David Hidalgo is the songwriter and brilliant multi-instrumentalist (guitar, accordion, violin, keyboards) for the eclectic “band from East L.A” Los Lobos. Formed in the mid 1970’s, the band began as a traditional acoustic Mexican group, but under the influence of the early ‘80s punk rock scene in L.A., they decided to go electric, thus incorporating their blues, R&B, Tex-Mex, and rock influences into a more energized sound. They released their major-label debut, “How Will the Wolf Survive,” in 1984 to instant commercial appeal, and followed up with 1987’s “By The Light of the Moon”. Los Lobos achieved more widespread fame in 1987 when they created the soundtrack for the movie La Bamba, a story about the life and tragic end of Mexican-American pop star Richie Valens. Their subsequent releases included the traditional Mexican music of “La Pistola y El Corazon” (1988), “The Neighborhood” (1990), the more experimental “Kiko” (1992), “Colossal Head” (1996), and 2004’s comeback album “The Ride”.

    Hidalgo has also been involved in a myriad of side-projects, most prominently with fellow Lobo Louie Perez in The Latin Playboys, an experimental roots music band, and with fellow song-writing Lobo Cesar Rosas in Los Super Seven, a Grammy-winning Mexican folk-reinterpretation band. Los Lobos continue to tour regularly, and in 2006 released “The Town and the City”, an album musically chronicling the immigrant experience in America.