In case you haven’t noticed..YOUR Houston Texans are on a roll. A winning roll.
This Sunday they take their winning ways both on and off the field. The team will battle a much better Oakland raiders team than years past on the field. Off the field, the Texans salute a hardcore demographic of their fans by celebrating the 10th Annual Hispanic Heritage Day.
This year, the Texans launched Toros Bravos, the official Hispanic Fan Club of the Houston Texans. The Texans are the FIRST NFL team with a fan club exclusively for their Hispanic fans.
Houston native and world boxing champ Juan Diaz will be an honorary captain at the game on Sunday.
That’s not all. Grammy award winning group Los Lonely Boys will sing the National Anthem before the game. I had a chance to catch up with Los Lonely Boys’ very own Jojo Garza to find out the latest and greatest on the group. I also asked where he keeps the Grammy.
BackstageOL: First off, I have to say I am a fan. When you think of the greats out of Texas, you think of Stevie Ray Vaughan, Billy Gibbons, ZZ Top and I include Los Lonely Boys.
Jojo: Oh, thanks. Wow. That’s a cool group to be in. Heck yeah.
BSOL: Why do you think the Texas sound is so unique? Is it our salsa?
Jojo: (Laughs) No, I just tell people outside of Texas, it’s in the water.
BSOL: We have to talk about your MONSTER song “Heaven”, did you guys have any idea how big this would be when you wrote it?
Jojo: Not at all. Honestly, it was just another song we had written. We didn’t immediately go “Wow- this is the one!” In fact, that first album was rejected several times by record companies. When we went back and redid some tracks, it was the record company executives who told us that yes, this was going to be a big song for us. We were just as surprised.
BSOL: Do you guys ever get tired of playing it live?
Jojo: (Bigger laugh) OH NO! In fact, if people want to hear it, we’ll play it. We are proud of what that song has done for us.
BSOL: Where is the Grammy?
Jojo: It’s right here, in my office next to my studio. I also tell people it’s at the pawn shop on 6th and Main (I could tell he was smiling when I asked this question).
BSOL: What was your first reaction when you guys heard you won?
Jojo: I first asked them if they had read the card right (laughs again). Then it was like slow motion. I was shocked. When you think about what it means to win, it’s big. The recognition. The achievement. The fact that we were voted on by people that make music, play music. It means a lot.
BSOL: You have a new record out called “Rockpango” which is on your own label Lonely Tone. How different is it to write, produce and market the music yourself?
Jojo: It’s definitely a lot more work. But it’s great because we have more control over our music. It sounds so much better. It’s all us. We’ve always been hands on as a group, but now we don’t have outside producers trying to direct us. That was cool and all, but now it’s so much better for us to write and then head straight to the studio to record. It’s always been important for us to write good music for our fans, for the people that made us who we are as a band.
BSOL: That’s awesome. Good for you. Ok, the Houston Texans are doing something special this Sunday and you guys are a big part. You are singing the National Anthem. You all sang the Anthem a few years ago at the 2008 World Series. Do you get nervous?
Jojo: (Laughs again) Nah, not too much. My first thought when we go out on the field is to thank God of where we are. Seeing the fans inspire us. I’m an American, I’m a Texican. It means so much for us to sing this important song, especially with my brothers in 3 part harmony. We don’t try to dress it up, we keep it simple. That song represents more than the three of us. It represents a nation. It’s a big honor.
BSOL: Again, congrats on everything. I can’t wait to see how well you guys do at Reliant Stadium this Sunday. More important, I can’t wait to see you guys play live in concert again.
Jojo: Thanks…we can’t wait to see the fans this Sunday in Houston!
