[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 93 (Friday, June 27, 1997)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1343]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   A TRIBUTE TO LALO GUERRERO, LEGENDARY MEXICAN-AMERICAN SINGER AND 
                                COMPOSER

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. ESTEBAN EDWARD TORRES

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, June 26, 1997

  Mr. TORRES. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the legendary 
Mexican-American singer and composer, Lalo Guerrero, internationally 
regarded as the ``Father of Chicano Music.'' On Sunday, June 29, 1997, 
Lalo Guerrero will perform a free concert for the residents of Pico 
Rivera, in my congressional district. This concert will officially 
close a month long exhibit, ``The Way We Were, Pico Rivera: 1900-
1945,'' sponsored by the Pico Rivera Arts and Cultural Committee and 
the Pico Rivera Centre for the Arts.
  Declared a ``National Folk Treasure'' in 1980 by the Smithsonian 
Institution, Lalo Guerrero has received numerous awards and 
recognitions for his extraordinary career of more than six decades. His 
career began with the classic ``Cancion Mexicana'' which he composed as 
a teenager in his native and beloved Tucson, Arizona. ``Cancion 
Mexicana'' remains the unofficial anthem of Mexico.
  He has been inducted into the Tejano Hall of Fame and honored with 
the lifetime achievement awards from the Mexican Cultural Institute, 
Luis Valdez's Teatro Campesino, and Ricardo Montalban's Nosotros 
organization. The City of Los Angeles and Palm Springs, California, 
have declared ``Laol Guerrero Day'' in honor of his distinguished 
career. In 1991, he received a National Heritage Fellowship from the 
National Endowment for the Arts. And in 1995, was nominated for a 
Grammy for his collaborative work with rock band Los Lobos on a 
bilingual children's album, ``Papa's Dream.''
  Presented by President Clinton and First Lady Hilary Rodham Clinton 
in January 1997, Lalo Guerrero received the 1996 National Medal of the 
Arts at a White House ceremony in recognition for a lifetime of 
creative achievement. He regards this occasion as the pinnacle of his 
career.
  His extensive music collection has entertained generations and has 
provided a voice for the Mexican-American community. His songs, known 
as ``corridos,'' have told of the triumphs and struggles of Mexican-
American heroes like Cesar Chavez and Ruben Salazar. His spirited music 
has brought their stories to international audiences.
  Mr. Speaker, on Sunday, June 29, 1997, resident of Pico Rivera will 
gather to honor this exceptional entertainer. It is with pride that I 
ask my colleagues to join me in saluting Lalo Guerrero for his 
extraordinary career as a singer and composer.

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