LA BAMBA

There is a saying that goes something like this: “There are those who wait for things to happen … and there are those who make things happen,” If the saying has any merit, then certainly Brooke and Geoff Kulawick of True North Records in downtown Waterdown fall into the latter category. After launching ArtFest last year – attracting over 20,000 people – True North welcomed another music legend recently.

Some 40 years ago, Louie Perez along with his writing partner David Hidalgo – both members of Los Lobos – co-wrote “La Bamba” – made famous by 17-year-old Richie Valens before he was tragically killed in a plane crash in Iowa in 1959. But Louie is also an accomplished painter and some of his original artwork was featured at a True North reception recently. Executive Director Arend Kersten represented the Flamborough Chamber of Commerce (FCC) at the reception.

According to the Hamilton Spectator, “Louie Perez, guitarist, percussionist and principal lyricist for Los Lobos, got involved in music while attending high school in East Los Angeles after meeting fellow guitarist David Hidalgo. In 1973, the two formed Los Lobos, initially performing traditional Mexican music and then adding rock to the blend. That musical formula has continued for more than 40 years. Last year the band, best known for its 1987 cover of Richie Valens’s “La Bamba,” was nominated for the second time for induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.” The entire Hamilton Spectator profile can be found HERE