| One of Tejano music’s most familiar
voices is back with an exciting new project. We’re talking
about Eddie Ray Barela, who’s enjoyed great success
as lead singer of Los Hermanos Barela. His
new band is Eddie Ray Barela, and their debut album is Corazon
Loco, released September 2008 on GSM Discos. Corazon Loco
features the warm, easygoing vocals that have made Barela
an in-demand vocalist for years. And the music highlights
Eddie Ray’s creative vision more than ever –
this material fits his excellent voice perfectly.
The first single is an up-to-the-minute, booming cumbia
titled “Rita,” written by Eddie Ray Barela,
who worked on production and songwriting for much of Corazon
Loco.
Says Barela: “The people who’ve heard
my new stuff like it – it’s different and attracts
a young crowd. ‘Rita’ has a Tejano Modern beat,
and a little rhythm at the end.”
Ediie Ray and Hector spent a year working on the
material, which consists mainly of cumbias. But the finished
album shows that the collaboration resulted in a fresh fusion
of elements that are musically innovative and danceable
as well.
“It was kind of hard but we had to get the
type of music we were looking for,” Barela says. “The
concept of this CD is more like a collaboration of Tejano,
Country, Cumbia, Norteño and Modern Beats, with a
brass section all put together in a song.”
Growing up, Barela was a big fan of Little Joe.
At a concert in 1985, the legendary crowd-friendly singer
gave the mic to the yourger Barela, who impressed Little
Joe with his singing of a few lines of “Las Nubes.”
Barela was hooked, and a few years later became a backup
singer for The Barela Brothers, starting a career that has
made him a highly respected vocalist.
A San Antonio native, Barela recently took the
step of founding his own production company, a new creative
and business hub for Tejano and Regional Mexican music.
“I see tejano groups that have their own
label,” Barela says. “They go independently
and they’ve had success. Just because I’m the
artist doesn’t mean I don’t do the dirty work.
My experiences with labels opened my eyes on how to work
with groups.”
Contact: www.eddieray.org, Contact Information:
432-889-8101 or 432-570-7973
www.eddieray.org or visit us at My Space at www.myspace.com/eddieraybarela
|
