Al Hurricane facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Al Hurricane
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Hurricane performing in 2014
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Alberto Nelson Sanchez |
| Born | July 10, 1936 Dixon, New Mexico, U.S. |
| Died | October 22, 2017 (aged 81) Albuquerque, New Mexico, U.S. |
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| Years active | 1962–2017 |
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Alberto Nelson Sanchez (born July 10, 1936 – died October 22, 2017) was an American singer and songwriter. He was known as Al Hurricane and was called "The Godfather" of New Mexico music. He released over 30 albums. He is famous for his special style of Spanish music from New Mexico.
His mother gave him the nickname "Hurricane" because he would often accidentally knock things over when he was a child. This nickname later became the name for his band, studio, and record label. He wore an eye-patch because of a car accident in the 1960s. These things, along with his performing style, made Al Hurricane known for being able to create music on the spot. His music and image are a big part of the history of New Mexico music.
Al Hurricane often performed with his family. This included his sons Al Hurricane, Jr. and Jerry Dean, his daughter Erika, and his grandson Christian Sanchez. He also played with his brothers Baby Gaby and Tiny Morrie. His nieces from the band Sparx and his nephew Lorenzo Antonio also performed with him. A special concert called A Tribute to Al Hurricane was recorded as two albums and a DVD to honor him. Other New Mexico music artists like Darren Cordova, AJ Martinez, and Sorela were also part of this tribute. He also performed with famous musicians like Chuck Berry, Chubby Checker, Fats Domino, Marvin Gaye, and Selena.
Contents
The Story of Al Hurricane
Growing Up and Starting Out
Al Hurricane was born Alberto Nelson Sanchez on July 10, 1936. He was the first of four children. His parents were Jose Margarito Sanchez and Bennie L. Sanchez. He was born in Dixon, New Mexico.
His family later moved to Silver City. His father, Jose, taught a five-year-old Alberto how to play the guitar. Jose was a miner for most of Al's childhood. Al's mother, Bennie, was also very musical. She sang and played guitar in Jose's band, Los Sanchez. Bennie became very successful. She was the president of Hurricane Enterprises. She helped her musical family and also promoted concerts for big stars. These stars included Johnny Cash, Ray Charles, Elvis Presley, and Little Richard. Her musical family included her sons Al Hurricane, Baby Gaby, and Tiny Morrie. It also included Al Hurricane's sons, Al Hurricane, Jr. and Jerry Dean. Tiny Morrie's children, Lorenzo Antonio and the members of Sparx, were also musicians.
As a child, Al moved to Albuquerque. He started playing music in Old Town when he was 12. He went to Old Albuquerque High and graduated in 1954.
Al Hurricane and His Early Bands
Al worked as a singing waiter at the La Casita Restaurant in Old Town. He also played music for tips around Old Town Plaza. He started singing and writing country and rock and roll songs. He performed at clubs in Albuquerque and New Mexico. This helped him gain many fans.
One of Al Hurricane's first songs was released by Warner Bros. Records in 1962. It had two instrumental rock songs called "Lobo" and "Racer." These were released under the band name Al Hurricane & the Night Rockers. Other early songs by Al Hurricane included "South Bend / Burrito" (1960) and "Panchita / La Mula Bronca." The last two were his first songs with vocals.
Making Music and Touring
In 1967, Al Hurricane released his first album, called Mi Saxophone. The main songs from this album were "Sentimiento" and "Mi Saxophone." "Sentimiento" had already been released as a single in 1965. Later, in 1986, Selena Quintanilla covered "Sentimientos" for her album "Alpha." These early recordings were made using equipment that Buddy Holly once used. This gave the music a special sound from the 1950s.
Al began to perform outside of New Mexico. He toured all over the American Southwest and Western United States. He played in states like Arizona, California, Colorado, and Washington. He also toured Northern Mexico. On November 1, 1969, he had a car accident on his way to a concert in Denver, Colorado. He lost his right eye in this accident. But this did not stop him from making music. Instead, it gave him his unique look with an eye-patch. He even played in big American cities like Chicago and Miami. Al Hurricane also performed in other countries, including cities like Asunción and Buenos Aires.
