Today we’d like to introduce you to Rick Garcia. They and their team shared their story with us below:
Very few of us have always known what we wanted to do from a very early age. Such is the case with veteran producer, engineer, composer, and musician Rick Garcia, who has logged six decades in this business. “I knew from a very young age that music was my destiny. It was a big part of my life,” said Garcia, who grew up in the extreme climates of Corpus Christi, Texas, where he was active throughout his teens, writing songs and playing guitar in garage bands. There, he developed a fascination with the recording process that continues to drive him to this day. “There was so much to learn the minute I entered a recording studio,” he said, “I knew I was hooked.”
As the years passed, the studio bug grew right along with him. He landed his first break in 1973 when he and school chum Mark Johnson recorded a series of singles under the Freddie Records label. Recording under the name “Ecology IV,” the group scored with several local top forty songs (“Grass, Trees & Flowers” and “Road Of Darkness”). “We were just high school kids having fun. Little did I know that I would soon be working that very same recording console at that very same recording studio”, Garcia said, referring to the apprenticeship opportunity given to him by studio owner Freddie Martinez. Upon entering the engineering and production world, Garcia began working with the top Tejano/Conjunto business icons, Ramon Ayala, Steve Jordan, Isidro Lopez, Little Joe Agustin Ramirez, and others. He met Tony De La Rosa, the most influential man in his career. For over a year, Rick would do daytime sessions with Freddie Records’ artists and work for Tony De La Rosa’s De La Rosa Records, which reserved evening studio time. “I felt like I got to be a kid in the candy store all the time,” recalls Rick. The night sessions were more low-key, and Tony De La Rosa took the time to teach me that the recording process was not merely about pressing buttons but also what the artists themselves were performing that influenced the end result. Rick became a producer and engineer by observing the De La Rosa technique. Working with such high-profile artists increased Garcia’s visibility, and it wasn’t long until local and area musicians of many genres began requesting Garcia to head their sessions. “I soon discovered that musical creativity was special in every genre of music, whether English, Spanish, Pop, Rock, Country, Blues, or Soul, each spoke a unique, universal, and very emotional language. Rick also began to work independently throughout Texas, Los Angeles, and Nashville.
1979 brought a chance meeting between Rick Garcia and his brother Roland (an established realtor in Corpus Christi). “I was watching Star Trek in my parent’s living room when my older brother walked for a visit. My mother knew I had been looking for a small area to rent and start my studio, as by that time, I was on the road recording a lot more than I was at home. My brother Roland began to quiz me on the functions of a studio and the difference between a recording studio and a record company. As I explained the details of each, my brother said, why don’t we do it ourselves? Roland was known for making on-the-spot decisions and profitable business deals, so I knew he was serious.” Later that year, Hacienda Records was born.
Rick Garcia added another entry to his credentials (studio owner). Most of the talent Rick worked with became clients of Hacienda Records. In addition, Rick was able to scout for new and established talent. “Steve Jordan was our first artist,”; recalls Rick, “after that, Tony De La Rosa did an album for us. As years continued, Hacienda Records, under the production skills of Rick Garcia, produced several mega-hit artists, including Lisa Lopez, Freddy Fender, and Ruben Vela (whose hit Coco Rayado remains a dance anthem to this day). “It was a great business association as my brother Roland was not a music fan. He left the creativity up to me, and I left the business operation to him.” As years passed, there was some cross-association between production and the business end, but as Garcia points out, “we were both pretty happy in our respective roles.”
After the passing of his brother Roland in 2016, Rick branched out again in 2018 with the formation of CHR Records. Relocating to Harlingen, Tx, Rick continues to work with many of the former Hacienda artists who followed Garcia to CHR. Along with signing new and established talent, Garcia renews his enthusiasm for his craft daily. “Just when I think I have had enough of the business, I hear something fresh and exciting, and it inspires me. It always comes back to the music. I am still the kid in a candy store and so lucky to work in such a creative medium. Rick also serves as MC and hosts many regional award shows and festivals, including the South Texas Conjunto Association, Tejano ROOTS Hall of Fame, and Museum. He has been the voice of the “Domingo Live” television show in Corpus Christi, TX., for several decades, and recently Garcia launched his syndicated radio show, “Through The Decades,” currently airing in most major markets. Music is what keeps me going. It is what gets me up, gets me thru, gets me down, gets me back up again, makes me remember, and makes me forget. It is one of life’s greatest blessings. I am proud to be a part of this great industry.”
Accolade:
- Recording Engineer of the Year 1977
- Recipient of the “Lifetime Achievement Award” by The Tejano ROOTS Hall of Fame and Museum (2011)
- Inducted into the Texas Conjunto Music Hall of Fame and Museum (2017)
- Recipient of “Choice Award” Country Music Association of Texas (2019)
- Recipient of “Lifetime Achievement Award” Country Music Association of Texas (2021)
- Recipient of “Producer of the Year” Country Music Association of Texas (2022)
Would it have been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
The industry has changed so much since I first entered this field. The hardest part is staying relevant. In the old days, groups needed the studio and the record label because that was their only way to get their music recorded, heard, and distributed. Now in this digital universe, there are studios on almost every street corner, thanks to computers and recording software. Distributing music has also changed since it is easy for singers and groups to remain independent thanks to digital music services such as CD Baby, Distrokid, Tunecore, and others. The record label must provide services that performers can not provide for themselves or at least make it easier for the performer to maintain their presence by working with you.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I have been in this industry for 50 years and am mostly known as a producer/engineer/label owner/master of ceremonies. I began as a guitarist and singer/songwriter for local garage bands. After recording a few singles, I found the behind-the-scenes incredibly fascinating.
What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
This is a labor of love. It’s not a business; it’s a passion. I can’t even begin to think about another career. At this point, my motto separates me: “You might be younger than me, you might be prettier than me, but there’s no way anyone is going to outwork me.”
Contact Info:
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RickGarciaOfficial/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rick-garcia-672554b1/
