Les Kalil- Keyboardist for 60s "Eastside Sound" band Ronnie & the Pomona Casuals, passed away on March 19, 2010 at Mission Hospital in Mission Viejo, California..  Although the band was based in Pomona, they were managed by Billy Cardenas and were part of the East L.A. circuit in the 1960s.  Les passed away on March 19, 2010 at Mission Hospital in Mission Viejo, California. 

Services for Les Kalil information:

May 1, 2010 

Contact Phone Number:  (949) 235-5334
(outgoing message will provide details, take messages and RSVP for planning)

 Contact email  leskalilmemorial@gmail.com

 If you plan to attend the services "Check In" by phone or email for further information.

Victor Pantoja- Latin percussionist, perhaps best known for his work with Coke and Pete Escovedo in the group Azteca, passed away on March 12, 2010.  Known by his fellow musicians as "El Negrito," Victor was a product of Spanish Harlem.  Pantoja also worked with luminaries such as Willie Bobo, Cal Tjader, Gabor Szabo, Herbie Hancock, Santana, Malo, Stan Kenton, and Buddy Miles.

Victor Pantoja

Lolly Vegas (b. Vasquez)- founding member of Redbone with his brother Pat, Tony Bellamy, and Pete "Walking Bear" DePoe, passed away March 4, 2010 at his home in Reseda, California at the age of 70.  Lolly was an extremely talented singer/songwriter and guitarist, who wrote and sang Redbone's biggest hit "Come and Get Your Love."

Bobby Espinosa- founding keyboardist of El Chicano, passed away Saturday, February 28, 2010 at White Memorial hospital in East Los Angeles at the age of 60.  His Hammond B3 sound and style was an integral part of El Chicano's sound, which graced their live shows and recordings.  Bobby's distinctive organ style was featured on El Chicano's first hit record,"Viva Tirado" and his piano and organ work contributed to the success of of their 1973 hit "Tell Her She's Lovely."

Tony Bellamy (born Anthony Avila)-  guitarist/vocalist and founding member of Redbone, passed away on Christmas morning, December 25, 2009 in Las Vegas, Nevada at the age of 69.  Redbone became established as a Native-American rock group in the 1970s. They reached the Top 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 charts in 1974 with the hit song, "Come and Get Your Love."  Tony Bellamy grew up in a family of dancers and musicians and learned to play the flamenco guitar as part of his musical education.  Before joining the band Redbone, Tony had performed with Dobie Gray and was a member of the San Francisco band, Peter and the Wolves, that evolved into the psychedelic band Moby Grape.

Isaac Avila- San Fernando, CA based singer/guitarist, who served as lead vocalist for Tierra in the 90s and early 2000s, passed away on August 31st, 2009.  Isaac also played with The Company Band and his own band, The Pirates.

Travis Edmonson- folk musician, singer/songwriter, and half of the successful folk duo Bud & Travis from 1958 to 1965, passed away on Sunday, May 11th, 2009 at the age of 76.  He grew up in the Arizona border town of Nogales from where he would often cross the border as a teenager and listen to mariachis and soak up the music and culture of Mexico.  Travis spearheaded bringing Mexican music into the folk era of the ’60s and it was thanks to him that many non-Latino Americans heard the old Mexican songs for the first time.  In this way Travis helped expand the audience for Spanish-language songs in America.  Bud & Travis made about 10 albums and were often on the bill with the likes of the Kingston Trio and Peter, Paul & Mary.  They also recorded versions of “La Bamba” and "Malaguena Salerosa," which reportedly sold a million copies in the 1950s.  I had the pleasure to first meet Travis with my dad, Lalo, in the 70s in Tucson, where he lived from around that time until his passing.  He was very charismatic and a very nice man, as well as a talented musician and performer.  I wouldn't meet him again until the last few years of his life when he was in a wheelchair and having other health problems.  Despite these challenges, he maintained a positive outlook and kept in touch with music the best he could.  He was a special man and will be missed.

Alfredo Arteaga- poet, author, scholar, and professor at U.C. Berkeley, passed away in July of 2008.  In April 2005, at Alfred's invitation, I went up to Berkeley to speak about Chicano music at one of his classes.  After my  presentation, we had lunch with several of his students and had some great conversation and a good time.  In June of 2006, I took my band and performed in Riverside, CA at an event to raise funds for Arteaga's medical procedure in Thailand.  In March of 2007, I went back to the Bay area to do a lecture/performance for Cesar Chavez day at the Marin County Civic Center.  I e mailed Alfred to let him know about it.  He showed up.  Afterwords he and I, along with songwriter pc Muñoz and Assistant public defender Jose Varela, went to lunch at a Chinese restaurant and had some more great conversation.  Alfredo had lost a lot of weight and looked great.  He was soon to take some time off from teaching so he could travel.  That was the last time I spoke with or saw him.  Alfredo Arteaga was a great person, aside from being a brilliant poet and scholar.  My article on my trip up to Berkeley is at this link: www.markguerrero.net/misc_38.php.  Click here to read an article on Alfredo Arteaga and his passing.