From 1967 to 1974, Al recorded several albums. These included three Spanish albums around 1973: Canciones del Alma, Sigue Cantando, and Corridos Canta. These albums mixed the sounds of New Mexico, Latin, folk, and country/western music. Fans loved this blend. Al Hurricane played his music in both Chicano and Country music venues.
Another album from this time, Instrumentales con Al Hurricane, showed Al returning to his earlier instrumental rock style.
In 1974, Al Hurricane reached two important points in his career. He released his first album with his brother Tiny Morrie, called Para Las Madrecitas. This album was a tribute to their mother and to mothers everywhere. Also, his first hit song, "Sentimiento," sold its 250,000th copy.
TV Shows and His Own Club
Al Hurricane appeared on a popular TV show called the Val De La O Show. This show featured interviews and music. Al talked with the host and performed new songs from his albums. He also performed a live Mariachi version of "Sentimiento." Some of his first music videos, where he performed with his son Al Hurricane, Jr., and his brothers Tiny Morrie and Baby Gaby, were shown on this program.
In the late 1960s, Al Hurricane, Tiny Morrie, and Bennie Sanchez bought The Sky Line Club. They renamed it "The Far West" in the early 1970s. Al performed there with his band, Al Hurricane Band. This nightclub became a popular place for Country/Western and Spanish music and dancing.
In 1979, Al Hurricane and his son, Al Hurricane, Jr., recorded their first album together, called Cantan Corridos.
Famous Songs and Supergroups
In the early 1980s, Selena performed at The Far West club. Bennie Sanchez promoted this concert. Selena met Al Hurricane there and heard him sing "Sentimiento." She later recorded her own version, called "Sentimientos," on her album "Alpha."
After a big event in New Mexico in 1980, Al Hurricane wrote a song about it. The song was called "(El Corrido De) La Prison De Santa Fe." It was the main song on an album with the same name. The song told the story of the event without taking sides.
Al Hurricane, Tiny Morrie, and Baby Gaby made a tribute album for their mother, Bennie Sanchez. This album, Madrecita, Te Debo Tanto, also featured Lorenzo Antonio and Gloria Pohl.
After these projects, Al Hurricane became the lead singer of a supergroup called Bandido. This band released four albums in the 1980s. Bandido's music was popular on New Mexico radio. It also gained fans in Chicago, along the West Coast, and in other countries like Germany, Venezuela, and Spain.
The 1980s also saw another album with family members. This was a collection of songs called 15 Exitos Rancheros with Tiny Morrie and Al Hurricane, Jr. This album was a hit in Albuquerque and played often on Radio Lobo.
After three Bandido albums and two family albums, Al Hurricane released his next solo album, The Return of Al Hurricane "EL" Godfather.
Becoming a Legend
In 1994, he released another collection of songs with Tiny Morrie and Al Hurricane, Jr., called 15 Exitos Rancheros, Vol. 2.
When he returned to solo albums, Al Hurricane focused more on Ranchera music. This was heard on his 1995 album Sigue... "La Leyenda"!!! and The Legend of New Mexico. He wanted to highlight the Ranchera sound. He also wanted to return to his roots in Rock and Country/Western music. He added songs like Chuck Berry's Johnny B. Goode and Hank Williams' Jambalaya back into his live shows.
In 2000, a documentary called Al Hurricane: Native Legend was made about him. It showed old videos and photos of Al Hurricane's life and career. It also included live performances of his songs.
His album Siempre came out soon after the documentary. It continued his focus on Ranchera and Western sounds, but also added a Cumbia rhythm. The album ¡Que Viva El Godfather!, released in 2003, had an even stronger mix of Ranchera and Cumbia. Both albums had number one songs on local New Mexico radio stations.
Al Hurricane continued to tour nationally and internationally. In Saginaw, Michigan, he drew a crowd of 8,000 people. The Saginaw News newspaper reported that "the bouncy music was something even those who don't habla Español still could savor."
Later Years and Tributes
Al Hurricane recorded his next album, Albuquerque, in 2007. The next year, Isleta Casino & Showroom hosted A Tribute To Al Hurricane. This concert was recorded and released as two CDs and a DVD. The DVD included short documentary-like slideshows about the artists and songs.
