Land of a Thousand Dances: Chicano Rock 'n' Roll from Southern California

Evolving from blues, R&B, boleros, funk, punk, and the British invasion, Chicano rock 'n' roll out of Southern California has enriched the music scene forever with the likes of Ritchie Valens, Thee Midniters, Cannibal and the Headhunters, El Chicano, The Brat, and Los Lobos, to name a few. Land of a Thousand Dances tells the story of this uniquely American sound beginning with Lalo Guerrero and Chico Sesma--musical forefathers in East LA--and the white DJs and black musicians who in the 1950s first recognized Mexican Americans as a powerful market. Next came the producers who traveled the garage circuit looking for new talent, and, of course, the kids who sang and composed their way to record labels. The constant through it all has been the Chicano fans who to this day hand down oldies like cherished heirlooms. Through interview and anecdote, Land of a Thousand Dances formally installs Chicanos in the history of rock 'n' roll.