The Blue Satins

From 1963 to 1967 there was a band that everyone considered the best band of the time in East Los Angeles.
The Eastside's original big boys on the block. At a time when the group called the Gentiles had just become
Thee Midniters and the Romancers were still trying to find their sound. It was the Blue Satins who helped
develop the "unigue" East LA Rock and Roll Sound that has survived all these years. The Blue Satins with
their smooth harmonizing vocals backed up by the full sounds of the brass section, made up of a Trumpet and
2 Saxes, and completed by the "intoxicating" sound of an electric organ/piano were the band of the time. It was
the Blue Satins that set the bar. Every up coming band in East Los Angeles had their sites set on the Blue
Satins. As Benny Lopez, original bass player of Thee Midniters put it "the Blue Satins were the tightest
band around".
Then Uncle Sam called upon half the boys to go and fight for their country in Vietnam.... and on the brink
of a recording contract, The Blue Satins were no more.... the music stopped....and dreams were shattered.
By the grace of God, they all survived Vietnam and now after 35 years of raising families, careers in
law enforcement, one priest and missing out on all the years of performing as a band, they have once again
come together to show their friends and families.... they can still play with the best of them.

After a long search to bring The Blue Satins back together, on October 12th 2002, they performed for the
first time for the Salesian Class of '67 at the Sheraton Suites located at the Fairplex in Pomona, along with
groups such as Chico, Tierra and the Nu Tones. The Blue Satins once again held their own and "stopped the
show." Cameras flashed, film rolled and no one was dancing, just listening to the familiar sound of long ago
"unigue" only to the Blue Satins. The smooth voices of Mike Gomez and Louie Lopez once again had the
audience running up to the stage and the ladies screaming just like in the 60's. Along with Johnny Betencourt
on Drums, Father Charles Lueras and Robert Perez on Sax, Bobby Loya on the Trumpet, Frank Mezquita
on Bass Guitar, Ray Suarez and Andy Tesso on Lead Guitar. The two newest members to the band but not to
music are Ernie Salas on Sax and Arnie Barrera on Trumpet. Once again they had the audience running up
to the stage and the ladies screaming just like in the 60's.