Music
The best kept secret in music
Press
Minie Gonzalez is only 19 years old, but her voice recalls an age of a smokey 1950's-era blues bar, or of a woman who has seen a lot of wrong in her long, crazy life.
Gonzalez, who moved to Albuquerque after graduating high school last year, has only just begun a career in music that could turn very promising. With her band, The Minie Gonzalez Band, Gonzalez along with drummer Gus Johnson, bassist Zoltan Szekely and guitarist/songwriter Chris Dudley (who also happens to be Gonzalez's boss in her regular 9-to-5 life) are setting out on a mini tour of the Southwest to introduce their blues-and-jazz infused Americana sound to the masses.
The Albuquerque-based band makes a stop in the Sun City with a 10 p.m. show on Friday at Lucky Devil's, 1510 Bengal.
Gonzalez, who is originally from Compton, Calif., said she got into music after she enrolled in a music elective class in high school.
"I used to sing a lot in school, and in high school I took a music elective, the class everyone went to if they didn't want to take a real class," Gonzalez said during a phone interview Tuesday. "I started a singing group with some other girls, and I went on to the rock band for that school where the teacher actually let us go out and play in the street."
Soon afterwards, Gonzalez started a rock band, Holiday Sail, which was rounded out after Gonzalez found that band's drummer through a newspaper ad. That drummer now plays with Gonzalez in the Minie Gonzalez band.
Gonzalez said she's excited about the tour, which also includes stops in Amarillo, Tucson and Chandler, Ariz., because she doesn't get very many chances to travel.
"I went out to Austin once with Holiday Sail for a South by Southwest thing, but it was a one-day trip," Gonzalez said. "I'm definitely excited. I've never been to Texas other than Austin, and it's nice to really know what it's like other than just by hearing what people say about it."
Gonzalez still splits her time between the Minie Gonzalez Band and Holiday Sail. The bands have shared a bill only once so far, creating a somewhat awkward situation for Gonzalez.
"It's awkward for me because I they're two different kinds of music, and I like to keep the bands extremely separate," Gonzalez said. "I don't think I favor either (style) over the other. I like them both equally, and I've found parts of both types of music that I'm really into."
Gonzalez said she hopes to one day become successful with the band that bears her name.
"I definitely see this band coming out on top," Gonzalez said. "This is the one band that seems like it's going somewhere."
For more information on the Minie Gonzalez Band, visit www.myspace.com/miniegonzalezband. - El Paso Times, Adriana Chavez
By Jim Phillips, 4-27-07
The Minie Gonzalez (Minie from Holiday Sail) Band is a front porch throwback to the bluesy, whiskey-weary swing of The 40’s.
Minie’s voice is velvety and lovely, accompanied by an almost antique drum, guitar and bass lineup. Aside from some really well done and just plain charming music, one of the best things about these guys is their tendency to play often at one of the best bars in the state, The Mineshaft Tavern in Madrid. Great room, swell food, stiff drinks, superior service. If you’re up for a short road trip from Albuquerque or Santa Fe, you cannot go wrong with The Mineshaft. Never been? Jesus Christ. You’re missing a genuine New Mexico experience.
Your next chance to catch The Minie Gonzalez Band at the legendary Mineshaft Tavern will be today. Click here to listen to Lonely Left Hand Blues - New West, Voice of the Rockies
Discography
Minie released "Yeah, Yep, Uh-huh" in 2006. Recorded in a barn, literally steps from livestock, the album is burned on demand.
Her second album, tentatively self-titled, has already been professionally recorded and currently is being mastered. It is due out in April.
Currently tracks are on several sites including myspace.com/miniegonzalezband (of course)
and plays on internet radio include:
nessmp3.com
sheesh, a whole bunch I can't remember all over the US, UK and Sweden.
Photos
Feeling a bit camera shy
Bio
**We were just invited to play a Virgin College Mega Tour date!!!*** Thanks Ben!
We've been played on XM Satellite Radio, too. Not bad for a band that's been together for less than a year.
The Minie Gonzalez Band features the bluesy, ripping 40's torch vocals of Minie, the country-swing guitar of Chris Dudley, bass and drums.
We play to the venue and the crowd. In a tiny wine bar we lay back and play easy licks, jazzy. In a smokey, small town bar we kick it up and let it rip, country swing.
Our songs evoke sweet summer days, lousy drunken nights, heartache, loss and hope. We appeal to the older set looking for meaning and the hipster looking for movement.
Minie's influenced by many. Chris Dudley is influenced by Springsteen and Prine. Together they make their own uniquely Americana sound.
Minie was born and raised in Compton, California by her single, Wirarica-Indian mother. The family moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico the year Minie graduated from High School.
Chris asked her to sing backup on some of his songs. After one song he knew she was suppposed to front the band.
Chris Dudley was a half-hearted songwriter for many years. During that time he was hit, kicked or slapped by man, woman, horse, dog and bull. Finally after nearly dying in a serious rodeo accident (bullhorn gores head) Chris started taking songwriting seriously.
Today the band blends Chris' years of western hard-knock with Minie's Compton experience. Add a bass player from Albuquerque and a white-toast Pennsylvania drummer and Nothing could be more American.
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