Gary Hobbs
Gary Lee Hobbs is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and actor. Called "Tejano music's Vince Gill", he has been widely recognized for his resonant baritone vocals, characterized by their emotive quality, and is considered a pioneer within the genre. Hobbs played a significant role in the expansion of Tejano music during the 1990s and became one of the most popular Tejano singers of the 1980s and 1990s.
Hobbs started playing piano and guitar at seven or eight and played the trumpet in high school. He played with local groups before forming the Hot Sauce band with Brando Mireles, recording songs for Hacienda Records, and taking the role of lead vocalist in 1983. At the 1984 Mike Chavez Music Awards, Hobbs received the award for Most Promising Vocalist. His songs, "Mentiras" and "Las Miradas", achieved commercial success and critical acclaim. By the late 1980s, Hobbs became one of the most popular Tejano singers following "La Miradas" ascending to number one on the Tejano Singles chart in 1991 and signed with EMI Latin. Ta Vas a Acordar, was certified gold for reaching sales of 50,000 units, and its titular track peaked at number one on Radio y Musicas Tejano Singles chart for nine weeks, the second-most weeks a song spent atop the chart in 1995. In a strategic endeavor to promote Hobbs in Mexico, EMI Latin rebranded his band from Hot Sauce to Grupo Mezquite in August 1994. Te Vas a Acordar ended 1994 as the 13th best-selling Regional Mexican Album in the United States.
Hobbs released Soy el Mismo in 1995, while it received a mixed response from music critics, it peaked at number seven on the US Billboard Top Latin Albums chart and number three on the US Billboard Regional Mexican Albums chart. "Por Favor Corazon" peaked at number 18 on the Hot Latin Songs chart and number 15 on the Regional Mexican Songs chart, and ended 1995 as the second-best Tejano single on Radio y Musica, while "Tu Me Haces Sentir" ended the year as the 13th-best Tejano single of 1995. Following the release of Corazon Ardiente, Hobbs became a spokesperson for Coca-Cola. During a period of decline in the popularity of Tejano music and decreasing sales within the genre, Hobbs created his own record label and studio, Faith Digital Recording Studio and AMMX. After his contract expired with EMI Latin in 1998, Hobbs signed with Sony Discos. The singer received the BMI Songwriters Award in 1998 for "Buscando Un Amor" and "Corazon Ardiente" and in 1999 for "Comprendeme".
By 2001, Hobbs became independent and released subsequent albums through his AMMX label. At the 2020 Tejano Music Awards, Hobbs won Male Entertainer of the Year, after years of being nominated. On August 31, 2021, Hobbs launched his podcast Hanging With Gary, with co-host Johnny Davila. On April 20, 2022, Hobbs signed with Freddie Records, citing the label's ability to secure radio airplay for their artists as his reason, and released Sin Fin that December. In 2019, Hobbs received recognition from the Texas State Legislature, represented by Poncho Nevarez, for his contributions to Tejano music. In recognition of his humanitarian contributions, Hobbs was awarded the Humanitarian Award by the Tejano Entertainers and Musicians Association Awards in 1999.
Career
1960–1982: Early life and career beginnings
Gary Lee Hobbs, Jr. was born two months prematurely on January 5, 1960, at the Amarillo Air Force Base in Amarillo, Texas. He grew up in Eagle Pass, Texas, the son of Gary Lee Hobbs, who served in the Air Force, and his mother, Anita Hobbs, who was a música trío and mariachi singer of Mexican Scottish and Irish descent. Hobbs' maternal grandmother, Lucia, lived on a ranch in Monclova, Coahuila, while his maternal grandfather played the trumpet. During his youth, Hobbs often watched his mother perform as a singer, and was exposed to classical music.At the age of seven or eight, Hobbs started playing the piano and later learned to play the guitar. He also played the trumpet in his high school choir and was a soloist for his church's choir in 1971. Before performing with Brando Mireles, a former keyboardist from Mazz, between 1977 and 1980, Hobbs played with local groups such as Chicano Breed and Starlight. Together, they formed the Hot Sauce Band and began recording songs for Hacienda Records in May 1983. Hobbs took on the role of lead singer and later learned to play the keyboards. The name "Hot Sauce" came about when Mireless suggested it while adding hot sauce to his food, realizing that the group did not have a name for an upcoming show. Initially, Hobbs didn't like the name and considered it "the stupidest name I ever heard in my life".
