Cruz Martínez
Encyclopedia
Cruz Martínez is a Mexican American
musician
and multi gold and platinum record producer
. He is a former member of the Tejano
band La Sombra
. In 1999 he co-created the cumbia
music group Los Kumbia Kings
with A.B. Quintanilla
. In 2007 he created the band Los Super Reyes
. He is married to Alicia Villarreal
.
band La Sombra
. This creative talent prompted A.B. Quintanilla
to approach Cruz Martínez to do the soundtrack for the film Selena
, based on the life of the slain Tejano
singer Selena
who was also Quintanilla's sister. At the time, Cruz was working on putting together a band with friends and family known as "CK" (Cumbia Kings), which later became Los Kumbia Kings. A.B. Quintanilla offered to join the band, and the group was formed. Los Kumbia Kings
received a total of twelve Grammy nominations and have set attendance records during performances at several venues. Aside from receiving much success with Los Kumbia Kings, Cruz Martínez also gained notoriety for his keyboard talents in the industry.
In 2004, Martinez produced, arranged, and wrote Alicia Villarreal
's latest album, Cuando el Corazon Se Cruza which received a Latin Grammy for Album of the Year in 2004, several 2005 and 2006 BMI songwriting awards, two Premios Lo Nuestro Awards for Best Regional/Mexican Album and Best Regional/Mexican Song and two Billboard nominations for Album and Song of the Year. As a producer/engineer, Cruz Martínez received another Latin Grammy in 2006 for his Kumbia Kings
live album Kumbia Kings Live
. Martinez's latest project is Los Super Reyes
. Cruz Martínez y Los Super Reyes have already had their hit single "Muévelo" reach the top of the radio charts in the United States and in Mexico. The group has since enjoyed major chart success and maintains a busy performance schedule in support of their recent record.
Mexican American
Mexican Americans are Americans of Mexican descent. As of July 2009, Mexican Americans make up 10.3% of the United States' population with over 31,689,000 Americans listed as of Mexican ancestry. Mexican Americans comprise 66% of all Hispanics and Latinos in the United States...
musician
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
and multi gold and platinum record producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
. He is a former member of the Tejano
Tejano music
Tejano music or Tex-Mex music is the name given to various forms of folk and popular music originating among the Mexican-American populations of Central and Southern Texas...
band La Sombra
La Sombra
La Sombra de Chicago or La Sombra de Tony Guerrero is a Tejano band originally from Chicago, IL. The group was widely popular during the late 1980s and most of the 1990s, often described as "the number one show band in the U.S.A." and "the world." La Sombra is credited with over 20 major studio...
. In 1999 he co-created the cumbia
Cumbia
Cumbia is a music genre popular across Latin America. The cumbia originated in the Caribbean coast of Colombia, where it is associated with an eponymous dance and has since spread as far as Mexico and Argentina...
music group Los Kumbia Kings
Kumbia Kings
Kumbia Kings was a Latin Grammy-winning Mexican cumbia group from Corpus Christi, Texas created by A.B. Quintanilla. Their music encompasses the styles of cumbia , hip hop and R&B. They produce songs in both Spanish and English. The band's producers from the beginning have been A.B. Quintanilla III...
with A.B. Quintanilla
A.B. Quintanilla
Abraham Isaac Quintanilla III better known as A.B. Quintanilla III or simply A.B. Quintanilla, is an American songwriter, record producer and musician. He is the older brother of "The Queen of Tejano music" Selena...
. In 2007 he created the band Los Super Reyes
Los Super Reyes
Los Super Reyes are a Mexican cumbia music group from Corpus Christi, Texas created by Cruz Martínez after he and A.B. Quintanilla had arguments over Martínez selling the group they were both in at the time, Los Kumbia Kings. A.B. Quintanilla left the group, which he had created, along with other...
. He is married to Alicia Villarreal
Alicia Villarreal
Alicia Villarreal is a Mexican Latin Grammy award-winning singer.-Biography:...
.
