Louie Pérez
Encyclopedia
Louie Pérez is an American
songwriter
, percussionist
and guitarist
for Los Lobos
, and Latin Playboys
.
Pérez started with Los Lobos playing primarily jarana
(a small Mexican guitar) and singing
.He is one of the founding members of Los Lobos established in 1973. As Los Lobos ventured into Norteño music and rock
, Pérez became the drummer
, first with just a snare drum
. In 1990, Victor Bisetti was hired to be a combination drum tech, drum coach and percussionist. As time went on, Bisetti took a more active role as drummer allowing Pérez to move back to the front of the stage, and start playing guitar. Bisetti was replaced in 2003 by Ruben (Cougar) Estrada.
Pérez continues to be Los Lobos' primary lyricist
. He also paints
in his free time as well as being art director & artistic supervisor on many of Los Lobos albums/cds.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
songwriter
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
, percussionist
Percussion instrument
A percussion instrument is any object which produces a sound when hit with an implement or when it is shaken, rubbed, scraped, or otherwise acted upon in a way that sets the object into vibration...
and guitarist
Guitarist
A guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselves on the guitar while singing.- Versatility :The guitarist controls an extremely...
for Los Lobos
Los Lobos
Los Lobos are a multiple Grammy Award–winning American Chicano rock band from East Los Angeles, California. Their music is influenced by rock and roll, Tex-Mex, country, folk, R&B, blues, brown-eyed soul, and traditional Spanish and Mexican music such as cumbia, boleros and norteños.-History:The...
, and Latin Playboys
Latin Playboys
Latin Playboys is a musical group comprising David Hidalgo, Louie Pérez, Mitchell Froom and Tchad Blake, active in the 1990s.-History:The band began with a series of demo recordings made by Hidalgo on a home cassette tape 4-track machine...
.
Pérez started with Los Lobos playing primarily jarana
Jarana
The jarana jarocha is a guitar-shaped fretted stringed instrument, from the southern region of the state of Veracruz, Mexico. Typically strung with 8 strings in 5 courses, usually arranged in two single outer strings with three courses between. The strings are usually nylon, although they were gut...
(a small Mexican guitar) and singing
Singing
Singing is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
.He is one of the founding members of Los Lobos established in 1973. As Los Lobos ventured into Norteño music and rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
, Pérez became the drummer
Drummer
A drummer is a musician who is capable of playing drums, which includes but is not limited to a drum kit and accessory based hardware which includes an assortment of pedals and standing support mechanisms, marching percussion and/or any musical instrument that is struck within the context of a...
, first with just a snare drum
Snare drum
The snare drum or side drum is a melodic percussion instrument with strands of snares made of curled metal wire, metal cable, plastic cable, or gut cords stretched across the drumhead, typically the bottom. Pipe and tabor and some military snare drums often have a second set of snares on the bottom...
. In 1990, Victor Bisetti was hired to be a combination drum tech, drum coach and percussionist. As time went on, Bisetti took a more active role as drummer allowing Pérez to move back to the front of the stage, and start playing guitar. Bisetti was replaced in 2003 by Ruben (Cougar) Estrada.
Pérez continues to be Los Lobos' primary lyricist
Lyricist
A lyricist is a songwriter who specializes in lyrics. A singer who writes the lyrics to songs is a singer-lyricist. This differentiates from a singer-composer, who composes the song's melody.-Collaboration:...
. He also paints
Painting
Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a surface . The application of the medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush but other objects can be used. In art, the term painting describes both the act and the result of the action. However, painting is...
in his free time as well as being art director & artistic supervisor on many of Los Lobos albums/cds.