EA scholarship concert to feature Los Loney Boys

Los Loney Boys, from left, JoJo, Henry and Ringo Garza, will perform a special benefit concert for Eastern Arizona College scholarships at the EA Fine Arts Auditotium May 4. - Contributed Photo

Contributed article

THATCHER — Los Lonely Boys will perform live at Eastern Arizona College’s Fine Arts Auditorium on May 4, at 7 p.m. Tickets are on sale now at www.eac.edu with proceeds going to scholarships for EAC students.

The story of how the Garza brothers — guitarist Henry, bassist Jojo, and drummer Ringo — rode their bluesy “Texican rock” sound from San Angelo, Texas, to worldwide fame is one of rock’s great Cinderella tales.

The Boys’ father, Ringo Garza Sr., was a member of another sibling band, the Falcones, who played conjunto music around Texas during the ’70s and ’80s. After that group broke up, Garza went solo, backed by his three sons.

They were still teens when their father moved them to Nashville, hoping to hit career paydirt. But their big break came after they returned to Texas and began playing Austin clubs in the early 2000s. One day, Willie Nelson’s nephew heard some demos. Next thing they knew, Willie showed up at a gig. Then he showcased them at Farm Aid, fronted recording time at his famed Pedernales Studio, and even guested on their album.

Released in 2003 on startup label Or Records, “Los Lonely Boys” got picked up by Epic and rereleased. Propelled by its No. 1 single, “Heaven,” it wound up selling over two million copies, spending 76 weeks on the Billboard Top 200 album chart and earning them a Grammy for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group.

“There is no rest for those who are chosen to be musicians,” Jojo said. “Ideas for songs are constant. We are being charged with what will be spread through our songs. We want to make music that brings people together.”

Their dream-come-true rise was chronicled in the documentary, “Los Lonely Boys: Cottonfields and Crossroads.” Another dream came true when Carlos Santana invited them to guest on his 2005 album, “All That I Am.” They also released “Live” at the Fillmore that year. Their father and Nelson joined them on 2006’s “Sacred,” and in 2007, their cover of John Lennon’s “Whatever Gets You Through the Night” became the second single from the album “Instant Karma: The Amnesty International Campaign to Save Darfur.”

The Boys’ “Forgiven” and “Christmas Spirit” arrived in 2008, followed in 2009 by “1969,” an all-covers EP homage to rock’s most influential era and their first LonelyTone release through Playing in Traffic Records. Then they traveled to Iraq to entertain American troops and embarked on an acoustic tour, documented with the 2010 album, “Keep on Giving: Acoustic Live.” Their album “Rockpango” came in 2011.

“We’re all about having a good time, but we also make an effort to write about subjects that matter. Life, death, love, hate, compassion, transgression, light, darkness, truth; they’re what we’ve always been about. We’re not interested in songs about how you look and what kind of car you drive and how much money you have. We want to create music that’s about the love and energy and spirit we all carry. It comes from a bigger source than ourselves.”

Now, with plans to release a record in 2023, the Boys are entering a new era of their career.

“Walking off the stage after our first performance this year, we cried together, hugged, and knew we would continue,” Henry said. “After a three-year hiatus, we are songwriting, recording, and touring together. It is a blessing to share the stage with my brothers. We lift each other musically and spiritually. We consider this Los Lonely Boys’ resurrection.”

Admission to Los Lonely Boys is $35 to $100. For tickets, visit www.eac.edu. A sellout is anticipated, so get tickets now.

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