Alfredo Arteaga (2005)

Sal Chico- Latin/ Latin jazz musician and band leader passed away Wednesday, April 2, 2008 in Los Angeles.  Sal started with the Armenta Brothers and went on to form his own group the Sal Chico Band, who was very popular in the 60s in East L.A. and around Southern California.  He retired from his band in the early 70s after which Joe Espinoza, formerly of the Village Callers, took it over.  He renamed the band Chico in his honor, and has kept it going ever since. 

Freddy Fender (b. Baldemar Huerta)- The Texas-Mexico border singer, who scored major hits with "Before the Next Teardrop Falls" and "Wasted Days and Wasted Nights," passed away Saturday, October 14, 2006 in his hometown of Corpus Christi, Texas.  He was diagnosed with lung cancer in early 2006.

Daniel Flores (a.k.a. Chuck Rio)- The talented saxophonist, keyboardist, singer, and member of The Champs passed away on September 19, 2006 in Huntington Beach, California at the age of 77.  He's best known as writer of the classic song "Tequila," which was released in January of 1958.  He used the name Chuck Rio as writer of "Tequila" because he was signed to a different record label at the time.  He continued to use Chuck Rio as a stage name thereafter.

Dick "Huggy Boy" Hugg- Disk jockey, who was beloved by the Latino community in Southern California for over five decades, passed away on August 30, 2006.  Huggy Boy first began broadcasting with an all-night show from the front window of Dolphin's of Hollywood record store on East Vernon Avenue beginning in 1951.  He worked for many radio stations in Los Angeles, including KRLA and KRTH.

Romeo Prado- The talented brass man and arranger for Thee Midniters since their early days in the 60s, passed away on March 25th, 2006 at Queen of Angels Hospital in West Covina, California.

Armando Mora- The tenor sax player with The Romancers in the early 60s, passed away on May 23, 2005.  Armando played sax on The Romancer's instrumental albums "Do the Slauson" and "Do the Swim," both on the DelFi label.  It's Armando Mora playing both saxes on the best known, and my favorite track on the former album, "Slauson Shuffle."  Click here to read my article on The Romancers.

Lalo Guerrero- The father of Chicano music, and my father, passed away on March 17, 2005 in Rancho Mirage, CA at the age of 88.  Read about his memorial services on my website at the following links:  Palm Springs Services, Tucson Services.

Lalo Guerrero (c. 1949)

Don Tosti- Legendary Chicano musician/composer/arranger Don Tosti passed away, August 2, 2004, at his home in Palm Springs, CA at the age of 81.  Read about his extraordinary life and career on "My Chicano Music Articles" page, article 3.

Don Tosti (c. 1949)

Larry Tackett- Former vocalist with the duo Meep Meep & the Roadrunner, passed away March 8, 2004.  His duo recorded a single for Eddie Davis' Boomerang label in the early 60s, produced by Billy Cardenas and backed by Ronnie & the Casuals.  The songs recorded were "Justine" and "B Flat Blues."  Billy Cardenas called me and asked me to put this information up on my website.

Rudy Valona- Influential lead guitarist for The Blendells in the 1960s, passed away December 26, 2003.  The Blendells, from East L.A., scored a national hit record with "La La La La La" in 1965.  Rudy and his music will be missed.

The Blendells (c. 1965) Rudy Valona (front row right)

Joe "Yo Yo" Jaramillo- Original member of Cannibal & the Headhunters passed away on May 24, 2000.  Along with his brother Robert "Rabbit" Jaramillo, Richard "Scar" Lopez, and Frankie "Cannibal" Garcia, Joe toured with The Beatles in 1965 as a result of their national hit record "Land of a Thousand Dances."

Cannibal & the Headhunters (c. 1965) Joe "Yo Yo" Jaramillo (top left)

Frankie "Cannibal" Garcia- The lead singer of Cannibal & the Headhunters passed away on January 21, 1996.  Frankie, who grew up in East Los Angeles, came up with the "na na na na na" hook on the group's 1965 hit record "Land of a Thousand Dances."  Cannibal & the Headhunters toured with The Beatles that year, starting with the historic show at Shea Stadium in New York.

Frankie "Cannibal" Garcia