Chalino Sánchez - Misplaced Pages

(Redirected from Chalino Sanchez) Mexican singer (1960–1992) In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Sánchez and the second or maternal family name is Félix.

Chalino Sánchez
Sánchez c. 1990
Background information
Birth name	Rosalino Sánchez Félix
Also known as	El Compa Chalino (Buddy Chalino) El Pelavacas El Rey del Corrido
Born	(1960-08-30)August 30, 1960 Rancho El Guayabo, Municipio de Culiacán, Sinaloa, Mexico
Died	May 16, 1992(1992-05-16) (aged 31) Culiacán, Sinaloa, Mexico
Genres	Regional Mexican narcocorrido norteño banda
Occupation	Singer-songwriter
Instruments	Vocals
Years active	1984–1992
Labels	RR (Rosalino Records) Cintas Acuario Disco Linda Musart Records

Musical artist

Rosalino "Chalino" Sánchez Félix (30 August 1960 – 16 May 1992) was a Mexican singer-songwriter. Posthumously called "King of The Corrido" (from Spanish: El Rey del Corrido), Sánchez is considered one of the most influential Mexican narcocorrido singers of the late 20th century. He also composed and sang romantic and radio-friendly songs.

Sánchez grew up in a poor and violent rural area of Sinaloa, the youngest of eight children. His father died when Sanchez was six years old. At age 15, Sánchez shot and killed a man who raped his sister. In 1984, his brother Armando was murdered in a hotel in Tijuana, inspiring him to compose his first corrido. While serving time in prison for petty crimes, Sánchez composed songs for inmates that had stories they wanted to preserve in sentimental ballads.

On January 25, 1992, Sánchez was shot while performing in Coachella, California, United States, but survived. He fired back in self-defense and accidentally killed a bystander. Just a few months later, on May 16, Sánchez was shot and killed by unidentified assailants after a performance in Culiacán, in which he was handed a note, possibly a death threat. Though his murder remains unsolved, it is suspected to be linked to a Mexican cartel or revenge.

Early life and career

Rosalino Sánchez Félix was born on "Las Flechas", a small ranch in El Guayabo, a small farming municipality in Sinaloa. His birth name was Rosalino, but he preferred his nickname "Chalino" since he believed that Rosalino sounded too feminine. He was the youngest of eight children. His parents were Santos Sánchez, who died when Chalino was six years old, and Senorina Félix. Sánchez grew up in an impoverished environment, with limited opportunities, and was surrounded by violence.

On September 1975 at age 15, Sánchez shot and killed a man who had raped his sister. He then moved to Tijuana, where he worked as a "coyote", smuggling undocumented immigrants into the United States. In October 1975, Sánchez himself fled to the U.S. to avoid Mexican authorities. He worked on farms from Seattle, Washington to Portland, Oregon and in January 1983 he later moved in with his aunt in Inglewood, California. He washed dishes, sold cars and dealt small quantities of marijuana and cocaine. He also had a stint as a driver for Rigo Campos, the owner of a restaurant in Bell Gardens, California who was involved in the drug business, and who was eventually killed by the Crips in South Los Angeles, California. In addition, Sánchez helped his older brother, Armando, run an immigrant-smuggling operation.

In May 1983, Sánchez met Marisela Vallejos, from Mexicali, Baja California, through a cousin. They married in February 1984 while she was pregnant with their son, Adán Sánchez, and later had a second child, Cynthia Sánchez Vallejos. They were married for nine years until Sánchez' death.

In July 1984, Armando was shot and killed in a hotel in Tijuana, which inspired Sánchez to compose his first corrido, "Recordando A Armando Sánchez." Around this time, he was arrested and served a few months in La Mesa prison for petty crimes. Sánchez composed songs for his fellow inmates, many of whom were drug traffickers and were illiterate, turning their stories into songs. He was paid in cash, watches and guns.

