Laura Canales was an American Tejano musician that lived from August 19, 1954, to April 16, 2005. She was a founder member of the Tejano Roots Hall of Fame. The birthplace of Canales is in Kingsville, Texas.
Few voices have reverberated as forcefully as Laura Canales’ amid the eclectic Tejano music scene. With her unrivaled talent and unwavering determination, Canales, one of the first female performers in the genre, left a lasting influence on the Tejano music scene. She became a role model and a source of inspiration for women in the industry because of her powerful voice and commanding stage presence, captivating audiences all across the country.
This article examines the extraordinary life and legacy of Laura Canales, emphasizing her groundbreaking contributions to Tejano music and her continuing effect on musicians and listeners in later generations.
Early Years
Laura Canales went to Kingsville’s Henrietta M. King High School. Her father Perfecto pushed her to pursue a career in Tejano music after college. She joined the legendary Texas conjunto and norteo ensemble Conjunto Bernal while making her recording debut in 1973 with Los Unicos.
Canales was a founding member of the Felicidad-sounding Tejano group Snowball & Company in the middle of the 1970s. On the San Antonio label Fireball Records, the band issued several full-length albums and singles under both group identities, including a version of Midnight Blue, which became Canales’ first regional hit of his career. Since Paul Westbrook was recording and producing the majority of the Tejano music scene’s early hits, Snowball chose him as their recording engineer and producer. Members included Laura Canales on lead vocals, Oscar Soliz on keyboards, accordion, bass, and harmonica, Miro Valdez on guitar, Juan Rodriguez on bass, and Balde Muoz on drums and percussion. Oscar Muoz oversaw the band’s operations.
Success
In 1981, Canales founded the band “Laura Canales Y Encanto” after getting hitched by percussionist Balde Muoz. The band had great success after joining Freddie Records. S Viv Contigo, the group’s first big smash, was their single. The Yellow Rose of Texas Award, the state’s highest distinction for artists, was presented to her in 1983 by Texas Governor Mark White. A record that remained until Selena broke it in the 1990s was set by Canales, who from 1983 to 1986 won the Tejano Music Awards’ best female performer and female vocalist awards. On the band’s album Beyond, Canales and Mazz’s Joe Lopez performed a rendition of José José’s Te Quiero Asi in 1987.
Canales and Balde Muoz were divorced in 1989. Canales then left Encanto and entered a semi-retired state. She did succeed in making a comeback during the early 1990s boom in global Tejano music popularity and performed with the group Los Fabulosos Cuatro. This comeback resulted in several well-known songs for the solo singer, including Cuatro Caminos, Dame La Mano, and Dile a Tu Esposa.
Later years
Laura Canales eventually started preparing for a life outside of Tejano music. She registered for school at Texas A&M University-Kingsville after promising her mother to get her education. In 1997, Canales earned bachelor’s degrees in both speech therapy and psychology. Canales soon started attending graduate courses at Texas A&M University-Kingsville to get a Master’s in Communication Science Disorders. Canales started yet another return to music by joining the Leyendas y Raices Tour, which also featured Carlos Guzman, Augustin Ramirez, Sunny Ozuna, Freddie Martinez, Mario Montes, and Grupo Sierra, as well as other Tejano musicians. Canales was included in the inaugural class of Tejano Roots Hall of Fame members in 2000.
Illness and death
Laura Canales’ gall bladder issues initially surfaced when she was enrolled in graduate school. Canales underwent traditional gall bladder surgery before becoming ill with pneumonia and passing away on April 16, 2005.
Discography
A well-known Tejano singer and composer is Laura Canales. She rose to prominence in the Tejano music scene after her August 19, 1954, birth in Kingsville, Texas, making her one of the most important female performers. The following is a list of her main studio albums:
- “Laura Canales” (1976)
- “Ayer, Hoy y Siempre” (1977)
- “Laura Canales Con Mariachi” (1978)
- “Lo Mejor de Laura Canales” (1981)
- “Soy de Este Pueblo” (1983)
- “Laura Canales – 16 Grandes Exitos” (1984)
- “Paloma Negra” (1985)
- “Laura Canales – 20 Exitos” (1986)
- “Mi Musica Por Siempre” (1988)
- “Laura Canales – 30 Grandes Exitos” (1990)
- “Desvelado” (1993)
- “Personalidad” (1996)
- “Un Gancho al Corazon” (2002)
These are a few albums by Laura Canales that are famous for showcasing both her strong voice and the classic Tejano sounds. She received various honors and prizes during her career for her contributions to the genre. Fans of Tejano music continue to adore her music, and she is acknowledged as a trailblazing female musician in the genre.
Conclusion
Laura Canales established herself as a trailblazing female Tejano musician and was a founder member of the Tejano Roots Hall of Fame. She became an industry icon for women because of her strong voice and ground-breaking work. Despite dealing with personal difficulties, her music captivates listeners and upholds her reputation as a pioneer in Tejano music.