Program Archives
Chicano Rock! The Sounds of East Los Angeles
Producer/Writer/Director/Editor: Jon Wilkman
Genre: Documentary
Program Length: 1 Episode/60 Minutes
Broadcast Date: Available on PBS December 14, 2008 at 9:00 PM EST (Please check local listings)
ABOUT THE FILM-

Narrated by Edward James Olmos, this landmark film chronicles more than 60 years of America’s largest Mexican-American community as generations of artists and audiences defined themselves with music. It began in the 1940s, with the Father of Chicano Music, Lalo Guerrero and continued with the brilliant but tragic career of Ritchie Valens in the 1950s. During the 1960s, bands such as El Chicano and Tierra produced national hits and reflected a new militancy. Also included is the amazing and inspiring story of Cannibal and the Headhunters, kids from local housing projects whose best-selling recording of “Land of a Thousand Dances” led to a tour with the Beatles in 1965, and Thee Midniters, whose song “Whittier Blvd.” captured the spirit of Chicano car culture and an East L.A. cultural renaissance. During the 70s and 80s, Chicano punk bands such as “The Brat” gave a voice to women and it all came together in the 80s and 90s with perhaps the greatest East L.A. band, Los Lobos , and continues today with the multicultural music of Ozomatli and Quetzal. Others who appear include Don Tosti, The Premiers, Art Laboe, Casey Kasem, Bob Keane, Billy Cardenas, Max Uballez, Steve Loza, Tom Waldman, David Reyes and Ruben Molina.

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Latino Public Broadcasting is the leader of the development, production, acquisition and distribution of non-commercial educational and cultural media that is representative of Latino people, or addresses issues of particular interest to Latino Americans. These programs are produced for dissemination to the public broadcasting stations and other public telecommunication entities. LPB provides a voice to the diverse Latino community on public media throughout the United States. Latino Public Broadcasting is a registered 501(c)(3), EIN: 95-4776447.
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