Mas Canciones
Encyclopedia
Mas Canciones is an album by American
singer/songwriter/producer Linda Ronstadt
, released in late 1991. Although it was a significant hit for a non-English language album, it peaked at number 88 on the Billboard
album chart and sold approximately 400,000 copies in the United States. It also reached number 16 on the Top Latin Albums chart. The single "Gritenme Piedras del Campo" peaked at number 15 on the Hot Latin Tracks chart. The album has never been out of print.
.
"The reason I did it is selfish," Ronstadt said in an interview. "I had started to make a record in English, but I didn't like it and put it away. I found myself sleeping and dreaming in Spanish, and these songs were driving me crazy. I kept waking up in the middle of the night thinking that the musicians who know this music are old, and if they go I won't have anybody to help me do it. I didn't dare put it off another minute."
The album, according to Ronstadt, "concentrated more on trio and ensemble singing than did its predecessor." For the vocal trios, Ronstandt was joined by her two brothers, Pete and Mike. Pete Ronstadt at the time was the chief of police in Tucson, Arizona, where Mike owned a hardware store. Except for the professional guitar-playing, Ronstadt said, the arrangements are the same as those they sang in the living room when they were growing up.
Mas Canciones won the 1993 Grammy Award
for Grammy Award for Best Mexican/Mexican-American Album
.
Production notes:
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
singer/songwriter/producer Linda Ronstadt
Linda Ronstadt
Linda Ronstadt is an American popular music recording artist. She has earned eleven Grammy Awards, two Academy of Country Music awards, an Emmy Award, an ALMA Award, numerous United States and internationally certified gold, platinum and multiplatinum albums, in addition to Tony Award and Golden...
, released in late 1991. Although it was a significant hit for a non-English language album, it peaked at number 88 on the Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
album chart and sold approximately 400,000 copies in the United States. It also reached number 16 on the Top Latin Albums chart. The single "Gritenme Piedras del Campo" peaked at number 15 on the Hot Latin Tracks chart. The album has never been out of print.
History
Mas Canciones was released four years after the release of Ronstadt's Double Platinum-certified, first Mexican album, Canciones de Mi PadreCanciones de Mi Padre
Canciones De Mi Padre was American singer/songwriter/producer Linda Ronstadt's first album of Mexican traditional Mariachi music. This album has never been out of print.-History:...
.
"The reason I did it is selfish," Ronstadt said in an interview. "I had started to make a record in English, but I didn't like it and put it away. I found myself sleeping and dreaming in Spanish, and these songs were driving me crazy. I kept waking up in the middle of the night thinking that the musicians who know this music are old, and if they go I won't have anybody to help me do it. I didn't dare put it off another minute."
The album, according to Ronstadt, "concentrated more on trio and ensemble singing than did its predecessor." For the vocal trios, Ronstandt was joined by her two brothers, Pete and Mike. Pete Ronstadt at the time was the chief of police in Tucson, Arizona, where Mike owned a hardware store. Except for the professional guitar-playing, Ronstadt said, the arrangements are the same as those they sang in the living room when they were growing up.
Mas Canciones won the 1993 Grammy Award
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...
for Grammy Award for Best Mexican/Mexican-American Album
Grammy Award for Best Mexican/Mexican-American Album
The Grammy Award for Best Mexican/Mexican-American Album was an honor presented to recording artists for quality albums in the Mexican music genre at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards...
.
Reception
In his Allmusic review, critic Stephen Thomas Erlewine called the album a "thoroughly enjoyable collection of Spanish and Mexican songs that is arguably stronger than its predecessor, since Ronstadt sounds more comfortable with the material than ever before."Track listing
- "Tata Dios" (Trejo) – 4:19
- "El Toro RelajoEl Toro Relajo"El Toro Relajo" is the title of a popular mariachi song written by Felipe Bermejo and has been recorded by several artists...
" (Felipe Bermejo) – 2:32 - "Mi Ranchito" (Felipe Valdes Leal) – 3:33
- "La Mariquita" (Rubén FuentesRubén FuentesRubén Fuentes Gassón , is a Mexican classical violinist and composer, who is best known for his contributions to Mariachi music. In 1944, he joined Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlán as a violinist and later as a music arranger. In 1955 Fuentes stopped performing in the group, but he maintains his...
) – 2:59 - "Gritenme Piedras del Campo" (Cuco Sanchez) – 3:27
- "Siempre Hace Frio" (Cuco Sanchez) – 3:18
- "El Crucifijo de Piedra" (Roberto CantoralRoberto CantoralRoberto Cantoral Garcia was a Mexican composer, singer and songwriter. He was known for composing a string of hit Mexican songs, including El Triste, Al Final, La Barca and El Reloj...
) – 3:16 - "Palomita de Ojos Negros" (Tomas Mendez) – 3:30
- "Pena de los Amores" (Jose Luis Almada) – 4:00
- "El Camino" (Jesus Navarro, Jr.) – 3:29
- "El Gustito" (Jose Lopez) – 2:36
- "El Sueño" (Nicandro Castillo) – 3:41
Personnel
- Linda RonstadtLinda RonstadtLinda Ronstadt is an American popular music recording artist. She has earned eleven Grammy Awards, two Academy of Country Music awards, an Emmy Award, an ALMA Award, numerous United States and internationally certified gold, platinum and multiplatinum albums, in addition to Tony Award and Golden...
– vocals - Pete Ronstadt – vocals
- Mike Ronstadt – vocals
- Leonel Galvez – guitar
- Gilberto Puente – guitar
- Pedro Garcia – violin
- Flaco JiménezFlaco JiménezLeonardo "Flaco" Jiménez is a Tejano music accordionist from San Antonio, Texas. Jiménez's father, Santiago Jiménez Sr. was a pioneer of conjunto music. He began performing with his father at age seven and recording at age fifteen, as a member of Los Caporales...
– accordion - Angela Koregelos – flute
- Martin Lara – trumpet
- Juan Jose Almaguer – choir, chorus, violin
- Jesús Guzmán – choir, chorus, violin
- Santiago Maldonado – choir, chorus, harp
- José Martínez – choir, chorus
- Rafael Palomar – choir, chorus, guitar
- Juan Morales – choir, chorus
- Nati Cano – violin
- Víctor "El Pato" Cardenas – vihuela
- José Martínez, Jr. – violin
- Katie McElrath – flute
- Mario Rodriguez – violin
- Federico Torres – trumpet
Production notes:
- Peter AsherPeter AsherPeter Asher is an English guitarist, singer, manager and record producer. He first came to prominence in the 1960s as a member of the vocal duo Peter and Gordon before going on to a successful career as a record producer.-Early life:He was born at the Central Middlesex Hospital, a child actor and...
– producer - George MassenburgGeorge MassenburgGeorge Y. Massenburg is a recording engineer and inventor. Working principally in Baltimore, Los Angeles, Nashville, and Macon, Georgia, Massenburg is widely known for his 1972 paper on the parametric equalizer.-Background:...
– engineer, mixing - Rubén Fuentes – arranger, conductor
- Doug Sax – mastering
- Alan Yoshida – mastering
- Nathaniel Kunkel – engineer
- Kevin Scott – assistant engineer
- Craig Silvey – assistant engineer
- M.T. Silvia – assistant engineer
- Kosh – art direction, design
- Gilbert Ronstadt – artwork, painting
- Rossy Corsly – translation
- Linda Ronstadt – translation
- William Coupon – photography