Jerry López: Doing Santa Fe Proud

By Ana Pacheco

Santa Fe virtuoso Jerry López. Photos courtesy the López family.

Jerry Lopéz’ grandfather, Nicolás Escajeda, in 1932, at his loom at Gans Store on the Santa Fe Plaza.

ots of people have cashed in on the ambitious father, Gilbert López Sr., had his first for his secular and religious versos, cánticos y use of the name of Santa Fe, America’s two children, Gilbert and Jerry, performing poesías. Don Pablo was a featured poet in the old oldest city, to sell everything from professionally before they were old enough to Spanish-colonial style El Nuevo Mexicano, the L soap to cars. Fortunately, native son attend elementary school. last Spanish language newspaper in the Jerry López has done it with pizzazz. His If you’ve ever wondered what became of the Southwest (“La Prensa de Ayer,” La Herencia, production company, Santa Fe Records, and López Brothers and you just happen to be in Las Volume 9, 1996). He was born in 1860 and died his professional musical ensemble, Santa Fe & Vegas, Nev., you can ask anyone, even the taxi in 1932. Keeping the Spanish traditions of her the Fat City Horns, do the Southwest’s crown drivers. Since they left Santa Fe in the mid- father alive, Maida wrote poetry and composed jewel proud. 1970s, the López brothers have established songs and hymns that are still used in churches Jerry and his family have a history tied to the themselves as leading performers in Las Vegas. in Santa Fe and northern New Mexico. She city. His grandmother Magdalena Griego Vigil At the behest of Nick Escajeda Jr., who is a loyal composed the beautiful tribute to La wrote the song used each year for the annual subscriber to La Herencia and the López Conquistadora that is sung each year on the celebration of the founding of Santa Fe: “¡Que Brother’s uncle, I flew to Las Vegas in February annual pilgrimage of Santa Fe’s revered Viva la Fiesta!” The photo of Jerry’s grandfather to see Jerry López, 50, perform in the “Clint Madonna from Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis Nicolás Escajeda, at his loom at Gans Store on Holmes Show” at Harrah’s Casino on the of Assisi to Rosario Chapel. Maida even wrote a the Santa Fe Plaza in 1932, graces the cover of famous Las Vegas Strip. humorous song during the Depression, when Volume 50 of La Herencia. Meeting Jerry for the first time reminded me of rationing was mandatory, called “Racionaron la Anyone who was in Santa Fe in the 1960s just how small Santa Fe will always be despite Manteca.” remembers the López Brothers. They were the changes that have occurred in the last 30 Maida was married to Nicolás Escajeda. regular performers, along with Genoveva years. It turns out that Jerry and I hung out with This shy, humble Mexican known throughout Chávez and Alan Muñiz. They performed for the same gang of Santa Fe Mid-High School Santa Fe as a noble gentleman was a singer every Fiesta de Santa Fe, political rallies and hellions who terrorized the Plaza merchants back and weaver. Nicolás was born in Acensión, in other community events. Their innovative and in 1970. Although we didn’t remember each the Mexican state of Chihuahua. Finding it other, we knew a lot of the same hard to pursue a musical career in the village people. Going back another decade, of his birth, he headed for la frontera. His first SPONSORED BY: to the 1960s, I found out that his stop was Columbus, N.M., where Pancho Villa grandmother, Magdalena “Maida” and his renegades gave this town its place in Griego Vigil, was a regular at my history. Villa raided this sleepy little pueblo in uncle Henry and my aunt María 1916 and quickly proceeded to set up a García’s weekly Sunday-night poker command post he used for next four years. He game on Pacheco Street. I was stayed in Columbus until the arrival of Gen. utterly dumbfounded to learn this “Black Jack” Pershing, who pursued him to no sweet little old lady was also a well- avail through the mountains of Chihuahua, known poet and composer. where Villa received aid and shelter from his Maida had followed in the supporters. The frustrated general reported musical footsteps of her father, back to his superiors, “Pancho Villa is Pablo Griego Sr., who was famous everywhere and he is nowhere!” 34 La Herencia / Summer 2006 Jerry and Gilbert López performing in 1958. Jerry and Gilbert López on the Santa Fe Plaza in 1963.

Joanie and brother Lenny López performing at the Santa Fe Fiesta.

Alan Muñiz and Jerry López performing at the World’s Fair in Japan in 1970.

Jerry, Gilbert and Lenny López performing at La Fonda, in Santa Fe, N.M., 1972.