His last studio album was Hey Sugar Baby! in 2010. In this album, Al Hurricane mixed global music styles, like Italian and Reggae music, into his New Mexico sound.
Several live albums were released in the 2010s. These included the two-volume Live At The KiMo (2014), recorded in 2011. There was also Feliz Cumpleaños! Al Hurricane the 75th Birthday Concert (2015), recorded in 2011 at the Albuquerque Hard Rock Casino.
Two compilation albums, 15 Éxitos Cumbias and 15 Éxitos Cumbias, Vol. 2, were also released in 2015 and 2018.
Legacy
Al Hurricane had eight children. Some of his children are musicians, including Al Hurricane Jr., Jerry Dean, and Erika Sanchez. Jerry Dean's son, Christian Sanchez, is also a musician.
In 2015, Al Hurricane gave an interview about his life. He was known for supporting political candidates who loved New Mexico, no matter their political party. He supported events for both Democratic and Republican candidates. In 2017, the city of Albuquerque named the main stage of the Albuquerque Plaza after him. It was named the "Al Hurricane Pavilion." During the ceremony, Mayor Richard Berry honored Al Hurricane. Al Hurricane gave his final public performance there, with his son Al Hurricane Jr. and grandson Christian Sanchez.
He passed away from prostate cancer on October 22, 2017, at the age of 81. His funeral was held on October 30, at Queen of Heaven Catholic Church in Albuquerque.
Artists, writers, and experts from the Southwestern and Western US wrote stories about Al Hurricane. They talked about how he helped make New Mexico music popular. They also wrote about how he brought this style to country, rock, and regional Mexican audiences. Famous publications like The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, and the Smithsonian Institution wrote articles about Al Hurricane's impact on New Mexico's culture.
Discography
Solo studio albums
- Mi Saxophone (1968)
- Canciones del Alma (1970?)
- Sigue Cantando (1973?)
- Corridos Canta (1973?)
- Instrumentales con Al Hurricane (1973?)
- Vestido Mojado (1974)
- La Prision de Santa Fe (1980)
- Exitos De Al Hurricane (1980?)
- The Return of Al Hurricane "EL" Godfather (1980?)
- Sigue... "La Leyenda"!!! (1995)
- The Legend of New Mexico (1995?)
- Siempre (2000?)
- ¡Que Viva El Godfather! (2003)
- Albuquerque (2007)
- Hey Sugar Baby! (2010)
Studio albums with Tiny Morrie, Al Hurricane, Jr., Gloria Pohl, Baby Gaby, Lorenzo Antonio
- Para Las Madrecitas with Tiny Morrie (1974)
- Cantan Corridos with Al Hurricane, Jr. (1979)
- Madrecita, Te Debo Tanto with Tiny Morrie, Al Hurricane, Jr., Gloria Pohl, Baby Gaby, and Lorenzo Antonio (1979)
- 15 Exitos Rancheros with Tiny Morrie & Al Hurricane, Jr. (1986)
- 15 Exitos Rancheros, Vol. 2 with Tiny Morrie & Al Hurricane, Jr. (1994)
Studio albums with Bandido
Al Hurricane released four albums with the supergroup Bandido in the 1980s. These were released under the EMI Capitol and/or Discos Musart labels.
- Bandido (first release)
- Bandido (second release)
- Bandido (third release)
- 15 Exitos de Groupo Bandido
Live albums
- A Tribute To Al Hurricane - Live, Vol. 1 (2008)
- A Tribute To Al Hurricane - Live, Vol. 2 (2008)
- Live at the Kimo – Vol.1 and Vol. 2 – with Al Hurricane, Jr. (2014)
- Feliz Cumpleaños! Al Hurricane the 75th Birthday Concert (2015)
Documentaries with live performances
- Al Hurricane: Native Legend (2000)
- A Tribute To Al Hurricane (2008)
Compilation albums
- 15 Exitos Cumbias (2015)
- 15 Exitos Cumbias, Vol. 2 (2015)
