively in Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
and Latin America
Latin America
Latin America is a region of the Americas where Romance languages – particularly Spanish and Portuguese, and variably French – are primarily spoken. Latin America has an area of approximately 21,069,500 km² , almost 3.9% of the Earth's surface or 14.1% of its land surface area...
beginning in the late 1980s. The practice of Mexican-American artists performing in Mexico on a large scale was unheard of before La Mafia. Back home, La Mafia has performed in front of three record-setting crowds at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo
Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo
The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, also called RodeoHouston, is the world's largest live entertainment and livestock exhibition. It also includes the richest regular-season rodeo event. It has been held at Reliant Stadium in Houston, Texas, since 2003...
at the Houston Astrodome.
Discography
Since 1993, La Mafia has recorded each of its hits at its own Urbana Recording Studios, including the million-selling Estas Tocando Fuego and Ahora y Siempre. The band has recorded 35 albums and CDs, not including dozens of compilation and greatest hits releases.Awards and recognitions
La Mafia received Grammy Awards for its CDs Un Millón de RosasUn millón de rosas
Un Millón de Rosas is a studio album released by American band La Mafia. It was released in 1996 by Sony Music Entertainment. The album peaked at number one in the Billboard Regional Mexican Albums chart and also reached top ten in the Billboard Top Latin Song chart...
and En Tus Manos
En Tus Manos (La Mafia album)
En Tus Manos is a studio album released by American band La Mafia. It was released on June 3, 1997 by Sony Music Entertainment. The album peaked at number four in the Billboard Regional Mexican Albums chart and also reached top ten in the Billboard Top Latin Albums chart...
and Latin Grammy Awards for its CDs Para El Pueblo and Nuevamente. It also has received eight Premio Lo Nuestro Awards and 12 Tejano Music Awards, including a Lifetime Achievement Award from the latter, numerous Billboard awards and was listed in the top 10 Billboard Latin Artists for the entire decade of the 1990s, ranking La Mafia as the most successful Latin artist Houston has ever produced.
La Mafia vs Kumbia All Starz
In the summer of 2008 Oscar De La Rosa, leader of La Mafia challenged A.B. QuintanillaA.B. Quintanilla
Abraham Isaac Quintanilla III better known as A.B. Quintanilla III or simply A.B. Quintanilla, is an American songwriter, record producer and musician. He is the older brother of "The Queen of Tejano music" Selena...
and his group Los Kumbia All Starz
Kumbia All Starz
Kumbia All Starz are a Mexican cumbia music group from Corpus Christi, Texas, created by A.B. Quintanilla. Kumbia All Starz are not to be confused with Los Kumbia Kings although some members are originally from Los Kumbia Kings...
to a battle of the bands
Battle of the Bands
Battle of Bands is a contest in which two or more bands compete for the title of "best band". The winner is determined by a panel of judges, the general response of the audience, or a combination. The winning band usually receives a prize in addition to bragging rights. Traditionally, battles of...
. A.B. Quintanilla responded by making a video saying that he accepted and that the battle would be held at Robstown, Texas
Robstown, Texas
Robstown is a city in Nueces County, Texas, United States, and a western suburb of Corpus Christi. It was founded about 1906, and was named for Robert Driscoll Jr., a landowner...
on August 2, 2008. A press conference was held in San Antonio, Texas
San Antonio, Texas
San Antonio is the seventh-largest city in the United States of America and the second-largest city within the state of Texas, with a population of 1.33 million. Located in the American Southwest and the south–central part of Texas, the city serves as the seat of Bexar County. In 2011,...
on July 30, 2008 where both groups answered questions to the fans. The two stages were set side to side and the rules were each group had to sing 3 songs in a row. The battle began as they tossed a coin to see who would sing first. Oscar called heads and heads it was, so he elected A.B. Quintanilla
A.B. Quintanilla
Abraham Isaac Quintanilla III better known as A.B. Quintanilla III or simply A.B. Quintanilla, is an American songwriter, record producer and musician. He is the older brother of "The Queen of Tejano music" Selena...
to go first. For his first 3 songs he chose 3 Tejano
Tejano music
Tejano music or Tex-Mex music is the name given to various forms of folk and popular music originating among the Mexican-American populations of Central and Southern Texas...
songs he wrote and he got his two special guest singers Elida Reyna to sing the first two and Jesse Turner of Siggno to sing the third one. Then La Mafia sang "Estás Tocando Fuego" and two more 1990s Billboard hits. For Kumbia All Starz
Kumbia All Starz
Kumbia All Starz are a Mexican cumbia music group from Corpus Christi, Texas, created by A.B. Quintanilla. Kumbia All Starz are not to be confused with Los Kumbia Kings although some members are originally from Los Kumbia Kings...
's second turn, their lead singer DJ Kane
DJ Kane
Jason Cano better known as DJ Kane is a Mexican American singer who is currently recording an album alongside ex Kumbia All Starz vocalist Ricky Rick. He was also the lead vocalist for the Latin Grammy award winning A.B...
and Ricky Rick performed the hit single "Shhh!" and two other songs with the dancers from DJ Kane's group when he was a solo singer, John and JD. La Mafia then performed with 3 more songs. Kumbia All Starz
Kumbia All Starz
Kumbia All Starz are a Mexican cumbia music group from Corpus Christi, Texas, created by A.B. Quintanilla. Kumbia All Starz are not to be confused with Los Kumbia Kings although some members are originally from Los Kumbia Kings...
sang 3 more songs, then A.B. Quintanilla
A.B. Quintanilla
Abraham Isaac Quintanilla III better known as A.B. Quintanilla III or simply A.B. Quintanilla, is an American songwriter, record producer and musician. He is the older brother of "The Queen of Tejano music" Selena...
asked Oscar De La Rosa if they could sing one more song, and Oscar agreed, and so Ricky Rick and Melissa Jiménez got on stage and performed the hit song "Rica Y Apretadita
Rica Y Apretadita (Kumbia All Starz song)
"Rica Y Apretadita" is a song by A.B. Quintanilla Y Los Kumbia All Starz. It is the second single from the album Planeta Kumbia. "Rica Y Apretadita" covers the original song by El General featuring Anayca. Ricky Rick and Melissa Jiménez sings their parts....
". La Mafia then sang 3 of their biggest hits, and after that the crowd was screaming for more, so they sang one more song. At the end of the night La Mafia was declared the winner.
Members
- Oscar De La Rosa - vocalist
- Armando Lichtenberger Jr.Armando Lichtenberger Jr.Armando Liechtenberger Jr. is a member of Tejano musical band La Mafia, where he is the keyboardist and accordionist.- References :...
- accordion & keyboards - Tim Ruiz - bass
- Joe Gonzales - drums
- Viktor Pacheco - guitar
- David De La Garza - keyboards & background vocals
Former members
Leonard Gonzales (brother of Oscar De La Rosa [Gonzales]) -guitarRobert Gonzales - guitar & bass guitar
Marion Aquilina - guitar
Israel (Speedy) Villanueva - bass guitar
Adolf Alonso - bass guitar
Rudy Martinez - bass guitar
Tony Rodriguez - drums
Mario Gonzalez - drums
Adam Mosqueda - drums
Michael Aguilar - drums
Jesse Moreno - Sax
Jesse Peralez - Sax
Rick Patino - Sax-Trumpet