Intocable
Encyclopedia
Intocable is a Tejano
/Norteño
musical group from Zapata
, Texas
that was started by friends Ricky Muñoz and René Martínez in the early 90's. Within a couple years as a band, Intocable had already risen to the top of the Tejano
and Norteño
fields with a musical signature that had fused Tejano's robust conjunto
and Norteño folk rhythms with a pop
ballad
ry. Currently, Intocable could very well be the most influential group in Tejano, and their tough Tejano/Norteño fusion has become the blueprint for dozens of Tex-Mex
groups. The group's strengths, which include romantic hooky
melodies, and tight instrumentation and vocal harmony is consistently being imitated by a list of other Tejano and Norteño groups. This list includes groups such as Imán
, Duelo
, Costumbre, Solido, Estruendo, Intenso, and Zinzero among others.
Career accomplishments include four consecutive sold-out nights at Mexico City
's prestigious Auditorio Nacional and the group's 2003 headlining appearance at Reliant Stadium
in Houston, which drew a record 70,104 fans. They also played two sold-out dates at the 10,000-capacity Monterrey Arena
in Monterrey
, Mexico
. It was an unusual accomplishment, given that Norteño
groups typically play large dance halls and rarely arenas, unless it's an all day festival event. Intocable has also won at least eight of Univision
's Premio Lo Nuestro awards, and received their first Grammy win in February 2005 at the 47th Annual Grammys (Grammy Award for Best Mexican/Mexican-American Album
Album; Intimamente) and second at the 53rd annual Grammys for their album Classic.
Intocable was recently nominated in 5 categories to the upcoming Latin Billboard Regional Mexican Awards and for Best Norteño Album to the 2011 Latin GRAMMY for their latest album INTOCABLE 2011. The album was released under the group’s own music label Good I Music and has landed the first two singles “Robarte Un Beso” and “Prometi” to #1 in US regional radio. The 3rd single “Arrepientete” is promptly following suit.
Life hasn't always been this kind to the group, though. The band's first indie
albums barely sold. In August of 1994 their album Fuego Eterno, with new label EMI Latin
, had notable sales. The music of Ramón Ayala
influenced the direction of the band. The band's lead vocalist and accordion
player, Ricky Muñoz has stated that his biggest inspiration is Ramón Ayala
. In 1998, the band suffered its first major setback when two members of the band left the group to form their own. Johnny lee Rosas, (bajo sexto and 2nd voice), and Albert Ramirez, (bass), formed Grupo Masizzo. Rosas, rejoined the group in 2003 after 4 successful solo albums.
, Mexico
. Muñoz and the remaining members of the group suffered multiple injuries and spent weeks in a Monterrey
hospital. After a six-month layoff, however, Intocable toured successfully behind the comeback album Contigo (With You), whose first single
was entitled El Amigo que Se Fue (To A Friend Who Has Left), a tribute song to the fallen band members.
The group states that they are always looking out for that magical song with the right combination of lyrics
and music that will intrigue and have an impact on the life of everyday people. In 2010 the band was named, "group of the decade," and their style has influenced many bands in the U.S. as well as other countries.
Intocable's most popular songs include:
¿Y Todo para qué?,
Dejame Amarte,
El Poder de Tus Manos,
¿Dónde Estás?,
Aire,
Por Ella (Poco a Poco),
Eres Mi Droga,
Dame Un Beso,
Alguien Te va a Hacer Llorar,
Sueña, and Amor Maldito among others.
Jose (Pepe) Perez (Bass)
Tejano music
Tejano music or Tex-Mex music is the name given to various forms of folk and popular music originating among the Mexican-American populations of Central and Southern Texas...
/Norteño
Norteño (music)
Norteño , also norteña or conjunto, is a genre of Mexican music. The accordion and the bajo sexto are norteño's most characteristic instruments. The norteño genre is popular in both Mexico and the United States, especially among the Mexican community...
musical group from Zapata
Zapata, Texas
As of the census of 2010, there were 5,089 people, 4,328 households, and 1,265 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 629.9 people per square mile . There were 2,239 housing units at an average density of 290.4 per square mile...
, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
that was started by friends Ricky Muñoz and René Martínez in the early 90's. Within a couple years as a band, Intocable had already risen to the top of the Tejano
Tejano music
Tejano music or Tex-Mex music is the name given to various forms of folk and popular music originating among the Mexican-American populations of Central and Southern Texas...
and Norteño
Norteño (music)
Norteño , also norteña or conjunto, is a genre of Mexican music. The accordion and the bajo sexto are norteño's most characteristic instruments. The norteño genre is popular in both Mexico and the United States, especially among the Mexican community...
fields with a musical signature that had fused Tejano's robust conjunto
Conjunto
Conjunto literally translates as "group," and is regionally accepted in Texas as defining a genre of music that was born out of south Texas at the end of the 19th Century, after German settlers introduced the button accordion. The bajo sexto has come to accompany the button accordion and is...
and Norteño folk rhythms with a pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
ballad
Ballad
A ballad is a form of verse, often a narrative set to music. Ballads were particularly characteristic of British and Irish popular poetry and song from the later medieval period until the 19th century and used extensively across Europe and later the Americas, Australia and North Africa. Many...
