Rudy Salas is a musician who was a member of the group El Chicano. He is also the co-founder of the L.A. Latin R&B band, Tierra. Along with his brother Steve, he has been a major part of the Eastside sound from the mid 1960s.
History
Rudy grew up in East Los Angeles. In the early days he did not speak any Spanish. He and his brother picked up the harmonies from his mother and uncle who used to sing at family gatherings. Taking what he learnt from his mother, he and his brother started playing neighborhood fiestas. In the early to mid 1960s, the brothers were spotted by Mario Paniagua who was leader of The Percussions, Jaguars. When he was aged about 11, he appeared on "Where Lovers Go" by the Jaguars. Not long after that, Rudy and Steve recorded about three singles for Eddie Davis's Faro label as The Salas Brothers. Later Salas was in groups such as El Chicano and Maya. In 1972, Rudy and Steve joined El Chicano with Rudy as a guitarist. In 1973, Rudy and his brother formed Tierra, and their first album Tierra was recorded. In 1980, as an Eastside group, the brothers with their group had unmatched success with their cover of the Intruders hit "Together". He produced their 1980 album City Nights that featured the hit. Following a falling out with his brother, they did not work together for 11 years. In 2010 Salas played a concert at the Inland Empire with former El Chicano bandmate Bobby Espinosa who would soon pass away.
Tom Waldman co-wrote the 1998 book Land Of A Thousand Dances: Chicano Rock ‘N’ Roll From Southern California with David Reyes. Waldman wrote a script based on the music scene of East L.A. in the 1960s. Waldman then asked Jim Holvay and Rudy Salas and other songwriters as well to compose music for the play. The tunes were to feel like Cannibal & the Headhunters’ "Land of a 1,000 Dances" but original. The songs, sung by an unknown group following their dream and opening for a group like The Beatles at a venue similar to the Hollywood Bowl in 1965. Jim Holvay worked with David Reyes, Rudy Salas, Steve Salas and Tom Waldman resulting in the for Eastside Heartbeats-The Musical.
