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I was born in San Antonio, Texas. When I was a youngster, my
father
worked for the railroad and we lived in Laredo, Brownsville, La Pryor,
Beeville and
other
Rio Grande Valley border towns before returning to San Antonio where I
attended
St. Paul Lutheran School and graduated from Robert E. Lee High School.
My father introduced me to guitar when I was twelve. By age sixteen I was playing in garage bands which led to sock hops, parties, dances and eventually clubs and lounges. We always lived in close proximity to Hispanic neighborhoods and my father spoke Spanish. His heart was part Hispanic and he loved the music, food and culture. |
| My initial musical interest was blues and R&B. I learned to play the music from records and radio. After returning from the Army, I lived in El Paso and later moved across the border to Juarez. My musical tastes were impacted considerably by the progressive jazz movement and other forms of music. I became interested in bass, harmonica and Hammond organ. Additionally, I came to appreciate the importance of arrangements and structure of melodies. While living in Mexico, I also spent time in Chihuahua City where the classic Mexican Mariachi sound was prevalent. I've always remembered that sound. I listened with great admiration to the Flamenco masteres such as Montoya and Segovia. The arrangements, minor melodies and chord patterns combined with the classic Mariachi and South Texas border sound comprise the basis of my style. I record exclusively at Rosewood Studios in Tyler, Texas, studio home of Leann Rimes. |
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Hewlett Crist Bio
Columbia Records
Disc Jockey
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