ry. Currently, Intocable could very well be the most influential group in Tejano, and their tough Tejano/Norteño fusion has become the blueprint for dozens of Tex-Mex
Tejano music
Tejano music or Tex-Mex music is the name given to various forms of folk and popular music originating among the Mexican-American populations of Central and Southern Texas...
groups. The group's strengths, which include romantic hooky
Hook (music)
A hook is a musical idea, often a short riff, passage, or phrase, that is used in popular music to make a song appealing and to "catch the ear of the listener". The term generally applies to popular music, especially rock music, hip hop, dance music, and pop. In these genres, the hook is often...
melodies, and tight instrumentation and vocal harmony is consistently being imitated by a list of other Tejano and Norteño groups. This list includes groups such as Imán
Iman
Iman, also spelled imaan, may refer to:Islam* Iman , Islamic termGiven name:* Chanel Iman , American fashion model* Iman , Somali supermodel...
, Duelo
Duelo
Duelo is a Tejano band from Roma, Texas with a norteño style. The band is also known as Grupo Duelo and Duelo Norteño. The group rose to prominence in late 1990s and continues to record as of 2009, when their album Necesito Más de Tí debuted in the top slot on the Billboard Top Latin Albums...
, Costumbre, Solido, Estruendo, Intenso, and Zinzero among others.
Career accomplishments include four consecutive sold-out nights at Mexico City
Mexico City
Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
's prestigious Auditorio Nacional and the group's 2003 headlining appearance at Reliant Stadium
Reliant Stadium
Reliant Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium, in Houston, Texas, USA. Reliant Stadium has a seating capacity of 71,500, a total square footage of with of natural grass playing surface....
in Houston, which drew a record 70,104 fans. They also played two sold-out dates at the 10,000-capacity Monterrey Arena
Monterrey Arena
Arena Monterrey is an indoor arena in Monterrey, Mexico. It is primarily used for concerts, shows and indoor sports like indoor soccer or basketball...
in Monterrey
Monterrey
Monterrey , is the capital city of the northeastern state of Nuevo León in the country of Mexico. The city is anchor to the third-largest metropolitan area in Mexico and is ranked as the ninth-largest city in the nation. Monterrey serves as a commercial center in the north of the country and is the...
, Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
. It was an unusual accomplishment, given that Norteño
Norteño (music)
Norteño , also norteña or conjunto, is a genre of Mexican music. The accordion and the bajo sexto are norteño's most characteristic instruments. The norteño genre is popular in both Mexico and the United States, especially among the Mexican community...
groups typically play large dance halls and rarely arenas, unless it's an all day festival event. Intocable has also won at least eight of Univision
Univision
Univision is a Spanish-language television network in the United States. It has the largest audience of Spanish language television viewers according to Nielsen ratings. Randy Falco, COO, has been in charge of the company since the departure of Univision Communications president and CEO Joe Uva...
's Premio Lo Nuestro awards, and received their first Grammy win in February 2005 at the 47th Annual Grammys (Grammy Award for Best Mexican/Mexican-American Album
Grammy Award for Best Mexican/Mexican-American Album
The Grammy Award for Best Mexican/Mexican-American Album was an honor presented to recording artists for quality albums in the Mexican music genre at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards...
Album; Intimamente) and second at the 53rd annual Grammys for their album Classic.
Intocable was recently nominated in 5 categories to the upcoming Latin Billboard Regional Mexican Awards and for Best Norteño Album to the 2011 Latin GRAMMY for their latest album INTOCABLE 2011. The album was released under the group’s own music label Good I Music and has landed the first two singles “Robarte Un Beso” and “Prometi” to #1 in US regional radio. The 3rd single “Arrepientete” is promptly following suit.
Life hasn't always been this kind to the group, though. The band's first indie
Indie (music)
In music, independent music, often shortened to indie music or "indie" is a term used to describe independence from major commercial record labels or their subsidiaries, and an autonomous, Do-It-Yourself approach to recording and publishing....
albums barely sold. In August of 1994 their album Fuego Eterno, with new label EMI Latin
EMI Latin
EMI Televisa Music, also known as EMI Latin and EMI International, is a subsidiary of EMI which focuses on Latin American music....
, had notable sales. The music of Ramón Ayala
Ramón Ayala
Ramón Ayala is a Mexican-American musician, composer, and songwriter of norteño and conjunto music. Known as the "King of the Accordion," Ayala has recorded over 105 albums for which he has received four Grammy Awards. Additionally, Ayala has been featured in thirteen movies...
influenced the direction of the band. The band's lead vocalist and accordion
Accordion
The accordion is a box-shaped musical instrument of the bellows-driven free-reed aerophone family, sometimes referred to as a squeezebox. A person who plays the accordion is called an accordionist....
player, Ricky Muñoz has stated that his biggest inspiration is Ramón Ayala
Ramón Ayala
Ramón Ayala is a Mexican-American musician, composer, and songwriter of norteño and conjunto music. Known as the "King of the Accordion," Ayala has recorded over 105 albums for which he has received four Grammy Awards. Additionally, Ayala has been featured in thirteen movies...
