Today we’d like to introduce you to Roger Velasquez. They and their team shared their story with us below:
Biography:
Roger Velasquez
Latin Grammy Winning Artist
Recording Artist
Composer / Producer
Compelled to compose for theater and cinema, Roger was commissioned to write a highly emotional work Mal Hombre for Hollywood Pictures/Walt Disney Production Bound by Honor/Blood in Blood Out, for Oscar-Winning Director Taylor Hackford (Ray, An Officer and a Gentleman and La Bamba). As musical director for the Group Jesse Borrego y Los Muertos, Roger appeared on Grammy Award Winner Franco de Vita’s Bailando con Franco and MTV’s Street Party with Daisy Fuentes. A versatile musician, Roger’s talents were refined by gigging with such greats as the late Rodney J of the world-famous Marcel’s and recording with Capitol/EMI Latino’s legendary The Latin Breed as lead vocalist on the albums Born to Play Reunion and Original Masters.
In the 1990s, as the lead singer of the Latin Breed, Roger shared the stage with Selena Quintanilla y Los Dinos at the Longhorn Saloon, Fort Worth, TX. He also performed for the Stay in School Youth Rallies with Selena and Jesse Borrego. From 2000-2005 Roger attended the University of Texas in San Antonio to pursue a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration. In August 2005, Roger performed In Las Vegas for the Tejano Music National Convention Revue at the Rio Hotel and Casino Convention Center. Roger was a featured performer for the 2005 National Hispanic Contractor’s Convention in Fort Worth, TX. The Tejano Academy of Musicians and Artists nominated Roger Velasquez and The Latin Legends for Best Band 2006. In 2006, Roger appeared as a featured vocalist on the Grammy-nominated album Bob Gallarza Live in Session. Roger has also worked with arranger/producer Jim Waller of the famed Los Blues (United Artists Records) on a collection of original compositions.
In the spring of 2007, Roger appears as a special guest vocalist on Ram Herrera & the Outlaw Band’s 2007 album Mi Mejor Amigo. Ram recorded three of Roger’s original compositions, including the number-one hit song Trago Profundo. Roger returned to Las Vegas in August 2007 to perform at The Las Vegas Hilton.
In 2008 Roger was nominated for four Tejano Academy Awards, including Best Album, Best Songwriter, Best Overall Group, and Best Guitar Player. Roger was the 2008 Orchestra Leader for the Tejano Academy of Musicians & Artist Awards Orchestra. In March 2008, Roger headlined the first annual Luminaria Arts Night in San Antonio and shared the main stage with Grammy Winners Flaco Jimenez and Max Baca. In the Spring of 2008, Roger released a solo album Quiero Besarte; Roger performed with the Latin Legendz for the San Antonio Public Library’s Chicano Renaissance exhibit.
In August 2009, Roger and his band were featured artists at the Milwaukee Mexican Fiesta and the Tejano National Music Convention in Dallas, TX. Roger performed at a major Hispanic show at the Casino Del Sol’s AVA Amphitheater in June 2009 in Tucson, AZ. Roger is featured for On the Edge Productions’ 2009 Grammy-nominated release On Common Ground alongside Jay Perez and others. In September 2009, Roger performed at Cesar Chavez Park in Sacramento, CA, at the Tejano Conjunto Festival. In October 2009, Roger Velasquez and the Latin Legendz were the featured performers for famed Chicano artist Jesse Trevino’s “Mi Vida” opening at the Smithsonian’s Museo Alameda. That year Roger was nominated for a Tejano Music Award in the Best New Artist Category.
Roger Velasquez and the Latin Legendz ushered in 2010, performing for the Tejano Legends Black and White Ball at the El Paso County Coliseum in El Paso, TX. In February 2010, Roger and the band performed for the Hispanic Heritage Committee in Kansas City, KS. In the spring of 2010, Roger Velasquez released his second solo album Toma Mi Corazon for VDiscos. Roger displays his musical knowledge in the arrangements of all ten pieces, but only with help from Grammy Award Winning Producer Gilbert Velasquez. In the summer of 2010, Roger performed in the opening number for the Tejano Music Awards in a tribute to the Latin Breed. In the fall of 2010, Roger released the YouTube video “Mariposa Traicionera,” directed by Brandon Olmos, featuring actor Jesse Borrego and Hispanic model Claudia G. Roger appeared in the groundbreaking video and Cd “Somos Hermanos” for AARP and Latin Pointe, alongside other Tejano recording artists.
In the summer of 2012, Roger performed for the Tejano Music National Convention at Bally’s Las Vegas, Nevada as a headline performer sharing the stage with A.B. Quintanilla and Siggno. Roger also performed his original song Mal Hombre from Hollywood Pictures Blood in Blood Out con Mariachi with Jesse Borrego for the Tejano Music Awards held at the San Antonio Alamo Dome. In the fall of 2012, VDiscos released Loteria Roger’s third solo CD. Roger teamed up with executive Producer Kurt Wipfli (Pulsar Record, Wiptrax Studios), Joe Trevino (Blue Cat Recording Studios), and Claudio Cuenti (Candy House Studio Los Angeles, CA). Featured artists on Loteria include Jesse Borrego (Mal Hombre) and Latino rap sensation Big Gemini (La Sirena). In November 2012, Roger premiered his music video project “Mal Hombre,” produced by Jesse Borrego and directed by James Borrego. Roger and his band are featured in the live music video, “La Calle Guadalupe” (Loteria; 2012 VDISCOS), filmed at Una Noche En La Gloria 2013, directed by filmmaker Ricardo Mendoza and produced by Gabriel Velasquez for The Contemporary Art and Literature Organization ( C.A.L.O.).
