For lead bassist Jojo Garza, continuing the tradition of playing in a family band alongside his brothers Henry and Ringo Garza was one of the main goals of forming Los Lonely Boys.
Hailing from blazing San Angelo, Texas, the Chicano rock group will perform in the now tentatively warm Madison on March 17 at the Majestic Theatre.
Forming in the early ’90s, the power trio followed in their father’s footsteps in forming a band of brothers, as they also performed with his siblings under the name of The Falcones during the 1970s and ’80s.
“From the get-go, the goal was to get the music out to as many people as we could,” Jojo Garza said. “We didn’t have any real goals to become super famous or win Grammys. We knew it would come along with it if it happened, but the basic idea was to share with people.”
Funny enough, Los Lonely Boys actually ended up winning their first Grammy for the lead single “Heaven” from their debut album Los Lonely Boys. The chart-breaking hit earned the brothers a Grammy Award for Best Pop Performance by a duo group in 2004 and an additional nomination for Best New Artist. The songs “More Than Love” and “Onda” were subsequently nominated for a Grammy in 2006.
To attain their “Texican” rock and roll sound, the trio combines elements of traditional rock and roll, soul, blues, R&B and funk into their music. But, what it really is, Jojo Garza said, is years of gathering information. The musical information — whether it be lyrical, musical or sonic — is a crucial component to developing their music, he added.
While the sound may have changed over the years, the message has stayed relatively the same. Since their formation in 1996, Los Lonely Boys has been dedicated to spreading the message of love and positivity. Even though everything changes as we get older, Jojo Garza said, Los Lonely Boys sends messages the audience can relate to, along with positive insights.
“A big part of what we love to talk about, what we believe about is people and becoming as one as possible and loving each other,” Jojo Garza said. “[Nowadays we make] basic things seem complex, but the music is all about connecting to the roots of people.”
In the last few years, the brothers have held onto this message of positivity to overcome some adversities, one of which was a serious injury that band member Henry Garza sustained during a concert in 2013.
It’s been two years since the power trio’s last album — Revelation — was released, but Jojo Garza isn’t too worried about it being their last. As Henry Garza’s injury has been improving, Los Lonely Boys are back to touring and ready to hit the studio soon.
Most importantly, Jojo Garza is ready to do what Los Lonely Boys does best: Spread that Tex rock and roll and the message of love.
Los Lonely Boys is set to perform at the Majestic Theater March 17 at 8 p.m. The Madison native blue power trio, Aaron Williams & the Hoodoo, is set to open the show.
