By: Fredwill Hernandez
“The song speaks of someone who is Mexican American, it begins like that. We got the song from Jesus Castro, who wrote it, and has placed songs [he has penned] with Los Plebes del Rancho [de Ariel Camacho], and also Kevin Ortiz. We’re always looking for something new, catchy, and fresh, something we felt the song has,” eloquently explained Juan Garcia, [lead] vocalist who plays the bajo sexto [sixth bass] for Grupo Fernandez, in reference to their latest single title “[The] Woodpecker,” [Spanish for “El Párajo Carpintero”].
The group which hails from Culiacan, Sinaloa [Mexico], are amongst a few groups / artists’ that include Luis Coronel, Regulo Caro, and most recently Gerardo Ortiz which have decided to take matters [their music business affairs] into their own hands and have [amicably as was the case with Caro] “parted ways” from the Bell Gardens, Ca., based Del Records, which has a booking, publishing and management arm, and who [predominately] signs groups / artists’ to [and through recording contracts that are] “exclusive 360 deals.”
“We feel we’re capable of achieving great things, and also as a form of experimenting and innovating, to see [and learn] what it takes to be in charge of our own [business] affairs aside from catering through social media to our [growing] fan base, our promotion and our live shows,” was how Garcia, who spoke on behalf of the group explained “why” the group chose their independence. “The music business is hard and things don’t happen overnight, you have to have patience, you have to love the music and also have that dedication, persistence, and drive because there is a lot of competition, and it entails a lot of sacrifices and hard work.”
As to when the group was formed and how it got its name Garcia added, “The group was formed about eight or nine years ago [in Culiacan, Sinaloa] out of a restlessness desire to just play and create music. It really started as a hobby in school and we [collectively] started to take things more serious and formal. One day we played an event but we hadn’t decided what our group name would be, and one of our former group members took it upon himself to call us Grupo Fernandez, based on Fernando León [who plays the accordion] and is a founding member [still in the group] who put us all together.”
