Sonora Santanera
In 1960, comic actor Jesús “Palillo” Martínez helped the band play in Mexico City and get a professional record deal under the name of Sonora Santanera.
From that time until 1986, the band changed members, but remained focused on Carlos Colorado, the sole musical arranger for the group.
The first members of the group were Juan Bustos, Silvestre Mercado, Andres Terrones, Armando Espinoza and Sergio Celeda who had known each other since primary school.
He created the band's own distinctive version of this tropical orchestra music as the arranger even when it played the same songs as Matancera such as Luces de Nueva York.
[1][6] Sonora Santanera remained popular through the 1960s, especially with the working classes of Mexico City, even though some of the first personnel changes began at this time.
[1] Internacional Sonora Santanera continued the tradition of Colorado although it acquire new, younger musicians such as Hugo Rey, Gabriel Alejandro, Benito López and José Paredes.
[5] During their career, they have received numerous awards, recognitions and gold and silver records and have traveled extensively in the United States, Central and South America.
[9] These new legal problems caused the band to modify its name again in 2007, to its current one La Única Internacional Sonora Santanera in order to distinguish themselves.
[7] This band, which insists it is the only and the original has been involved in legal actions in Mexico and the United States in order to lay sole claim to the name “Sonora Santanera.”[2][4][9] As of October 2014, the daughter of Carlos Colorado, Norma, announced the start of "La Sonora Santanera de Carlos Colorado" in the United States of America and appointed Lorenzo Ginez as the leader and managing director of the only group connected to the original family name.
Former members include founding leader, Carlos Colorado, Sonia López, Armando Espinoza, Juan Bustos, Silvestre Mercado, Antonio Casas Sánchez, Lorenzo Hernández Mejía, Serio Celada, Héctor Fuentes and Jorge Ortiz Martínez, son of Arturo Ortiz.
[11] They have performed with Xavier López "Chabelo", Gualberto Castro, Carlos Cuevas, Manoella Torres, Kalimba and Luis de Alba .
[10] They have performed in many prestigious Mexican and international venues such as the Auditorio Nacional, Palacio de Bellas Artes, Teatro San Rafael, the Gran Fórum in Acapulco and the Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena.
