Chalino Sánchez | |
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 Sánchezc. 1990 | |
| Background information | |
| Also known as |
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| Born | Rosalino Sánchez Félix (1960-08-30)30 August 1960
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| Died | c. 16 May 1992(1992-05-16) (aged 31) Culiacán, Sinaloa, Mexico |
| Genres | |
| Occupations |
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| Instruments | Vocals |
| Years active | 1984–1992 |
| Labels |
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Spouse | |
Rosalino "Chalino"Sánchez Félix (30 August 1960 – 16 May 1992) was a Mexican singer and composer. Posthumously called "The King of Corrido" (Spanish:El Rey del Corrido), Sánchez is considered one of the most influential Mexicannarcocorrido singers of the late twentieth century. His songs mostly contained stories of murder and organized crime in nineteenth- and twentieth-centuryNorthern Mexico, including topics such as theMexican Revolution,drug cartels,drug trafficking,serial killers,Mexican standoffs, andmurder–suicides. He also composed and sang romantic and radio-friendly songs.
Sánchez grew up in a poor and violent rural area ofSinaloa, the youngest of eight children. His father died when Sánchez was six years old. At age 15, Sánchez shot and killed a man who hadraped his sister two years prior.[1] In 1984, his brother Armando was murdered in a hotel inTijuana, inspiring him to compose his firstcorrido. While serving time in prison for petty crimes, Sánchez composed songs for inmates that had stories they wanted to preserve insentimental ballads.
On 25 January 1992, Sánchez was shot while performing inCoachella, California, United States, but survived. He fired back inself-defense, killing a bystander.[2] Just a few months later, on 16 May, Sánchez was shot and killed by unidentified assailants after a performance inCuliacán, in which he was handed a note commonly believed to have contained adeath threat. Though Sánchez's murder remains unsolved, it is suspected to be linked to aMexican cartel orrevenge.[3]
Rosalino Sánchez Félix was born on "Las Flechas", a small ranch in El Guayabo, a small farming municipality inSinaloa.[4] His birth name was Rosalino, but he preferred his nickname "Chalino" since he believed that Rosalino sounded too feminine.[5] He was the youngest of eight children.[4] Sánchez's parents were Santos Sánchez, who died when Chalino was six years old;[6] and Senorina Félix. Sánchez grew up in an impoverished environment, with limited opportunities, and was surrounded by violence.[4]
In September 1975, at age 15, Sánchez shot and killed a man who hadraped his sister two years prior.[7] He then moved toTijuana, where he worked as a "coyote", smugglingundocumented immigrants into the United States. In October 1975, Sánchez himself fled to the U.S. to avoid Mexican authorities. He worked on farms across thePacific Northwest before moving in with his aunt inInglewood, California, in January 1983. In Inglewood he washed dishes, sold cars and dealt small quantities ofmarijuana andcocaine. He also had a stint as a driver for Rigo Campos, the owner of a restaurant inBell Gardens who was involved in the drug business, and who was eventually assassinated.[8] In addition, Sánchez helped his older brother, Armando, run an immigrant-smuggling operation.[5]
In May 1983, Sánchez met Marisela Vallejos, fromMexicali,Baja California, through a cousin. They married in 1984 while she was pregnant with their son,Adán Sánchez, and later had a second child, Cynthia Sánchez Vallejos. They were married for nine years until Sánchez's death.[9]
In July 1984, Sánchez's brother Armando was shot and killed in a hotel inTijuana, which inspired Sánchez to compose his firstcorrido, "Recordando A Armando Sánchez."[4] Around this time, he was arrested and served a few months inLa Mesa prison for petty crimes.[10] Sánchez composed songs for his fellow inmates, many of whom weredrug traffickers and were illiterate, turning their stories into songs. He was paid in cash, watches, and guns.[11][7]
Sánchez was introduced to Ángel Parra, who arranged for the singer to record his firstdemos at his studio with anorteño group, Los 4 De La Frontera.[7][12] He first began recording in the studio in 1987 and would record fifteen songs, each commissioned by a local "valiente", and make one copy for each client. By the third recording, his clients were ordering extra copies for their friends, and Parra suggested producing 300 cassettes, which sold easily and were followed by reorders.[7] Sánchez sold the cassettes out of his car trunk or atflea markets,[10][13] and performed atquinceañeras andbaptisms.[10]
By 1989, Sánchez had given up his day jobs, had formed his ownrecord label, and was hustling his cassettes full-time. The previous year, he'd met Nacho Hernández, whose band Los Amables del Norte became his regular accompanists. Sánchez became well-known throughoutSouthern California and performed in several venues such as the El Parral Nightclub inSouth Gate and El Farallon Nightclub inLynwood.[14][7][15]
Sánchez connected with Pedro Rivera, who had set up Cintas Acuario, a small recording studio inLong Beach, California, to which Sánchez signed arecording contract.[13] Rivera, the father ofLupillo Rivera,Juan Rivera, andJenni Rivera, was one of the first to release Sánchez's albums.[16]