Career
Martinez's interest in music began at the age of twelve when he learned to play the piano with the help of one of his uncles. By the age of sixteen, Martínez began producing music and programming computers in the studio for the family band. By age nineteen, Cruz had received his first Grammy nomination. He joined the TejanoTejano music
Tejano music or Tex-Mex music is the name given to various forms of folk and popular music originating among the Mexican-American populations of Central and Southern Texas...
band La Sombra
La Sombra
La Sombra de Chicago or La Sombra de Tony Guerrero is a Tejano band originally from Chicago, IL. The group was widely popular during the late 1980s and most of the 1990s, often described as "the number one show band in the U.S.A." and "the world." La Sombra is credited with over 20 major studio...
. This creative talent prompted A.B. Quintanilla
A.B. Quintanilla
Abraham Isaac Quintanilla III better known as A.B. Quintanilla III or simply A.B. Quintanilla, is an American songwriter, record producer and musician. He is the older brother of "The Queen of Tejano music" Selena...
to approach Cruz Martínez to do the soundtrack for the film Selena
Selena (film)
Selena is a 1997 American biographical drama film about the life and career of the late Tejano music star Selena, a recording artist who was well known in the Mexican-American and Hispanic communities in the United States and Mexico before she was shot to death at the age of twenty-three.The movie...
, based on the life of the slain Tejano
Tejano music
Tejano music or Tex-Mex music is the name given to various forms of folk and popular music originating among the Mexican-American populations of Central and Southern Texas...
singer Selena
Selena
Selena Quintanilla-Pérez , known simply as Selena, was a Mexican American singer-songwriter. She was named the "top Latin artist of the '90s" and "Best selling Latin artist of the decade" by Billboard for her fourteen top-ten singles in the Top Latin Songs chart, including seven number-one hits...
who was also Quintanilla's sister. At the time, Cruz was working on putting together a band with friends and family known as "CK" (Cumbia Kings), which later became Los Kumbia Kings. A.B. Quintanilla offered to join the band, and the group was formed. Los Kumbia Kings
Kumbia Kings
Kumbia Kings was a Latin Grammy-winning Mexican cumbia group from Corpus Christi, Texas created by A.B. Quintanilla. Their music encompasses the styles of cumbia , hip hop and R&B. They produce songs in both Spanish and English. The band's producers from the beginning have been A.B. Quintanilla III...
received a total of twelve Grammy nominations and have set attendance records during performances at several venues. Aside from receiving much success with Los Kumbia Kings, Cruz Martínez also gained notoriety for his keyboard talents in the industry.
In 2004, Martinez produced, arranged, and wrote Alicia Villarreal
Alicia Villarreal
Alicia Villarreal is a Mexican Latin Grammy award-winning singer.-Biography:...
's latest album, Cuando el Corazon Se Cruza which received a Latin Grammy for Album of the Year in 2004, several 2005 and 2006 BMI songwriting awards, two Premios Lo Nuestro Awards for Best Regional/Mexican Album and Best Regional/Mexican Song and two Billboard nominations for Album and Song of the Year. As a producer/engineer, Cruz Martínez received another Latin Grammy in 2006 for his Kumbia Kings
Kumbia Kings
Kumbia Kings was a Latin Grammy-winning Mexican cumbia group from Corpus Christi, Texas created by A.B. Quintanilla. Their music encompasses the styles of cumbia , hip hop and R&B. They produce songs in both Spanish and English. The band's producers from the beginning have been A.B. Quintanilla III...
live album Kumbia Kings Live
Kumbia Kings Live
Kumbia Kings Live is a live album and tenth album by A.B. Quintanilla Y Los Kumbia Kings. It was released on April 4, 2006. The concert took place in Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico. A DVD of the concert was also released. The song "Pachuco" is a studio recording that was released as a single to...
. Martinez's latest project is Los Super Reyes
Los Super Reyes
Los Super Reyes are a Mexican cumbia music group from Corpus Christi, Texas created by Cruz Martínez after he and A.B. Quintanilla had arguments over Martínez selling the group they were both in at the time, Los Kumbia Kings. A.B. Quintanilla left the group, which he had created, along with other...