Don Nicolás found his way to Santa Fe in 1922, where he married the beautiful Maida, from one of Santa Fe’s old Spanish families. That their A recent photo of Jerry’s mother, Margaret Griego López. paths should cross is no surprise since Maida’s father, Pablo, performed regularly with Los folk melody. As he bent over his Villeros Alegre, the leading musical weaving frame, he turned to me and ensemble of its era. The couple had two asked: ‘Did you hear me sing last night? children, Nicolás Jr. and Margaret, who I won the prize in the audition. Now I is Jerry’s mother. In addition to singing go to Las Cruces to the state contest— as a soloist in the St. Francis Cathedral maybe I will win again—then I go to Choir the singer participated in regional Chicago!’ Nicolás turned back to the music competitions. To the delight of loom and began to hum the song again, customers and tourists alike, Nicolás one of those enraptured love songs that sang the old tunes of Mexico at his he had heard since childhood.” loom. He was featured in the book Jerry grew up in a humble abode on Caballeros: The Romance of Santa Fe and Kathryn Street, off of Agua Fría. He the Southwest by Ruth Laughlin Barker, attended St. Anne’s parochial school, Promoter and composer Gilbert López Sr. putting his dukes up ready who reported the following anecdote: Alvord and Salazar elementary schools for action in 1974 with his musical group Los Hermanos López. “In Santa Fe I was watching the young and Santa Fe High and St. Michael’s weaver from Old Mexico who sang a high schools. By the time he was 12, he Summer 2006 / La Herencia 35 Jerry López performing at Madison Square Gilbert López backstage with Ricky Martin and Jerry López. Jerry López currently performs with Clint Garden in New York during the “Livin’ La Holmes at Harrah’s Casino in Las Vegas, Nev. Vida Loca Tour” in 2000.

Albuquerque singer Diane Ulibarrí, aka Diane Díaz, with Luis Miguel and Jerry López performs with his band Santa Fe & The Fat City Horns every Lenny López. Monday at the Boulder Street Station in Las Vegas, Nev. and his brother Gilbert had recorded 15 quickly became part of the Las Vegas late night provides a showcase for people looking for top Mariachi records. The duo performed in early scene, where other musicians and entertainers musicians to take on the road. Jerry acts as point 1970s as strolling troubadours with the late would stop in to see them perform. The band man for the music industry in Las Vegas and west flamenco artist Vicente Romero at his club, added more musicians and began to play all coast cities, lining up musicians for different road Zambra. Performing first as the López Brothers types of music, from pop to rock to Latin jazz- shows—when he’s not on the road himself. and later in a larger group that also included his fusion. Today, Santa Fe & the Fat City Horns In 2000 Jerry went around the world as part younger brother Lenny, Gilbert López Sr. had consists of 14 professional musicians who of an ensemble that consisted of 100 people in renamed the group Los Hermanos López. The perform with Las Vegas’ biggest entertainers. the “Livin’ la Vida Loca” Tour. He was Ricky band played at local clubs like the Mariposa and You can catch their show every Monday night at Martin’s lead guitarist and sideman. He also Johnny Vigil’s Pussycat Lounge. But Los 10 p.m. at the Boulder Street Station. performed with Ricky Martin on the Today Show Hermanos López had outgrown Santa Fe. Santa Fe & the Fat City horns is a mix of all and at Madison Square Garden. It was an “We were tired of playing rancheras, norteño types of musical influences, with tributes to incredible opportunity for him; the only and TexMex music. We wanted to break into musical heroes. “It’s the one night where drawback was being away from his wife, Sari, pop music,” Jerry explains. So in 1975 the whole musicians can play to their heart’s content the and their five children, whose ages range from 8 family piled all their belongings into an old type of music that you couldn’t get away with in to 20. Oh yeah, they also wanted a punk rock school bus and headed for Las Vegas. “People a lounge, showroom or another commercial gig. look for the band, so he had to die his hair a thought we were crazy, but we took a chance. The show is completely live so there are mistakes, blondish white. He never quite got used to We had to do it,” Jerry recalls. and all of the things you can expect to happen in looking at himself in the mirror so he resorted to Jerry remembers those early years in Las a real live situation. The music comes from the wearing a baseball cap when he wasn’t on stage. Vegas. “We worked the clubs in North Las depths of our emotions,” Jerry explains. All of the Jerry’s other professional gigs are too Vegas, which was a rough part of town. Back excitement and raw energy can be found on the numerous to mention, but he did perform with then the Mafia was still running things. Our first CD and DVD produced by Santa Fe & the Fat Carlos Santana, Gloria Estefan and the late Celia job was playing at a topless revue where we City Horns and Roxie Video Productions. Cruz at the first annual Latin Grammy Awards were both the band and the bouncers.” Santa Fe & the Fat City Horns has never used a in a tribute to salsa legend Tito Puente. Before long Los Hermanos López were publicity or marketing firm for its show, yet the Much of Jerry’s staying power in the gaining a reputation as a serious band and performers continue to fill the room by word of competitive entertainment industry has to do opportunities began to open up. Since everyone mouth. Most of the audience consists of musicians with versatility. When he’s not performing, he knew that the band was from Santa Fe, the and headliners from other shows currently works as a writer and musical director. Jerry has group started being known as Santa Fe. They running in Las Vegas. Each weekly performance been a staff writer for Alchemy Productions,

