La Sombra Explained

La Sombra
Background:	group_or_band
Alias:	The Windy City Boys
Origin:	Aurora, Illinois, United States
Genre:	Tejano/Tex-Mex, cumbia, hip hop, rock, soul
Years Active:	1970s–1990s, 2008, Present
Label:	International Recording Company/IRC (1977-1981), Freddie Records (1984-1990), Fonovisa Records (1991-1994), EMI Latin (1995-1997)
Associated Acts:	La Mafia, Fandango U.S.A, La Rebeldia, Selena, Johnny Canales, Oasis de Chicago, Cruz Martínez

La Sombra de Chicago or La Sombra de Tony Guerrero or the Windy City Boys is a Tejano band founded by Tony Guerrero.^[1] Originally from the Chicago suburb of Aurora, Illinois, the group gained national acclaim and success after moving to Corpus Christi, Texas, the headquarters of their label, Freddie Records.

Career

La Sombra released over twenty full-length studio albums featuring songs in both Spanish and English. Following numerous line-up changes, the group disbanded in 1995, briefly reuniting in 2008 for a number of live shows.

La Sombra has been credited with influencing the Tejano music fields in terms of musical style, dress, and concert performances as well as a generation of newer artists.

Select discography

Studio albums

• Mi Guerita Coca-Cola (1984)(First album on Freddie Records and debut)
• Where's The Beef? (1984)
• No Hay Derecho (1984)
• Eres Tu Muchachita (1985)
• Sombra Love (1985)
• Botoncito De Cariño (1985)
• All I Could Do Was Cry (1986)
• From The Streets Of Chicago (1987)
• La Sombra Introduces La Rebeldia (1987)
• Strikes Again (1988)
• Chicago's Wild Side (1988)
• One Of A Kind (1988)
• The Chi-Town Boys R Back (1989)
• Good Boys Wear White (1990) (Last album on Freddie Records)
• Porque Te Quiero (1991) (First album on Fonovisa)
• Intocable (1992)
• Ilusiones (1993)
• Caliente Dulce Amor (1994) (Last album on Fonovisa)
• Mas Que Todo (1995) (First album on EMI Latin)
• Alborotados (1997) (Last album on EMI Latin)
• Todo Me Recuerda A Ti (1999)

Compilations

• Come Together (1985)
• Double Shot (1988)
• Greatest Hits Vol. 1 (1990)
• Greatest Hits Vol. 2 (1991)
• Awesome (1991)
• The Greatest Show On Earth (1991)
• Lo Mejor (1993)
• 10th Anniversary (1994)
• Our Very Best (1995)
• Las Mejores Cumbias (1995)
• 30 Greatest Hits (1997)
• 30 Greatest Hits Vol. 2 (2000)
• In Concert (2001)
• 30 Greatest Hits Vol. 3 (2002)
• The Original Recordings (2004)
• Mano A Mano (2004)
• 20 Exitos De Recuerdo (2005)
• The Original Recordings 2 (2005)
• Anthology (2007)
• Battle of The 80s (2008)

Band members

• Antonio "Tony" Guerrero Jr. - lead vocals, background vocals, accordion
• Gavino Guerrero - lead vocals, background vocals, trumpet (1979 - 1994)
• Cruz Guerrero - keyboards, background vocals
• Albert "Tiger" Diaz - trumpet, saxophone, background vocals (1985 - 1989)
• Rene Limas - keyboards (1984 - 1987)
• Ceaser Mojica - keyboards, vocals (1988)
• Jesse Huerta - drums, background vocals (1977 - 1995)
• Lorenzo "Chencho" Benavides - lead vocals (1977 - 1981)
• Jose "Pepper" Gonzales - guitar (1978 - 1993)
• Harvey Gonzales - bass guitar, background vocals (1978 - 1995)
• Frankie Trevino - guitar (1985 - 1987)
• Alex "Pretty Boy" Ramirez - keyboards, accordion (1989 - 1995)
• Ray Talamantez Jr. - trumpet, saxophone, vocals
• Rogelio Zavala Jr.-Keyboards, vocals
• Alex (Chuco) Gutierrez - keyboards, vocals (1986)
• Adam Vargas - guitar
• Cruz Martínez - keyboard (1989–1996)
• Andrew Maes - background vocals
• Bobby Rios - bass guitar and vocals (1996-Current)
• Rene Ximenez - drums (1999,2000, 2009,2010)
• Roland Gutierrez - keyboards
• Jesse Colon - trumpet (1981 – 1984)
• Joel Garza - drums (1994 – 1995)
• Joe Eric Griego - drums (1997)

Awards and nominations

Year	Award	Category	Work	Result	Ref.
1985	Tejano Music Awards<	-- March 10, 1985 -->	Most Promising Band of the Year	La Sombra	^[2]
1990	Tejano Music Awards<	-- March 9, 1990 -->	Single of the Year	"El Sapo"	^[3]
1991	Tejano Music Awards<	-- March 1, 1991 -->	Album of the Year – Orchestra	Good Boys	^[4]
		Song of the Year	"El Sapo"	rowspan="1"
		Single of the Year	"A Donde Vas" "El Sapo"	rowspan="1"
1992	Grammy Awards<	-- February 25, 1999 -->	Best Mexican-American Album	Porque Te Quiero	^[5]
	Premio Lo Nuestro<	-- May 14, 1992 -->	Regional Mexican Group of the Year	La Sombra	^[6]
2017	Tejano Roots Hall of Fame<		-- January 7, 2017 -->	Tony Guerrero	^[7]
	Tejano Music Awards<	-- October 21, 2017 -->	Male Vocalist of the Year		^[8]
		Song of the Year	"Mi Cumbia"
		Album of the Year – Tejano	Look Who's Back

External links

• La Sombra at AllMusic
• La Sombra at Discogs

Notes and References

1. Web site: Blankenship . Bill . Music acts flavor Fiesta's closing nights . The Topeka Capital-Journal . The Topeka Capital-Journal . 20 January 2024.
2. Web site: Past Tejano Music Awards Winners 1981 to Present . Tejano Music Awards .
3. News: Flores Jr. Adolfo. Tejano Music Celebrates in Awards Show. 27 April 2016. Del Rio News Herald. December 9, 1990.
4. News: 1991 Tejano Music Award Finalists. 27 April 2016. Colorado Springs Hispania News. February 21, 1991.
5. Web site: La Sombra Artist GRAMMY.com . Grammy .
6. March 28, 1992. Ana Gabriel leads nominees for Latin Music Awards. Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc.. 104. 13.
7. Web site: Tejano R.O.O.T.S Hall of Fame inducts over 80 individuals into 2016 class . Medina . John Henry . January 10, 2017 . Tejano Nation .
8. Web site: Top 5 Nominees Announced for 37th Tejano Music Awards . Medina . John Henry . October 5, 2017 . Tejano Nation .