Little Joe (singer)

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Little Joe
Birth nameJosé María De León Hernández
Born (1940-10-17) October 17, 1940 (age 83)
Chicano Soul
  • Onda Chicana
  • Tejano
  • norteño
  • country
  • blues
    • Occupation(s)Singer, songwriter, record producer
    Instrument(s)Vocals, piano
    Years active1955-present
    LabelsSony

    José María De León Hernández (born October 17, 1940), known professionally as Little Joe, is an American

    tejano performer who was born and raised in Temple, Texas.[1]

    Career

    Little Joe is of Mexican descent. Hernández told the

    Riverside Press-Enterprise
    (Nov. 18, 2015). "We'd go to parties that would last until three in the morning."

    Hernández got his start at 13 when his cousin, David Coronado, recruited him to play guitar for his Latinaires. The Latinaires eventually became known as Little Joe and the Latinaires. Today he is usually joined by his band La Familia.

    Grammy Award for Best Mexican-American Performance
    . In 2008, Little Joe once again won a Grammy for Best Tejano Album of the year for Before the Next Teardrop Falls. Other Grammy nominated albums include Timeless (1988), 1993's Que Paso (1993), Little Joe y La Familia 2000 (1999), and Celebration of Life Vol.1 & Vol.2 (2003).

    Hernández has said he was greatly influenced by

    Riverside Press-Enterprise
    . "If I could have been a jazz musician, I would have preferred that." Hernández has been known to infuse his music not only with jazz, but also country, pop and classical music. One of his most popular recorded songs, "Las Nubes", incorporates violins and other strings.

    Hernandez founded the Little Joe Diabetes and Prevention organization and has organized walkathons in San Antonio.[3][4][5]

    The Temple Independent School District awarded him with the school district's first ever honorary high school diploma in October 2022. Little Joe had to leave school after 7th grade for migrant work, and all of his education after that was gained through experience. "He wasn't able to finish school because he had to go pick cotton, and literally, drive his family around at 12-13 years old", said his son, Isaac Hernandez, who is also the assistant principal at Temple High School.[6]

    Awards and honors

    Notes and references

    Notes

    1. ^ a b Little Joe's band, La Familia, has also been called Johnny y La Familia, bearing the name of Little Joe's brother, Johnny Hernández (né Juan De León Hernández; born 1944), vocalist, producer, and recording engineer.

    References

    1. ^ Acosta, Teresa Palomo (June 7, 2016). "Little Joe y la Familia". Handbook of Texas. Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved March 3, 2024.
    2. Stockton Record
      , September 9, 2015
    3. Rovi Corporation
      . Retrieved December 27, 2010.
    4. ^ Albuquerque Journal Nov. 20, 2015
    5. ^ Stockton Record, Sept. 9, 2015
    6. ^ "Temple ISD awards its first ever honorary diploma to Tejano music icon Little Joe". KWTX News. October 12, 2022.
    7. ^ "NEA National Heritage Fellowships 2023". www.arts.gov. National Endowment for the Arts. n.d. Retrieved June 23, 2023.
    Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Little_Joe_(singer)&oldid=1211670183"