Cesar Rosas

Guitarist, singer, and songwriter Cesar Rosas is a key member of <a href="spotify:artist:6OWapcJm9xd55ci9CYbAuT">Los Lobos</a>. While less prolific than the team of <a href="spotify:artist:4pp6PKB7hDh3LqQVuSrHTD">David Hidalgo</a> and Louie Perez, his rootsy compositions, fiery guitar playing, and gritty vocals act as an important counterweight in the band's sonic blend. Primarily working from a blues-based foundation, Rosas' compositions for <a href="spotify:artist:6OWapcJm9xd55ci9CYbAuT">Los Lobos</a> include the hard-rocking "Don't Worry Baby" (from How Will the Wolf Survive?) and "I Can't Understand," co-written with blues giant <a href="spotify:artist:5v8WPpMk60cqZbuZLdXjKY">Willie Dixon</a>, which appeared on The Neighborhood (1990). In addition to his role in <a href="spotify:artist:6OWapcJm9xd55ci9CYbAuT">Los Lobos</a>, Rosas released Si Se Puede!, his debut solo album on <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%2224%2F7%22">24/7</a>, and in 1998 appeared as a member of <a href="spotify:artist:3G6aMsYTQkix5YQrtuj9hu">Los Super Seven</a>, the Latin American supergroup. Their self-titled album featured re-interpretations of traditional Mexican folk songs. It was a minor hit and the band became a touring concern. Rosas kept busy, issuing Soul Disguise for <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Ryko%22">Ryko</a> in 1999, a potent blend of rock, blues, soul, and Latin music. He appeared on blues icon <a href="spotify:artist:405tHSLp2ie78eo1j1IygQ">Kid Ramos</a>' self-titled offering for <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22RCA%22">RCA</a>.

In October, a horrible tragedy struck Rosas' family. His wife Sandra disappeared. Her body was found a year later in a shallow grave outside Los Angeles. She had been murdered. Her half- brother Gabriel Gomez was convicted of the crime.

After taking some real time off, Rosas healed himself by remaining busy. His touring and recording duties with <a href="spotify:artist:6OWapcJm9xd55ci9CYbAuT">Los Lobos</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:3G6aMsYTQkix5YQrtuj9hu">Los Super Seven</a> (the latter recorded two more albums: Canto for Sony in 2001 and Heard It on the X for <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Telarc%22">Telarc</a> in 2005) took up a lot of time but he also took on work as a sideman, appearing on <a href="spotify:artist:28yWs7I4FXiDyBuHoZqkY8">Rick Trevino</a>'s Mi Son and on <a href="spotify:artist:1Cc79YAHP7xvQAVQSjveP6">Alejandro Escovedo</a>'s conceptual work By the Hand of the Father, and as part of the <a href="spotify:artist:1CMRsisCxvV0fXDzxUbiwV">Texmaniacs</a> with bandmate <a href="spotify:artist:4pp6PKB7hDh3LqQVuSrHTD">Hidalgo</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:0VKuugYO6uuSOCGO62vk0M">Flaco Jimenez</a>, and a host of other Latin luminaries on Tex-Mex Groove in 2006. A month after <a href="spotify:artist:6OWapcJm9xd55ci9CYbAuT">Los Lobos</a> issued the acclaimed Gates of Gold in November 2015, Rosas emerged the following month with his third solo album, Live from the Galaxy -- backed by accordionist Jimmy Baca, drummer <a href="spotify:artist:73XbktUfdPg9dUO4QN0Vrn">Aaron Ballesteros</a>, bassist Steve Falomir, and keyboardist John Kito -- on the <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Los+Angeles%22">Los Angeles</a> label. ~ Martin Monkman & Thom Jurek, Rovi