Merry-Achi Christmas

It’s December again. Specifically it’s my birthday. And that means it’s Merry-Achi time. Almost every year for the last thirty years or more the mariachi bands have come. Sol de Mexico with Jose Hernandez, and Mariachi Reyna De Los Angeles, the first ever all female mariachi band.

I wrote at least two chapters in my book, Stagehand: A Backstage Pass to my Life Stories, about them, because even before those thirty years I worked with them.

Today at soundcheck Sol de Mexico surprised me with a rendition of Happy Birthday in Spanish and English both! I love these guys! Also tonight I had the pleasure of handing my book to Jose and his wife Teresa who is also the stage manager for the show.

I just can’t believe how many years I have worked with the mariachis.

I have seen all their children grow up from babies into full grown adults (for two or three nights a year!). In fact, here is a photo of Crystal Hernandez, one of the youngest twins playing violin with Mariachi Reyna De Los Angeles!

I think when I retire, it will be safe to say that this will be the act with which I have worked longer and more days in my career.

I’ll leave you now with a short video which I shot backstage as the mariachi bands played in the green room together after they arrived and before soundcheck. And some photos from tonight and the past.

Above mariachi bands Sol de Mexico and Mariachi Reyna De Los Angeles rehearse backstage.

And below,

And a memory from the past. One night working the MerryAchi Christmas show I had to clear some mics and cable for the dancers, but they went on too fast! I call this video The Mariachi Stomp.