1983–1990: Early success with Hacienda Records
Promoters referred to Hobbs as "the lady killer" of Tejano music. At the 1983 Tejano Music Awards, Hobbs won Most Promising Vocalist, and was nominated for Male Vocalist of the Year, and Male Entertainer of the Year. At the 10th Mike Chavez Music Awards in 1984, Hobbs was awarded the Most Promising Male Vocalist, while his Hot Sauce group was nominated for Most Promising Band, and his single "Se Acabo" received a nomination for Best New Song by A New Group. At the 1984 Tejano Music Awards, Hobbs received a nomination for Male Vocalist of the Year, while his song, "Confidencias de Amor", was nominated for Song of the Year. In 1985, Hobbs released Mentiras, with its eponymous track initially overlooked, it gradually amassed recognition over the course of two years. Eventually, the titular song gained substantial commercial and critical acclaim. Corpus Christi Caller-Timess Rene Cabrera, hailed "Mentiras" as an "expertly crafted" sentimental ballad, showcasing Hobb's adeptness. The song was recorded under a licensing agreement with RCA Records and subsequently featured on EMI Latin's compilation, Five Branding Irons. The track was intended for inclusion on Hobbs' Solo Estas Noche, though was omitted from the final tracklist, a lucrative misstep according to Cabrera. Hobbs recorded the song after listening to Lupita D'Alessio's rendition.Hobbs was nominated for Best Male Vocalist at the 1988 Mike Chavez Music Awards. At the 1989 Tejano Music Awards, Hobbs amassed nominations for Single of the Year with "Quiero Ser Tu Amor", Song of the Year for "Ensenar a Querer", Male Entertainer of the Year, and Un Momento was nominated for Album of the Year – Orchestra. By 1988, Hobbs became one of the most popular Tejano singers.
At the 1990 Tejano Music Awards, Hobbs was nominated for Male Entertainer of the Year and Male Vocalist of the Year. By 1990, promoters dubbed him "the blue-eyed sensation". On the week ending December 13, 1990, "Vas a Pagar" made its entry into the Tejano Singles chart at number ten, as did "Las Miradas" the following week. "Las Miradas" reached number two for seven nonconsecutive weeks beginning in the week of January 24, 1991, before peaking at number one on the week ending June 20.
1991–1998: Commercial success with EMI Latin
In 1991, Hobbs signed a six-figure contract with EMI Latin. At the 1992 Tejano Music Awards, "Las Miradas" was nominated for both Song of the Year and Single of the Year. The singer's eponymous album received a nomination for Album of the Year, while Hobbs was a contender for Male Entertainer of the Year. In May 1992, Hobbs released Solo Esta Noche, which featured "Amame y Besame", which peaked at number one on the Tejano Singles chart on the week ending August 20, 1992. It garnered the nomination for Song of the Year, while Hobbs received the nomination for Male Entertainer of the Year, and Solo Esta Noche received the nomination for Album of the Year. Hobbs recorded "Recordemos" and "Paz Esta Navidad" for the Christmas compilation, Christmas in Texas. Suzy Banks of Texas Monthly, noted that comprehending the emotional pleas conveyed in "Paz Esta Navidad" does not necessitate an understanding of the Spanish language, as listeners can apprehend Hobbs sentiments through his vocal delivery. In April 1993, Gary Hobbs Live was released.In March 1994, Hobbs recorded a pilot episode of Camino de Lagrimas, a Tejano telenovela that producers aspired to pitch to Spanish networks. Ta Vas a Acordar reached sales of 50,000 units and receive a gold certification in June 1994. Its singles, "Voy a Amarte" reached the third position, while "Te Vas a Acordar" peaked at number one on the Tejano Singles chart. In an effort to promote Hobbs in Mexico, EMI Latin endeavored to alter the singer's band name from Hot Sauce to Grupo Mezquite in August 1994, believing that Hot Sauce would not resonate with Mexican audiences. Hobbs perceived the name change as the second "dumbest thing I ever heard in my life", second only to Hot Sauce. According to Hobbs, Mezquite, the Spanish term for the mesquite tree, flourishes in his hometown and symbolizes his heritage. The singer commenced negotiations with Apodcada Promotions to secure management and booking arrangements in Mexico. As a jest, Hobbs would refer to his band as "the usual suspects", a phrase from the film Casablanca, which reminded him of the constant turnover of its members.
