José María De León Hernández (born October 17, 1940), known professionally as Little Joe, is an American tejano performer who was born and raised in Temple, Texas.[1]
Little Joe is of Mexican descent. Hernández told the Stockton Record in 2015 that he was born "in a three-wall, dirt-floor garage ... on a cold stormy night," the seventh of 13 children. His father, Salvador, was known as "La Cotorra" (the parakeet) and was a troubadour. His mother, Amelia DeLeon, was a trained pianist. "My dad and aunts all played instruments and sang," he told the Riverside Press-Enterprise (Nov. 18, 2015). "We'd go to parties that would last until three in the morning."
Hernández got his start at 13 when his cousin, David Coronado, recruited him to play guitar for his Latinaires. The Latinaires eventually became known as Little Joe and the Latinaires. Today he is usually joined by his band La Familia.[i] In 1992, their album 16 de Septiembre earned the Grammy Award for Best Mexican-American Performance. In 2008, Little Joe once again won a Grammy for Best Tejano Album of the year for Before the Next Teardrop Falls. Other Grammy nominated albums include Timeless (1988), 1993's Que Paso (1993), Little Joe y La Familia 2000 (1999), and Celebration of Life Vol.1 & Vol.2 (2003).
Hernández has said he was greatly influenced by Beto Villa, the originator of orquesta Tejana that generally features trumpets and saxophones, as opposed to conjunto, which relies on accordions. As a member of Texas' Tejano Hall of Fame, he has been entertaining audiences around the world for more than 50 years, on 70 albums and in countless shows. His style has been called Tejano, Tex-Mex, Norteno, Chicano, La Onda. Hernández told the Stockton Record in 2015 that originally, "it was just multicultural music in two languages." Hernandez, who grew up with 12 brothers and sisters as the only non-African-American family in a "totally black" neighborhood, told The Record: "All I heard every day were black artists. At home, it was country music's three 'great Hanks': "Williams, Thompson and Snow". It was always part of the atmosphere. Part of my DNA." He is known as the "King of the Brown Sound".[2] Hernández has said he is inspired by jazz. "I love jazz," he told the Riverside Press-Enterprise. "If I could have been a jazz musician, I would have preferred that." Hernández has been known to infuse his music not only with jazz, but also country, pop and classical music. One of his most popular recorded songs, "Las Nubes", incorporates violins and other strings.
Hernandez founded the Little Joe Diabetes and Prevention organization and has organized walkathons in San Antonio.[3][4][5]
The Temple Independent School District awarded him with the school district's first ever honorary high school diploma in October 2022. Little Joe had to leave school after 7th grade for migrant work, and all of his education after that was gained through experience. "He wasn't able to finish school because he had to go pick cotton, and literally, drive his family around at 12-13 years old", said his son, Isaac Hernandez, who is also the assistant principal at Temple High School.[6]
^ abLittle Joe's band, La Familia, has also been called Johnny y La Familia, bearing the name of Little Joe's brother, Johnny Hernández (né Juan De León Hernández; born 1944), vocalist, producer, and recording engineer.
Referencesedit
^Acosta, Teresa Palomo (June 7, 2016). "Little Joe y la Familia". Handbook of Texas. Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved March 3, 2024.
^"Temple ISD awards its first ever honorary diploma to Tejano music icon Little Joe". KWTX News. October 12, 2022.
^"NEA National Heritage Fellowships 2023". www.arts.gov. National Endowment for the Arts. n.d. Retrieved June 23, 2023.