Sánchez was introduced to Ángel Parra, who arranged for the singer to record his first demos at his studio with a norteño group, Los 4 De La Frontera. He first began recording in the studio in 1987 and would record fifteen songs, each commissioned by a local "valiente", and make one copy for each client. By the third recording, his clients were ordering extra copies for their friends, and Parra suggested producing 300 cassettes, which sold easily and was followed by reorders. Sánchez sold the cassettes out of his car trunk or at flea markets, and performed at quinceañeras and baptisms.

By January 1989, Sánchez had given up his day jobs, had formed his own record label and was hustling his cassettes full-time. The previous year he'd met Nacho Hernández, whose band Los Amables del Norte became his regular accompanists. Sánchez became well-known throughout California, Oregon, Washington, Nevada, Arizona and Texas and performed in several venues such as the El Parral Nightclub in South Gate, California and El Farallon Nightclub in Lynwood, California.

Sánchez connected with Pedro Rivera, who had set up Cintas Acuario, a small recording studio in Long Beach, California to which Sánchez signed a recording contract. Rivera, the father of Lupillo Rivera, Juan Rivera and Jenni Rivera, was one of the first to release Sánchez' albums.

Coachella shooting (January 1992)

Los Arcos Nightclub Shooting

Location	Plaza Los Arcos Nightclub 52447 Harrison St Coachella, CA 92236, U.S.
Coordinates	33°40′04″N 116°10′56.6″W / 33.66778°N 116.182389°W / 33.66778; -116.182389
Date	January 25, 1992; 32 years ago (1992-01-25) c. 11:40 PM – c. 12:40 AM (PST)
Target	Chalino Sánchez, 31
Attack type	Mass shooting
Weapons	C. Sánchez, M1911 (10mm) E. Gallegos, Pistol (.25ACP)
Deaths	1 (Claudio Rene Carranza, 20)
Injured	10 (10, injured with bullet crossfire)
Perpetrator	Eduardo Gallegos, 32
Motive	Inconclusive

On 25 January 1992, Sánchez performed at the Plaza Los Arcos restaurant and nightclub in Coachella, California, with 400 people in attendance. Eduardo Gallegos, aged 32, an unemployed mechanic from Thermal who was under the influence of heroin and alcohol, requested the song "El Gallo de Sinaloa" to be played. Immediately afterwards, Gallegos jumped on stage and fired four shots at Sánchez. In retaliation, Sánchez fired his gun at Gallegos; the firearm jammed and Sánchez threw it at Gallegos.

Gallegos' four shots hit Sánchez twice in the chest near his armpit, striking his lung; one bullet hit the accordionist in the thigh. Sánchez' shots missed Gallegos, but accidentally hit and killed 20-year-old Claudio Rene Carranza. In total, nine to fifteen shots were fired and approximately ten people were hit. Gallegos was wrestled to the floor by a bystander and was shot in the mouth with his own pistol. Both Gallegos and Sánchez were both transported to Desert Regional Hospital in Palm Springs, in critical condition.

Gallegos, who survived his wounds, was convicted of attempted murder and was sentenced to twenty years to life in prison; he was paroled in 2023.

The shooting gave Sánchez additional press and his sales and radio airplay increased particularly for his non-narco song "Nieves de Enero." At his next performance in Los Angeles, the club reached capacity six hours before Sánchez was due to perform.

Murder

After the January 1992 shooting and the increase in notoriety that followed, Sánchez began fearing for his life. He distributed his gun collection to his friends and sold the rights to his songs to Musart Records, receiving just enough money for his wife to buy a house but depriving his family of any future royalties.

On 16 May 1992, during a performance at the Salón Bugambilias in Culiacán, Sánchez was handed a note from someone in the crowd. The note is commonly believed to have been a death threat, but this has never been confirmed. A video shows Sánchez reading the note, showing signs of worry, then crumpling up the note and continuing to sing.