At the 1995 Tejano Music Awards, "Te Vas a Acordar" garnered nominations for Song of the Year and Single of the Year, while Hobbs received a nomination for Male Entertainer of the Year, and Te Vas a Acordar was nominated for Album of the Year. By May 1995, Te Vas a Acordar had sold 90,000 units, and its titular track spent nine weeks at number one on Radio y Musicas Tejano Singles chart, securing the second-longest song that year, behind Selena's "Bidi Bidi Bom Bom", which spent 13 weeks at the top spot. Within the album, "La Miradas", features a lyrical narrative that depicts the captivating gaze a woman employs to ensnare a man's affection, while the title track delves into the intricacies of lost love. Te Vas a Acordar ended 1994 as the 13th best-selling regional Mexican album and the 34th best-selling Latin album in the United States. "Tu Me Haces Sentir" made its debut at number 49 on the US Billboard Hot Latin Songs chart, the week ending September 16, 1995, and became known as one of the most popular Tejano singers.
Hobbs released Sol el Mismo on March 7, 1995, and by May 1995 it sold 35,000 units. At the 1996 Tejano Music Awards, Soy el Mismo was nominated for Album of the Year. Hobbs, along with composer Carmen Ravenna, received the BMI Latin Songwriter award for their work on "Chiquitita, Chiquitita". In the music video for "Por Favor Corazon", Hobbs portrayed an outlaw from the 19th century, captured at the 64,000-acre Tinkler Ranch located in Fort Stockton. Hobbs revealed that the horseback riding scene proved physically challenging, resulting in some bruises, as it had been some time since he last mounted a horse when he was in high school. "Por Favor Corazon" debuted and peaked at number 18 on the US Billboard Hot Latin Songs chart and number 15 on the US Billboard Regional Mexican Songs chart, on the week ending May 20, 1995. "Chiquitita" peaked at number 34 on the Hot Latin Songs chart, on the week ending February 11, 1995. "Por Favor Corazon" ended 1995 as the second-best Tejano single on Radio y Musica, while "Tu Me Haces Sentir" was the 13th-best Tejano single of 1995. "Por Favor Corazon" was nominated for Song of the Year while Hobbs was nominated for Male Entertainer of the Year at the 1996 Tejano Music Awards.
Writing for Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Ramiro Burr expressed his disappointment with Soy el Mismo, labeling it as a disheartening letdown due to its tedious nature, largely attributed to the monotonous keyboard-synthesizer melodies. In contrast, Cabrera acknowledges Hobbs as an artist who crafts songs that leave a lasting impression on Soy el Mismo. Tracks such as the cumbias "Por Favor Corazon" and "Tu Me Haces Sentir" and the rancheras "Quiero Que Vuelvas" and "Esperando Tu Amor", showcase Hobbs' ability to deliver captivating melodies infused with heartfelt emotions, as noted by Cabrera. Paul Verna of Billboard, recognizing the comparatively lesser media coverage received by Hobbs in comparison to his contemporaries, noted that Soy el Mismo made "a strong debut" at number 20 on the US Billboard Top Latin Albums chart. Soy el Mismo rose to number seven and debuted at number three on the US Billboard Regional Mexican Albums chart, taking the greatest gain in sales for the week ending April 1, 1995. Chito de la Torre of La Prensa, found the album's title ironic, considering the singer's transformation in image and the renaming of his band as part of his pursuit to establish a presence in Mexico. According to de la Torre, this transition became apparent when the singer donned Western attire at the 1995 Tejano Music Awards.
Following the release of Hobbs' album, Corazon Ardiente, Cabrera perceived a departure from the customary style that Hobbs typically imbues into his musical offerings, finding Corazon Ardiente to surpass Soy el Mismo in terms of its impact. The lead single, "Buscando Un Amor", was released on June 27, 1996. Cabrera characterizes Hobbs' signature style throughout the album as melodic, polished, and engaging, exemplifying his artistry. At the 1997 Tejano Music Awards, Hobbs was nominated for Song of the Year for "Buscando Un Amor", while its album received the nomination for Album of the Year, and Hobbs was nominated for Male Vocalist and Male Entertainer of the Year. In 1996, Hobbs signed a contract with Coca-Cola, who subsequently became sponsors for his tours. "Buscando Un Amor" peaked at number 24 on the Hot Latin Songs chart and number 11 on the Regional Mexican Songs chart, in the week ending September 7, 1996. "Corazon Ardiente" peaked at number 41 on the Hot Latin Songs chart, in the week ending August 3, 1996. In 1997, Hobbs secured a role in the film Lost Cowboy, and in April 1998, he released Solo Es Un Sueno.