Braceros on Bob Dale Show 1968 (part 2)

The Braceros Brass Band

Lead Trumpet -- Steve Blake
Vocals/Trumpet -- Lyn Overby ("Baretta")
Trombone -- Carl Warner
Drums -- Rob Hembury
Keyboard -- James Dew
Bass Guitar -- Jeff Smith

Track: "Why Do You Ask?"

Bob Dale Show / May 29, 1968

Bio:

The Braceros kicked off their career as San Diego's hottest brass band by winning the 1966 Dana Junior High School talent show. One of their first gigs was the opening of the Ocean Beach Pier that same year. They were the house band at Point Loma High School for the rest of the '60s.

Following in the huaraches of Herb Alpert, they made their way to the "Good Day LA" show in 1969 as the official band of San Diego's 200th anniversary celebration, but were fired from the festivities after tearing up their hotel room at the Carolina Pines (typical band stuff).

Life returned to normal later that year when they added guitarist Jess Haugh and focused on playing bar mitzvahs, weddings, Harbor Excursion cruises, and the Admiral Kidd Club's "Happy Hour," where they consumed multiple cocktails at an early age.

The band went through several costume changes over the years. Their first uniforms were white T-shirts, huaraches, and zarapes purchased in Tijuana (later orange T-shirts were preferred). But as they became more sophisticated alcoholics, they went for a James Bond look with blue madras jackets and matching turtle necks and slacks.

The '70s saw the Braceros try a conventional rock and roll sound influenced by bands like Chicago and Tower of Power.

By the middle of the decade, the Braceros were fighting fiercely among themselves. If it wasn't their parents' rage, it was the egos of the band members. They called it quits in 1976.

Carl Warner passed away in 2002. The rest of the band still resides mainly around San Diego, and at their 40th high school reunion there was talk of a comeback.

Category:

Music

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