Search - Relampagos del Norte :: Callejon Sin Salida

Los Relampagos del Norte were the preeminent norteño outfit in the early '60s, only a few years before the younger Los Tigres del Norte would begin their phenomenal rise. But from the start in 1962, Los Relampagos--accordionist-singer Ramon Ayala and songwriter-bajo sexto player Cornelio Reyna--set the standard for subsequent groups. They employed the trad bajo sexto-accordion tandem but injected ringing vocal harmonies. This CD has many of their hits, from the plaintive "Que Mala Suerte" and the optimistic "Mis Viente Novias" to one of the classics of the norteño canon, "Callejon sin Salida." The magic lasted from 1962 to 1969, when the duo split. Reyna left to pursue a film career and became a prolific songwriter in the world of norteño. He died in 1997. Ayala launched a solo career with his band Los Bravos del Norte and became such a legendary performer that today he's the most widely recognized proponent of the norteño genre and one its biggest sellers. --Ramiro Burr