After midnight, Sánchez left the club with two of his brothers, a cousin and several young women. Their vehicle was pulled over by a group of armed men in black Chevrolet Suburbans. They showed state police identification and told Sánchez that their commander wanted to see him. Sánchez agreed and got into one of their cars.

The following morning, two farmers found Sánchez' body by an irrigation canal near Mexican Federal Highway 15, near the neighborhood of Los Laureles, Culiacán. He was blindfolded, and his wrists bore rope marks. He had been shot twice in the back of the head. Sánchez was buried in the Panteón de Los Vasitos in Sinaloa, Mexico.

Legacy, artistry, and influence

Sánchez was not a trained singer; he referred to his style as "barking" and knew he was often out of tune. However, he was praised for the sincerity and specificity in his lyrics. Sánchez' songs were often true crime stories. He was referred to as "part Billy the Kid, part Bill Monroe." His fans saw him not just as an entertainer, but "the real thing." Sánchez sang his songs in the Sinaoloan cadence and slang, something no major singer had previously done.

After his death, Sánchez's popularity soared; his widow knew of 150 corridos dedicated to her husband. His vocal tracks were used to create new songs and several imitator acts followed. Sanchez' music continues to be played on many Spanish language radio stations and is popular with young Hispanic listeners. He has also received praise from artists outside his target audience, such as rapper Snoop Dogg.

In 2019, a short film titled "Chalino", directed by Michael T. Flores, premiered at the Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival (LALIFF). An eight-part podcast about Sánchez' life and the circumstances of his murder, Ídolo: The Ballad of Chalino Sánchez, was released in February 2022. In 2023, a TV documentary series titled "Nunca Tuvo Miedo" premiered on Vix. A biopic of Sánchez' life, starring David Castañeda, is currently in production.

Family

Sánchez's son, Adán Sánchez, was also a successful regional Mexican American singer. In 2004, at age 19, while riding in his father's 1990 Ford LTD Crown Victoria, he died in a roll-over car crash after the tire blew.

Discography

Studio albums

Chalino Sánchez Con Los 4 De La Frontera (1987)
Alma Enamorada (1992)
Nieves de Enero (1992)

Films

Chalino Sanchez: Una Vida De Peligros (2004)
Pura Raza Chalino Sanchez Vida y Muerte (2006)
Chalino (2018)
Nunca Tuvo Miedo (2023)