Roger headlined the Racine Mexican Fiesta (Racine, WI) in August 2014. In 2015, Roger appeared on Univision’s tv show El Gordo y La Flaca as a presenter for the Tejano Music Awards. In the Spring of 2016, Roger toured with Emilio Navaira and Raulito Navaira y Grupo Rio, performing in many Texas cities before the untimely death of “El Rey del Rodeo,” Emilio Navaira. In 2016, Roger appeared on Telemundo’s Acceso Total, for Una Noche En La Gloria. In November 2016, Roger released the single El Gallo de Palenque, featuring the “King of the Brown Sound,” Little Joe Hernandez followed by the subsequent release of Roger’s fourth solo CD Roger Velasquez Una Noche.
Roger’s Gallo de Palenque received a nomination for Song of The Year for the 37th Annual TTMA Music Awards. In June 2017, Roger joined Little Joe Hernandez, Joe Posada, and Ruco Villarreal in a line of great Chicano Artists as the 2017 recipient of the C.E.C.L.E.F. Si Se Puede Spirit Award for Artists. Roger’s label, VDiscos, released the Mas Que Tu Amigo music video in the fall of 2017, filmed life at Una Noche En La Gloria in San Antonio, TX.
In March 2018, Roger’s label VDiscos released Roger Velasquez and The Latin Legendz Tex Mex Funk featuring Grammy Award Winning Grupo Fantasma horns (Feel Like Lovin’ You) and star of stage and screen Jesse Borrego (La Bandera de Tejas). Also, in 2018 Roger had a song in the Michael Olmos film, The Green Ghost and Mutt Productions Gino’s Wife. In September 2018, Roger Velasquez and The Latin Legendz Tex Mex Funk was recognized by the Latin Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences and nominated for the 19th Annual Latin Grammy in the category for Best Tejano Album and awarded the Latin Grammy in November 2018 at the Latin Grammy Premier at the Mandalay Bay Event Center, Las Vegas, Nevada.
Roger performed National Anthem for the special Announcement for Julian Castro for the Future Presidential Announcement in January 2019. In March 2019, Roger was honored with the GANAS Award for his contributions to art, culture, and music in Washington D.C. by the Latino Coalition during the 2019 Legislative Summit alongside music icon and Lifetime Achievement recipient Vicente Fernandez. Roger and the Latin Legendz were honored by the Mayor of San Antonio in City Council Chambers and Texas Governor Greg Abbott. In September 2019, Roger and the Latin Legendz were featured performers at the Tejano Music Awards.
In March 2020, Roger released Roger Velasquez and The Latin Legends Vision 20/20. In May 2021, Roger released his first English album Roger V and The LLZ’s Showtime! In 2021 Roger joined Grammy U Mentorship Program as a Mentor. Currently, Roger is working on two new CDs for the upcoming release. Roger recently submitted for the 64th Annual Grammy Awards for Best Americana Album and Best Remixed Recording. Roger released a music video Amor Del Otro Lado, directed by Jesse Borrego. The stunning and soaring visual upholds a tradition of an unforgettable and cinematic music video directed by Jesse Borrego; it premiered at The 41st Annual Tejano Music Awards show on December 11th, 2021, and has been nominated for Tejano Music Awards in 2021 and Tejano Premios Mundial in 2022 for Entertainer of the Year and Best Collaboration. In January 2022, Roger was inducted into the Tejano Roots Hall of Fame Class of 2021. Roger was nominated for Song of Year for Chicano Boogaloo, Best Collaboration with Jesse Borrego Amor Del Otro Lado, and Best Music Video for 2022 at The Tejano Music Awards. Velasquez will release his 8th studio album ROGER VELÁSQUEZ & THE LATIN LEGENDZ ¡BUENA VIBRA!
As a published artist, Roger is registered with BMI and a voting member of the Grammy’s (Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences) and the Latin Grammy (Latin Recording Academy of Arts & Sciences). Roger has recorded and released Roger’s music, which is distributed by CD Baby and available on Spotify, Amazon, Google Play, YouTube, and all major digital music platforms and iTunes in 63 countries. He and his wife, Teresa, continue to own and operate their independent record label VDiscos.
Would it have been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Music is a tough business that requires a combination of talent and patience. Independent record labels carry the entire burden, including the full financial burden. As musicians and business owners of independent record labels, we must undertake business-related work and balance many other responsibilities. I have the support of my family. I love making music, and like the saying goes, “Choose a job you love, and you’ll never have to work a day in your life.”
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
- Artist & Producer Latin Grammy Award for Best Tejano Album 19th Latin Grammy Awards Recipient of The Ganas Award alongside Vicente Fernandez in Washington DC
- Tejano Roots Hall of Famer
- 2022 Winner Best Music Video Tejano Music Awards
- 8 Studio Music Albums
- Voting member of the National Recording Academy and Latin Recording Academy
As a proud father of my daughter, Gianna has almost completed her first year in Law School. As a husband, I just celebrated 29 years of marriage with my wife Teresa, President of our VDiscos Record label.
What are your plans for the future?
I plan to take my music Global tour and travel. This year the Latin Grammys will be in Spain; looking forward to that. God willing, I will continue to write and produce music of substance and conscience with consummate professionals.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.RogerVelasquez.com
- Instagram: @TheRogerVelasquez
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RogerVelasquezLatinLegendz/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/roger-velasquez-063b1220
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/theofficialrog1
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/VDISCOS
Image Credits
VDIscos