. Cruz Martínez y Los Super Reyes have already had their hit single "Muévelo" reach the top of the radio charts in the United States and in Mexico. The group has since enjoyed major chart success and maintains a busy performance schedule in support of their recent record.
Albums With La Sombra
- 1984: Mi Guerita Coca-Cola
- 1984: Where's the Beef?
- 1985: No Hay Derecho
- 1985: Eres Tu-Muchachita
- 1985: Sombra Love
- 1986: Botoncito De Cariño
- 1986: All I Could Do Was Cry
- 1987: From the Streets of Chicago
- 1987: La Rebelde
- 1988: Strikes Again
- 1988: Chicago's Wild Side
- 1989: One of a Kind
- 1989: The Chi-Town Boys R Back
- 1990: Good Boys Wear White
- 1991: Porque Te Quiero
- 1992: Intocable
- 1993: Ilusiones
- 1994: Caliente Dulce Amor
- 1995: Mas Que Todo
- 1997: Alborotados
- 1999: Todo Me Recuerda a Ti
Albums With Kumbia Kings
- 1999: Amor, Familia Y RespetoAmor, Familia Y Respeto- Trivia :* "Oh No" was going to be the fifth recorded song by A.B's sister Selena in 1995 in English under the title "Oh No " for her album Dreaming of You but she sadly was killed in the same year. In this album A.B...
- 2001: Shhh!Shhh!-Credits:This information from Allmusic.Personnel*A.B. Quintanilla III: Arranger, vocals, producer, executive producer, mixing*Cruz Martínez: Arranger, programming, producer, engineer, mixing...
- 2002: All Mixed Up: Los RemixesAll Mixed Up: Los RemixesAll Mixed Up: Los Remixes is the first remix album and third album by A.B. Quintanilla Y Los Kumbia Kings. It was released on October 29, 2002.-Track listing:-Sales and certifications:...
- 2003: 44 (Kumbia Kings album)-Credits:This information from Allmusic.*Elvin F. Torres — Producer, musical direction*Rodney "Cortada" Alejandro — Arranger*Nicolas Barry — Arranger, didjeridu, computers*Frankie J — Arranger*Wil Donovan — Studio assistant*Robert Becker — Viola...
- 2003: Presents Kumbia KingsPresents Kumbia KingsPresents Kumbia Kings is the first compilation album and fifth album by A.B. Quintanilla Y Los Kumbia Kings. It was released on April 1, 2003. All of the songs in the album are in English. The album includes eight previously released songs and four new songs recorded for the album.-Track listing:...
- 2003: La HistoriaLa Historia (Kumbia Kings album)-Chart performance:-Sales and certifications:...
- 2004: Los Remixes 2.0Los Remixes 2.0Los Remixes 2.0 is the second remix album and seventh album by A.B. Quintanilla Y Los Kumbia Kings. It was released on April 6, 2004.-Track listing:...
- 2004: FuegoFuego (Kumbia Kings album)Fuego is the fourth studio album and eighth album by A.B. Quintanilla Y Los Kumbia Kings. It was released on October 5, 2004. A premium edition was released on December 6, 2005.-Standard Edition:-Premium Edition:...
- 2005: Duetos
- 2006: Kumbia Kings LiveKumbia Kings LiveKumbia Kings Live is a live album and tenth album by A.B. Quintanilla Y Los Kumbia Kings. It was released on April 4, 2006. The concert took place in Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico. A DVD of the concert was also released. The song "Pachuco" is a studio recording that was released as a single to...
- 2007: Greatest HitsGreatest Hits (Kumbia Kings album)Greatest Hits is the fourth compilation album and eleventh album by A.B. Quintanilla Y Los Kumbia Kings. It was released on April 3, 2007. A DVD that included the music videos of all the songs was released on September 18, 2007.-Track listing:...
Albums With Los Super Reyes
- 2007: El Regreso De Los ReyesEl Regreso De Los ReyesEl Regreso De Los Reyes is the debut studio album by Cruz Martínez Y Los Super Reyes. It was released on August 14, 2007. A special edition was released on September 16, 2008...
- 2009: Cumbia Con Soul