References

^ "California IN BRIEF : COACHELLA : 1 Killed, 10 Hurt in Nightclub Shooting". Los Angeles Times. 26 January 1992.
VILLA, LUCAS (May 1, 2024). "Why Was Chalino Sánchez Killed?". Remezcla.
^ SORIANO, RODRIGO (May 6, 2023). "The second life of Chalino Sánchez, the king of 'corrido'". El País.
^ "THE BALLAD OF CHALINO SANCHEZ". LA Weekly. July 29, 1998.
^ Herrera, Cristian (May 13, 2022). "¿Dónde se ubica capilla de Chalino Sánchez en Culiacán, Sinaloa?" [Where is Chalino Sánchez Chapel located in Culiacán, Sinaloa?]. El Debate (in Spanish).
^ "El Valiente: Chalino Sánchez". PBS. January 17, 2006.
Quinones, Sam (2001). True Tales from Another Mexico: The Lynch Mob, the Popsicle Kings, Chalino, and the Bronx. UNM Press. ISBN 978-0-8263-2296-8.
Ayub, Simon (March 31, 2022). "Chalino Sánchez and Marisela Vallejos Felix relationship story and family". Tuko.co.ke.
^ Torres, Blanca (February 10, 2022). "'Idolo': Why Singer Chalino Sánchez Is Still a Legend 30 Years After His Unsolved Murder". KQED-FM.
^ ORMSETH, MATTHEW (17 August 2023). "30 beers, a cockfight, a gun: The untold story of the man who tried to kill Chalino Sanchez". Los Angeles Times.
Corridos Y Canciones RR (2019-09-09). Chalino Sanchez - Canta Con Los 4 De La Frontera #CorridosyCancionesRR. Retrieved 2024-09-26 – via YouTube.
^ Flores, Griselda (July 7, 2022). "Chalino Sanchez's Legacy Continues to Be Celebrated, 30 Years After His Death". Billboard.
Quinones, Sam (March 1, 1998). "NARCO POP'S BLOODY POLKAS". The Washington Post.
Javy G (2012-02-06). Chalino Sanchez En Vivo Desde El Farallon. Retrieved 2024-09-20 – via YouTube.
"Jenni Rivera's musical family helped popularize Mexican narco-ballads". Los Angeles Times. December 10, 2012.
"1 dead in dance hall shootout". North County Blade-Citizen. Associated Press. 26 January 1992. p. 10 – via Newspapers.com.
Haberman, Douglas (21 February 1992). "Club loses entertainment license". The Desert Sun. p. 3 – via Newspapers.com.
"SINGER FIRES FROM STAGE; ONE KILLED". News & Record. Associated Press. January 25, 1992.
"One killed, 10 wounded in dance hall shootout". Tampa Bay Times. January 26, 1992.
"Gunfire at Nightclub Kills 1 Man, Injures 10, Including Performer". Deseret News. January 26, 1992.
Burton, Poppy (October 7, 2023). "Chalino Sanchez: the unsolved assassination of the corrido star". Far Out.
Chalino Sánchez - Alma Enamorada (En Vivo) – via YouTube.
KUN, JOSH (February 2, 2010). "Music - Going narco". The Phoenix. Archived from the original on February 2, 2010.
"Chalino Sánchez: Así luce la tumba del "Rey del corrido" a 30 años de su muerte" [Chalino Sánchez: This is what the tomb of the “King of corrido” looks like 30 years after his death]. El Heraldo de México (in Spanish). April 20, 2022.
Downes, Lawrence (August 16, 2009). "In Los Angeles, Songs Without Borders". The New York Times.
ARELLANO, GUSTAVO (June 1, 2017). "Twenty-Five Years After His Murder, Chalino Sánchez Remains As Influential As Ever". OC Weekly.
Snoop Dogg sorprende cantando "Nieves de Enero", canción de Chalino Sánchez – via YouTube.
"Director Michael Flores Explores the Legend of Chalino Sánchez In Short Film". Remezcla. Retrieved 2024-09-13.
"Ídolo: The Ballad of Chalino Sánchez" – via Apple Podcasts.
Núñez, Eulimar; Hernández Ojesto, Luis (December 30, 2022). "The mysterious death of a Mexican corrido singer captivates a global audience, thanks to a podcast". NBC News.
Nunca Tuvo Miedo (Documentary), Angélica Ramirez, Chalino Sanchez, Esteban Ávila, Pacha Films, 2021-12-31, retrieved 2024-09-13{{citation}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
VILLA, LUCAS (April 26, 2024). "'El Rey del Corrido' Chalino Sánchez Getting Biopic". Remezcla.
Cobo, Leila (March 29, 2004). "Latin Singer Sánchez Dead At 19". Billboard.
Gurza, Agustin (March 30, 2004). "Adan Sanchez, 19; Latino Singer Was Rising Teen Idol". Los Angeles Times.
Mario Cruz (2017-04-06). Chalino Sanchez - Una Vida De Peligros (Pelicula Completa). Retrieved 2024-09-26 – via YouTube.
"Pura Raza Chalino Sanchez Vida y Muerte DVD (NR)". www.swapadvd.com. Retrieved 2024-09-26.
Michael Flores (2023-08-20). CHALINO. Retrieved 2024-09-12 – via YouTube.
ViX (2023-07-01). Nunca Tuvo Miedo - Capítulo 1 Gratis | ViX. Retrieved 2024-09-13 – via YouTube.