36 La Herencia / Summer 2006 Jerry López’s Santa Fe & The Fat City Horns DVD.

“Mía,” a CD produced by Nick Escajeda Jr. “Negrita,” a CD produced by Jerry López and James Hosmer.

which produces music for shows, Albuquerque native Diane Ulibarrí, television and radio. He wrote the Nick Escajeda Jr. with his parents, Nicolás Escajeda and Magdalena Griego. who uses the stage name of Diane English compositions for Mexican Díaz. The CD title song, “Mía,” is also artist Lorenzo Antonio. “Lorenzo by Armando Manzanero. My other needed someone who understood the two favorites on the CD, “No Me old Spanish music and that could add a pop industry. His older brother, Gilbert Jr. lives in Venga a Llorar and “Mi Soledad,” were written element into it,” Jerry explains. For several years Albuquerque and performs regularly with by Gilbert López Sr. The work of Mexican he was the musical director for Tiny Morrie’s Frank Chiwiwi. He has also performed with Al legend José Alfredo Jiménez can also be found children, New Mexico’s pride and joy, SPARX. Hurricane, Tiny Morrie, Lorenzo Antonio, on the CD, along with other talented composers. He also worked as the musical director for the SPARX and Johnny Hernández from Little Joe The Mía CD is a collection of boleros that multimillion-dollar musical extravaganza Storm y La Familia. Gilbert López Sr., 76, Jerry’s should be a part of everyone’s music collection. at the Mandalay Bay Resort Casino. father, continues to write music professionally And the fact that it was created by fellow native Jerry’s true love is with the work that he does for his sons and other singers in the Latin New Mexicans is all the more reason to get a with his own companies, Santa Fe Records and music industry. copy. Mía, the Santa Fe & the Fat City Horns Manteca Music. “Manteca, which means ‘lard’ Leonardo López, 47, Jerry’s younger brother, DVD and CD, and Jerry’s Negrita CD are in Spanish, is a term that we latino musicians is a superb vocalist who plays 19 percussion available at Rubén Romero’s “World Music use a lot. For us, it means something that is instruments “When a top-notch percussionist or Gallery at 66 E. St. Francis St., Gallery 12-A on really good,” explains Jerry. singer is needed, Lenny gets the call,” Jerry the Plaza and at both the Santa Fe and Bernalillo Jerry’s CD Negrita is a brainchild of Manteca says. Lenny has toured, recorded and Jackalope locations. For online updates on the Music. The CD is a combination of music in performed in shows with Luis Miguel, Elton López Brothers, log on to www.jerrylopez.com, English and Spanish written by Jerry and John, Stevie Wonder, and many other star www.santafeandthefatcityhorns.com and www. several others musicians, including his brother performers passing through Las Vegas. santafeandthefatcityhorns.blogspot.com. Gilbert and Clint Holmes. Jerry is the lead vocal Lenny’s CD Mía is solid proof of his ability to Nicolás Escajeda Jr., 77, moved to Las Vegas on most of the songs, using an array of musical hold his own with the likes of any of today’s after living in Santa Fe for 60 years to be close to styles that keep the listener engaged. My Latin crooners. His musical style is akin to that his sister Margaret, his nephews, his niece and favorite songs on the CD are “Yo No Quiero of Mexican superstar José José. I fell in love with their families. He was executive producer on the Que Te Vayas,” written by Gilbert López Sr., Mía as soon as his uncle Nick sent me a copy of Mía CD, which he dedicated to his parents, and “Let Me Come Back Home,” written by the CD. It’s all that I listened to at home and in Nicolás Escajeda and Magdalena Griego. As he Jerry and Gilbert Jr. the car for more than a month. I just couldn’t get says of his endeavor, “I wanted to pay tribute to With the exception of Jerry’s mother, enough of it, especially the song, “Contigo my parents, who both left such an important Margaret, 75, and his sister Joni, 45, who is a Aprendí,” by Armando Manzanero, considered musical heritage.” Los Hermanos López proudly homemaker, both living in Las Vegas, the rest Mexico’s leading romantic composer. The carries the torch of this heritage, which will of his family is still involved in the music beautiful background vocals on that song are by continue to be shared for generations to come.

Summer 2006 / La Herencia 37