| Los Arcos Nightclub Shooting | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Location | 33°40′04″N116°10′56.6″W / 33.66778°N 116.182389°W /33.66778; -116.182389 Plaza Los Arcos Nightclub 52447 Harrison St Coachella, CA 92236, U.S. |
| Date | 25 January 1992; 33 years ago (1992-01-25) c. 11:40 PM –c. 12:40 AM (PST) |
| Target | Chalino Sánchez, 31 |
Attack type | Mass shooting |
| Weapons | |
| Deaths | 1 (Claudio Rene Carranza, 20) |
| Injured | 10 (10, injured with bullet crossfire) |
| Perpetrator | Eduardo Gallegos, 32 |
| Motive | Inconclusive |
On 25 January 1992, Sánchez performed at the Plaza Los Arcos restaurant and nightclub inCoachella, California, with 400 people in attendance. Eduardo Gallegos, aged 32, an unemployed mechanic fromThermal who was under the influence ofheroin andalcohol, requested the song "El Gallo de Sinaloa" to be played. Immediately afterwards, Gallegos jumped on stage and fired four shots at Sánchez.[11] In retaliation, Sánchez fired his gun at Gallegos; the firearmjammed and Sánchez threw it at Gallegos.[11]
Gallegos' four shots hit Sánchez twice in the chest near his armpit, striking his lung; one bullet hit theaccordionist in the thigh. Sánchez's shots missed Gallegos, but hit and killed 20-year-old Claudio Rene Carranza. In total, nine to fifteen shots were fired and approximately ten people were hit. Gallegos was wrestled to the floor by a bystander and was shot in the mouth with his own pistol.[11] Gallegos and Sánchez were both transported toDesert Regional Hospital inPalm Springs, in critical condition.[2][17][18][19][20]
Gallegos, who survived his wounds, was convicted ofattempted murder and was sentenced to 20 years to life in prison; he wasparoled in 2023.[11][21][7]
The shooting gave Sánchez additional press, and his sales and radio airplay increased, particularly for his non-narco song "Nieves de Enero".[7] At his next performance inLos Angeles, the club reached capacity six hours before Sánchez was due to perform.[7]
After the January 1992 shooting and the increase in notoriety that followed, Sánchez began fearing for his life. He distributed his gun collection to his friends and sold the rights to his songs toMusart Records, receiving just enough money for his wife to buy a house but depriving his family of any futureroyalties.[7]
His record team warned him against visiting his home state of Sinaloa. Against their orders, he traveled to perform in concerts during the spring of 1992.[22][time needed]
On 16 May 1992, during a performance at the Salón Bugambilias inCuliacán, Sánchez was handed a note from someone in the crowd. Immediately, he seemed to become frightened. The note is commonly believed to have been adeath threat, but this has never been confirmed.[23] A video shows Sánchez reading the note, showing signs of worry, then crumpling up the note and continuing to sing.[24]
After midnight, Sánchez left the club with two of his brothers, a cousin and several young women in a 1992Ford vehicle. Their vehicle was pulled over by a group of armed men in blackChevrolet Suburbans. They showedstate police identification and told Sánchez that their commander wanted to see him. Sánchez agreed and got into one of their cars.[7]
The following morning, two farmers found Sánchez's body by an irrigation canal nearMexican Federal Highway 15, near the neighborhood of La Presita, Culiacán. He was blindfolded, and his wrists bore rope marks. He had been shot twice in the back of the head.[25] Sánchez was buried in the Panteón de Los Vasitos in Sinaloa, Mexico.[26][6]
Sánchez was not a trained singer;[10] he referred to his style as "barking"[10] and knew he was often out of tune.[7] However, he was praised for the sincerity and specificity in his lyrics.[13][10] Sánchez's songs were oftentrue crime stories.[10] He was referred to as "partBilly the Kid, partBill Monroe."[27] His fans saw him not just as an entertainer, but "the real thing."[7] Sánchez sang his songs in the Sinaoloancadence and slang, something no major singer had previously done.[28]
After his death, Sánchez's popularity soared; his widow knew of 150 corridos dedicated to her husband. His vocal tracks were used to create new songs and several imitator acts followed.[7] Sánchez's music continues to be played on manySpanish language radio stations and is popular with young Hispanic listeners. He has also received praise from artists outside his target audience, such as rapperSnoop Dogg.[13][29][10]
In 2019, a short film titledChalino, directed by Michael T. Flores, premiered at theLos Angeles Latino International Film Festival (LALIFF).[30] An eight-partpodcast about Sánchez's life and the circumstances of his murder,Ídolo: The Ballad of Chalino Sánchez, was released in February 2022.[31][32] In 2023, a TV documentary series titledNunca Tuvo Miedo premiered on Vix.[33] Abiopic of Sánchez's life, starringDavid Castañeda, is currently in production.[34]
Sánchez's son,Adán Sánchez, was also a successful regional Mexican American singer. In 2004, at age 19, while riding in his father's 1990Ford LTD Crown Victoria, he died in a roll-over car crash after the tire blew.[35][36]
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During Chalino's lifetime, he only sold cassettes, he never released CDs or vinyl.[37]
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