His father was of Spanish and Apache descent, while his mother was a mixture of Mexican, Cherokee, and Irish.

Both had migrated to Montana during the Great Depression, seeking employment as migrant farm workers.

Since Romero often ran around without footwear, the nickname, from a Spanish phrase meaning "little boy with pig's feet" seemed appropriate.

Romero said Elvis Presley's 1956 performance of "Hound Dog" on The Steve Allen Show was a turning point in his life.

[3] Romero's work bore a resemblance to that of Ritchie Valens, and the two ended up on the same record label.