January 01, 1970
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This biography of a living person needs additional citations for verification Please help by adding reliable sources Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately from the article and its talk page especially if potentially libelous Find sources Little Joe singer news newspapers books scholar JSTOR January 2011 Learn how and when to remove this template message Jose Maria De Leon Hernandez born October 17 1940 known professionally as Little Joe is an American tejano performer who was born and raised in Temple Texas 1 Little JoeBirth nameJose Maria De Leon HernandezBorn 1940 10 17 October 17 1940 age 83 Bee County Texas U S OriginNixon Texas U S GenresChicano SoulOnda ChicanaTejanonortenocountrybluesOccupation s Singer songwriter record producerInstrument s Vocals pianoYears active1955 presentLabelsSony Contents 1 Career 2 Awards and honors 3 Notes and references 3 1 Notes 3 2 ReferencesCareer editLittle Joe is of Mexican descent Hernandez told the Stockton Record in 2015 that he was born in a three wall dirt floor garage on a cold stormy night the seventh of 13 children His father Salvador was known as La Cotorra the parakeet and was a troubadour His mother Amelia DeLeon was a trained pianist My dad and aunts all played instruments and sang he told the Riverside Press Enterprise Nov 18 2015 We d go to parties that would last until three in the morning Hernandez got his start at 13 when his cousin David Coronado recruited him to play guitar for his Latinaires The Latinaires eventually became known as Little Joe and the Latinaires Today he is usually joined by his band La Familia i In 1992 their album 16 de Septiembre earned the Grammy Award for Best Mexican American Performance In 2008 Little Joe once again won a Grammy for Best Tejano Album of the year for Before the Next Teardrop Falls Other Grammy nominated albums include Timeless 1988 1993 s Que Paso 1993 Little Joe y La Familia 2000 1999 and Celebration of Life Vol 1 amp Vol 2 2003 Hernandez has said he was greatly influenced by Beto Villa the originator of orquesta Tejana that generally features trumpets and saxophones as opposed to conjunto which relies on accordions As a member of Texas Tejano Hall of Fame he has been entertaining audiences around the world for more than 50 years on 70 albums and in countless shows His style has been called Tejano Tex Mex Norteno Chicano La Onda Hernandez told the Stockton Record in 2015 that originally it was just multicultural music in two languages Hernandez who grew up with 12 brothers and sisters as the only non African American family in a totally black neighborhood told The Record All I heard every day were black artists At home it was country music s three great Hanks Williams Thompson and Snow It was always part of the atmosphere Part of my DNA He is known as the King of the Brown Sound 2 Hernandez has said he is inspired by jazz I love jazz he told the Riverside Press Enterprise If I could have been a jazz musician I would have preferred that Hernandez has been known to infuse his music not only with jazz but also country pop and classical music One of his most popular recorded songs Las Nubes incorporates violins and other strings Hernandez founded the Little Joe Diabetes and Prevention organization and has organized walkathons in San Antonio 3 4 5 The Temple Independent School District awarded him with the school district s first ever honorary high school diploma in October 2022 Little Joe had to leave school after 7th grade for migrant work and all of his education after that was gained through experience He wasn t able to finish school because he had to go pick cotton and literally drive his family around at 12 13 years old said his son Isaac Hernandez who is also the assistant principal at Temple High School 6 Awards and honors editHernandez is a recipient of a 2023 National Heritage Fellowship awarded by the National Endowment for the Arts which is the United States government s highest honor in the folk and traditional arts 7 Notes and references editNotes edit a b Little Joe s band La Familia has also been called Johnny y La Familia bearing the name of Little Joe s brother Johnny Hernandez ne Juan De Leon Hernandez born 1944 vocalist producer and recording engineer References edit Acosta Teresa Palomo June 7 2016 Little Joe y la Familia Handbook of Texas Texas State Historical Association Retrieved March 3 2024 Stockton Record September 9 2015 Harris Craig Little Joe Biography Allmusic Rovi Corporation Retrieved December 27 2010 Albuquerque Journal Nov 20 2015 Stockton Record Sept 9 2015 Temple ISD awards its first ever honorary diploma to Tejano music icon Little Joe KWTX News October 12 2022 NEA National Heritage Fellowships 2023 www arts gov National Endowment for the Arts n d Retrieved June 23 2023 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Little Joe singer amp oldid 1211670183, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
