Chalino Sánchez

Chalino Sanchez (August 30, 1960 – May 16, 1992) was a Mexican singer and songwriter.

Early life

Born and raised to a poor family in a ranch called "Las Flechas" , Sinaloa, Mexico. His father was Santos Sánchez, his mother Senorina Felix. He had seven siblings, Armando, Lazaro, Regulo, Lucas, Espiridion (El Indio) ,Francisco and Juana. Chalino experienced tragedies and poverty at the age of 6, when his father died, throwing his family into turmoil. His sister Juana was raped by a local mafioso who lived nearby, prompting Chalino to act angrily at the incident. He killed the man, and then later emigrated to California, to escape Mexican authorities.

Arrival in the United States

In 1977, Chalino illegally migrated to the United States with one of his close friends Antonio Armendariz known as el quince, accomplishing their route with the help of a local coyote or pollero (people smuggler) across the border of Baja California. Upon his arrival, he began working in the fields of Coachella and profiting from odd jobs given to him. While concentrating on his regular business, Chalino's sister, Juana Sánchez, introduced him to Marisela Vallejos Felix, who would later give birth to two of his children, Adán Chalino Sánchez Vallejos and Cynthia Sánchez Vallejos. Marisela is from the border town of Mexicali, Baja California

Beginning of a new career

One day while at work, Chalino was introduced to a man by the name of Ángel Parra, who became interested in his musical talents after a small performance. Ángel Parra arranged Chalino for a meeting at his studio named, "Angel Studios", and began recording his first demo cassette with a norteño group named, Los Cuatro de la Frontera. While Chalino was in the studio, he recorded various corrido tunes such as Armando Sánchez (tribute song to his murdered brother), El Sapo, Beto López, and Los Sinaloenses. Ironically, Ángel Parra at first thought Chalino's voice was "unsuitable" for basic norteño music; after Chalino recorded his first demo, his popularity began to grow in the Mexican American community.

By 1989, Chalino was recognized throughout California and requests were piling for him to sing in various venues, in which he was usually paid in various manners, including cash, clothing, vehicles and weapons.

Rising fame

Chalino performed in various locations, California locations and venues such as El Parral Nightclub were he was accompanied by El pumbaa, El Farallón, Keystone Ford Show and Noches de Taconazo. By this time he switched bands and formed Los Amables del Norte, producing some of his best songs. He signed with numerous record labels such as Discos Linda, Cintas Acuario, RR, Balboa Records Edimusa, and Musart.

He made his breakthrough, in terms of publicity, on January 20, 1992. That evening, he was performing at a club in Coachella, California when an unemployed mechanic came up to stage ostensibly to make a request, and then pulled out a gun and shot Chalino in the side. Chalino immediately pulled a gun of his own and returned fire. By the end of the evening, the would-be killer was shot to death with his own gun and at least six other people were wounded, one of whom died on his way to a hospital. It had been widely rumored in Sinaloa that the death toll was higher, but that most of the dead and wounded were illegal immigrants with criminal connections who had been returned across the border before police arrived.^[1]

The shooting made headlines in regional English-language newspapers, not just Spanish-language ones, and even made ABC's World News Tonight. At his next Los Angeles-area appearance, the popular dance club El Parral had to close its doors at 6 pm, at least five hours before he was scheduled to take the stage.^[1]

Death

At a concert Chalino Sanchez got a letter that he was gonna die he walked off stage sad. On May 16, 1992, Chalino was being transported in a Chevy Suburban through the streets of Culiacán. After about 20 minutes, the Suburban was driving near a secluded location when an unmarked Federal Police Vehicle intercepted them and forced them to the side. At approximately 06:00 in the morning, Chalino's lifeless body was discovered on the side of a road with two gunshot wounds to the back of the head. The next day, newspapers in Sinaloa read, "Chalino Sánchez, Secuestrado, y Ejecutado" (Chalino Sánchez, Kidnapped and Executed). Chalino Sánchez is buried at "El Rancho Los Vacitos", in the small town of Las Tapias, Sinaloa, Mexico.

Family Legacy

His son Adán Sánchez b.(April 14, 1984- March 27, 2004), was a popular Mexican-American singer who died in a car accident in 2004. While touring in his father's home state of Sinaloa, he was killed in a one car motor vehicle accident.

Sources

• Foxy Tunes

References

• Quinones, Sam. (2001). True Tales from Another Mexico: The Lynch Mob, the Popsicle King, Chalino and the Bronx, University of New Mexico Press. www.samquinones.com

• Wald, Elijah. (2001) Narcocorrido: A Journey into the Music of Drugs, Guns and Guerrillas, Rayo/HarperCollins. www.elijahwald.com

External links

• Chalino Sanchez(In Spanish)
• Chalino
• Chalino Theory & Music