In 1987, "La Bamba" shot Los Lobos to the top of the Billboard Hot 100 chart, but that success came at a price for the band.
"Suddenly, this group from East LA that had spent over a decade building this whole catalog of music was getting typecast as a novelty," says World Cafe producer Miguel Perez. "They became sort of the 'La Bamba' band."
Every week for Hispanic Heritage Month, World Cafe is charting a Latin American act's journey before their big mainstream hit. It's a series called Before the Breakthrough.
This week, Miguel takes you beyond "La Bamba" and talks about how Los Lobos blended different musical traditions, like Mexican folk music and American rock.
"They're Mexican, but they're also American," he says. "It's sort of the quintessential Chicano experience."
Featured Songs
- "La Bamba"
- "Sabor A Mi"
- "Anselma"
- "Why Do You Do"
- "Will the Wolf Survive?"
- "La Pistola y El Corazón"