It鈥檚 been a year now but Los Lonely Boys are still grieving.
Last June the mother of the band鈥檚 three brothers: guitarist Henry Garza, bassist JoJo Garza, and drummer Ringo Garza, Jr. passed away. While the brothers had lived with their father after their parents divorced, their mother was still their mother.
鈥淲e鈥檙e still mourning and grieving,鈥 said JoJo Garza during a telephone interview last month.
For the Texas-born and based brothers, both their parents had a deep influence on them as people, as well as musicians.
鈥淎ll their teachings were about being people. That translated into the music,鈥 said Garza. 鈥淥ur parents were divorced. ... The role she played was that she was there, and to see her come through it all and find God ... she gave us strength to overcome challenges,鈥 he said.
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Certainly, Los Lonely Boys, who bring their 鈥淭exican rock 鈥檔鈥 roll鈥 Saturday, June 11, to the Rialto Theatre, have had their share of struggles after the group鈥檚 triumphant debut.
Los Lonely Boys grabbed widespread popularity with their 2004 self-titled debut on Epic Records. The album, with hints of the guitar stylings of Santana and Stevie Ray Vaughan, unleashed the radio hit, 鈥淗eaven.鈥 The song hit No. 16 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, earning the band a 2005 Grammy Award and a nomination for best new artist.
About five years ago a vocal chord injury threatened to end Jojo Garza鈥檚 singing career. And three years ago, Henry Garza fell off a California stage during a performance and sustained injuries.
But the band is solid again, said JoJo Garza. 鈥淲e got songs up to the wazzu,鈥 he said.
The band鈥檚 most recent studio recording, its sixth, was 2014鈥檚 鈥淩evelation.鈥 In addition to the studio recordings, the band has three live albums.
The band is not yet ready to return to the studio but instead is focusing its energies on summer tours, in part because of the music industry, Garza said.
鈥淭he industry is not about albums these days. Not sure it鈥檚 about music either,鈥 he said.
Just as quickly as the band rose, the music industry underwent a revolution, Garza says. It鈥檚 more about getting music out through social media and the internet. But some things remain the same.
鈥淲e鈥檙e an analog band in a digital world,鈥 said Garza, emphasizing the band鈥檚 Texas rock roots. 鈥淲e鈥檙e old school musicians. We play instruments,鈥 he said.
鈥淲e鈥檙e live. That鈥檚 how you capture Los Lonely Boys. The band feeds off the crowd,鈥 he said.
After its smash entrance the group followed with the albums 鈥淪acred鈥 in 2006 and 鈥淔orgiven鈥 in 2008 on Epic Records. The Garza brothers left the label in 2009 and now has its own imprint, LonelyTone.