David Marez

The illustrious career of tejano vocalist David Marez, known to his fans as La Voz de Oro, stretches from the early '70s, when he was the lead vocalist of pioneering tejano band the Royal Jesters, well into the 21st century, when he continued to enjoy success. His best-known songs include "Yo Soy Chicano" (a Royal Jesters classic), "Entre Mas Lejos Me Vaya" (recognized as Song of the Year at the 1987 Tejano Music Awards), and "Fijate" (Song of the Year at the 1989 Tejano Music Awards). His most popular albums include The Voice Is Back (1986), Sold Out (1988), and El Musicano (1990), all of which registered on Billboard's Regional Mexican Albums chart, while his most praised albums include Odyssey: The Journey (2005) and Corazón de Oro (2007), both of which were nominated for Grammys.

Born in Mathis, TX, the San Antonio-based Marez cites as influences Joe Bravo, Little Joe Hernandez, Sonny Ozuna, and Freddie Martínez, along with Al Jarreau, Ray Charles, Luther Vandross, Tony Bennett, and Mel Tormé. He began performing in the 1970s, most notably as the lead singer of the Royal Jesters, a pioneering tejano band. After recording a few albums, including Yo Soy Chicano, The Second Album, and The Band (the exact release dates for which are uncertain), he left the Royal Jesters to found a group of his own, People, with which he debuted in 1977 on an album of the same name. Besides Marez, People were comprised of fellow Royal Jester Joe Posada (saxophone), Richard Solis (drums), Steve Velasquez (lead guitar), Pete Garza (bass guitar), and Julian Carrillo (keyboards). Though People only released one album as such, the group would re-form as Marez's backing band now and then over the subsequent years.

Marez released solo albums regularly during the 1980s, beginning with a self-titled effort in 1980 and followed by David Marez, Vol. 2 (1981), Fue Nuestra Suerte (1983), The Voice Is Back (1986), Revival (1987), Sold Out (1988), and On the Move (1989). In 1987 he won a Tejano Music Award in the category of Song of the Year for "Entre Mas Lejos Me Vaya" from his album The Voice Is Back; in 1989 he won several Tejano Music Awards for his work on Sold Out, namely Male Vocalist of the Year, Album of the Year, and Song of the Year (for "Fijate"); and in 1990 the accolades continued as he won Male Vocalist of the Year at the Annual Texas Talent Musicians Association (TTMA) Awards. His peak in terms of commercial success came with El Musicano (1990), his first album to break into the Top Ten of Billboard's Regional Mexican Albums chart.

Marez remained active throughout the 1990s and well into the next century, releasing a long string of albums and a growing number of greatest-hits compilations. Shortly after the turn of the century, he reunited with Henry Hernandez and Oscar Lawson as the Royal Jesters for a couple of reunion albums, We Go Together (2004) and Odyssey: The Journey (2005), the latter of which was nominated for a Grammy in the category of Best Tejano Album in 2006. Additionally, Marez's 2004 solo album, Bringin' It Back, was nominated for a Tejano Music Award in the category of Album of the Year in 2005 while his 2007 solo album, Corazón de Oro, produced by fellow Royal Jesters Joe Posada and Gilbert Velasquez, was nominated for a Latin Grammy in the category of Best Tejano Album in 2007.