Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular Music

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

HINOJOSA, Tish

(b Leticia Hinojosa, 6 Dec. '55, San Antonio TX) Thirteenth child of Mexican-American family, grew up bilingual, with multicultural musical influences listening to songs on Mexican radio and US pop. Signed with Capitol Records' Lado A/Cara label and recorded several top ten hits for the Latino market; also sang jingles, became popular in southwest Texas clubs and coffee houses. Sang backup with Michael Martin Murphey '81--2; moved to Nashville '83; sang demos and signed to Curb Records '86, had duet hit 'I'll Pull You Through' '86 with Craig Dillingham. Moved to New Mexico '87, made independent album Taos To Mexico (reissued on Watermelon '92). Moved back to Texas settling in Austin, signed to A&M '89 and released Homeland, including autobiographical 'Border Trilogy', a big seller in Korea, leading to her first overseas tour. Live album made at Waterloo Ice House in Austin, Aquella Noche (That Certain Night) '91 on Watermelon, voted a top five folk recording in Pulse magazine. Signed to Rounder '92 with self-produced Culture Swing, incorporating folk, pop, western swing, rock and Mexican stylings and featuring Flaco Jimenez. Signed to Warner Bros '93 and released mainstream Destiny's Gate for rave reviews, but no big commercial breakthrough; went back to Rounder with her own eclectic music, album Frontejas '95. She champions social issues, especially migrant workers, both in her songs and her charity performances.