Intocable

Grammy award winning superstar group Intocable (Untouchable) 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 balladry. 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 great 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").

Life hasn't always been this kind to the group, though. For the first couple of years, getting the Intocable name off the ground was very tough, and the band's first indie albums barely sold. It wasn't until August of 1994 when their recorded album "Fuego Eterno", with new label EMI Latin, hit the shelves. At first, much of the public dismissed the album as a Ramón Ayala y Sus Bravos del Norte knock-off, but after the public started to pay attention, they soon realized that this musical style was a flavor of its own. There was no doubt that the music of Ramón Ayala played a huge part on the direction this band was to go in. Even the band's lead vocalist and accordion player, Ricky Muñoz has said countless times that his biggest inspiration is Mr. Ayala, himself. On January 31, 1999, the group suffered a huge and devastating blow and setback in their lives when two of their bandmates "Jose Ángel Farias" & "Silvestre Rodríguez" and a road manager "José Ángel González" were killed in an auto accident heading to Monterrey, Mexico. Muñoz and the remaining members of the group were severely injured and spent weeks in a Monterrey hospital. After a six-month layoff, however, the band returned triumphantly, with a sold-out tour behind its 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 all they have earned, they've worked hard for. That nothing was ever just given to them. That they are always looking out for that magical song with the right combination of lyrics and music that will make that connection, intrigue and have a huge impact on the life of everyday people.

Intocable's most popular songs include: "Y Todo Para Qué?", "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)

*"Sueños" (Dreams) (2002)

*"Nuestro Destino Estaba Escrito" (Our Destiny Was Written) (2003)

*"Intimamente" (Intimately/Live album) (2004)

*"X" (10) (2005)

*"Crossroads/Cruce de Caminos" (2006)

*"2c" (12) (summer 2008)

Band Members

Ricardo "Ricky" Muñoz - (Lead Vocalist, Accordion)

René Martínez - (Drums)

Sergio Serna - (Percussion)

Johnny Lee Rosas - (Bajo Sexto, Backup Vocalist)

Félix Salinas - (Bass)

Juan Hernández - (Group Motivator and Rhythms)

José Ángel Farías- (Group Motivator and Rhythms) (Deceased)

Sivestre Rodríguez- (Bass) (Deceased)

José Ángel Gonzalez- (Road Manager) (Deceased)

External links

* [http://www.grupointocable.com/] Official Site]

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News on Intocable
* [http://www.juarol.com/sucasa/intocable-to-release-12th-anniversary-album-vt3855.html Intocable to release 12th anniversary album] ( Fri Aug 11, 2006 12:25 am )