Tejano Grammy nominee Sunny Sauceda likes to mix it up in different genres

Ramiro Burr
Express-News Staff Writer

"One of the main things I like to do is collaborate with other artists and songwriters," Sauceda said. "I like working with a variety of musicians. I am not limited to just Tejano.

"I wanted to use Sunny because of his unique sound and the energy," said Roger Velasquez, whose latest CD, "Quiero Besarte," features Sauceda. "He has a whole lot of energy, not just on stage but also in the studio, and it comes through even on the recording.

"He brought that spark and fire to the tunes 'Quiero Besarte' and 'La Vida Corta.'"

"When he joined them, Sunny transcended Grupo Vida. He took their sound to a whole different playing field," said Carlos Alvarez, ARC Discos promotions representative. "Sunny still has that power and dynamic energy on his albums, but you can also still hear a raw conjunto feel."

"Sunny has positioned himself as a top solo artist. He's made some risky career moves to help him stand out," said DJ "Jumpin'" Jess Rodriguez with the Houston-based A Top Latin Entertainment Agency. "He is definitely a breakout artist, and his Grammys can attest to that. He's also a professional. His membership in the Texas Grammys and the Academy of Tejano Music tells you he is serious about his craft."

 

Quotes:

2008 Grammys: 4 SA artists - UPDATED

Sauceda, who won a Grammy and a Latin Grammy alongside David Lee Garza as part of Joel Guzman's 2004 "Polkas, Gritos y Acordeones," said he was caught by surprise.
"I was running around getting stuff done when I found out," said Sauceda. "This is a milestone because it is my first Grammy nomination as a solo artist and really exciting.
"It goes to show, if you stick in there and work hard, and say your prayers every night, it will pay off."

 

After Winning a Latin GRAMMY:

Best Tejano Album, “Polkas, Gritos, y Acordeones” Sunny Sauceda: “Being able to win a GRAMMY award and now a Latin GRAMMY, this is definitely a life altering experience” 11/07/2005

 

" I've got to be up front with you. I'm still the guy from the flea market on Highway 16, the guy that used to play five hours for $40, that's me. You can't forget those days. It's intimidating, but you know what, I learned a lot, I gained a lot of experience. I learned that even though we all play the accordion, it's totally different. So it's a good feeling." -Sunny

 

Concerning his self titled release “Sunny”: "I included some of the stuff people are used to hearing me do, but I also wanted to do something that I didn't do before, and that's do some old conjunto songs that I did back when I played at Casa's Nightclub," Sauceda said. "Conjunto is where my roots are. I've been playing conjunto since I was 5 years old. Not that many people know that.

"Believe it or not, all together it's been 23 years. I'm only 28. My dad would pay me like $5, because he'd always tell me, 'I'm going to pay you, because when you get paid, you're considered professional.' I didn't care. I was cool — $5 — I was only 5 years old."

 

December 6, 2007: 2008 Grammys: 4 SA artists - UPDATED by Ramiro Burr

Sauceda, who won a Grammy and a Latin Grammy alongside David Lee Garza as part of Joel Guzman's 2004 "Polkas, Gritos y Acordeones," said he was caught by surprise.
"I was running around getting stuff done when I found out," said Sauceda. "This is a milestone because it is my first Grammy nomination as a solo artist and really exciting.
"It goes to show, if you stick in there and work hard, and say your prayers every night, it will pay off."