. In 1998, the band suffered its first major setback when two members of the band left the group to form their own. Johnny lee Rosas, (bajo sexto and 2nd voice), and Albert Ramirez, (bass), formed Grupo Masizzo. Rosas, rejoined the group in 2003 after 4 successful solo albums.
Road Accident
On January 31, 1999, the group suffered a huge and devastating blow and setback in their lives when two members, Jose Ángel Farias and Silvestre Rodríguez, along with road manager José Ángel González, were killed in an auto accident heading to MonterreyMonterrey
Monterrey , is the capital city of the northeastern state of Nuevo León in the country of Mexico. The city is anchor to the third-largest metropolitan area in Mexico and is ranked as the ninth-largest city in the nation. Monterrey serves as a commercial center in the north of the country and is the...
, Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
. Muñoz and the remaining members of the group suffered multiple injuries and spent weeks in a Monterrey
Monterrey
Monterrey , is the capital city of the northeastern state of Nuevo León in the country of Mexico. The city is anchor to the third-largest metropolitan area in Mexico and is ranked as the ninth-largest city in the nation. Monterrey serves as a commercial center in the north of the country and is the...
hospital. After a six-month layoff, however, Intocable toured successfully behind the comeback album Contigo (With You), whose first single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
was entitled El Amigo que Se Fue (To A Friend Who Has Left), a tribute song to the fallen band members.
The group states that they are always looking out for that magical song with the right combination of lyrics
Lyrics
Lyrics are a set of words that make up a song. The writer of lyrics is a lyricist or lyrist. The meaning of lyrics can either be explicit or implicit. Some lyrics are abstract, almost unintelligible, and, in such cases, their explication emphasizes form, articulation, meter, and symmetry of...
and music that will intrigue and have an impact on the life of everyday people. In 2010 the band was named, "group of the decade," and their style has influenced many bands in the U.S. as well as other countries.
Stampede at a concert in Nuevo Leon Mexico
Five people were reported to have been killed and 12 injured in a stampede at a concert by Intocable in the city of Guadalupe, Nuevo Leon, Mexico on Sunday 2 May 2010Intocable's most popular songs include:
¿Y Todo para qué?,
Dejame Amarte,
El Poder de Tus Manos,
¿Dónde Estás?,
Aire,
Por Ella (Poco a Poco),
Eres Mi Droga,
Dame Un Beso,
Alguien Te va a Hacer Llorar,
Sueña, and Amor Maldito among others.
Discography
(excluding compilations and greatest hits)- Simplemente...Intocable (Simply...Untouchable) (1993)
- Fuego Eterno (Eternal Fire) (1994)
- Otro Mundo (Another World) (1995)
- Llévame Contigo (Take Me With You) (1996)
- IV (4) (1997)
- Intocable (Untouchable) (1998)
- Contigo (With You) (1999)
- Es Para Tí (This Is For You) (2000)
- SueñosSueños (album)Sueños is the title of a studio album released by norteño music band Intocable. This album became their first number-one set on the Billboard Top Latin Albums chart for 4 weeks and received a nomination for a Grammy Award for Best Mexican/Mexican-American Album.-Tracklisting:The tracklisting from...
(Dreams) (2002) - La Historia(2003)
- Nuestro Destino Estaba EscritoNuestro Destino Estaba Escrito-Historia y Tradición edition:This information from Allmusic.-Credits:The information form Allmusic.*René Martínez — Producer, group member*Ricky Muñoz — Producer, group member*Luis Padilla — Arranger, vocals*Gilbert Velasquez — Recording...
(Our Destiny Was Written) (2003) - IntimamenteIntimamente-DVD tracklisting:The tracklisting from Allmusic.-Credits:The information from Allmusic.*René Martínez — Producer, executive producer*Ricky Muñoz — Producer, executive producer*Jack Saenz — Mastering, mixing, digital imaging...
(Intimately/Live album) (2004) - X (10) (2005)
- Crossroads: Cruce de CaminosCrossroads: Cruce de Caminos- Fan edition :On October 23, 2007 a Fan Edition was released with the same tracklist and a new song titled "Me Faltas Tú" and bonus features.- Personnel :This information from Allmusic....
(2006) (2007-Fan Edition) - 2C (12) (2008)
- Classic ("Clasico" Mexico) (2009)
- Super #1's (2010)
- 2011 (2011)
Former members
- Albert Ramirez- (BASS) 1995-1998
- José Ángel Farías- (Group Motivator and Rhythms) (Deceased)
- Silvestre Rodríguez- (Bass) (Deceased)
- José Ángel González- (Road Manager) (Deceased)
- Felix Salinas (1999–2010)
- Juan J. González Jr. (Bajo Sexto & Guitar)1993
- Ismael Arreola Jr. (Group Motivator - Rhythms)1993
- Juan J. Serna (Bass)1993-1995
- Adalberto Mejía (Bass)
Jose (Pepe) Perez (Bass)