Paul (Gizz) Martinez
United States, Texas, Bonham
About Paul (Gizz) Martinez
2015 Texas Tejano ROOTS (Remembering Our Own Tejano Stars) 'Hall of Fame and Museum' inductee in the Million Dollar Band member category. The youngest of (6), and raised in Central Dallas, Texas - Little Mexico Village 'Projects' on Harry Hines Blvd. - Started playing guitar at 12 years old, then drums at 14 (8th & 9th grade, Spence Jr. High marching band), saxophone in 10th grade, at 16 along with Bass guitar. - At 12, I was under house arrest (grounded for life it seemed) for being a bad boy, so I picked up the guitar and learned by ear and sight. My older sisters' had all of Sunny Ozuna songs playing all the time, and I was subject to their torment, and that is where I started to learn La Onda, from Sunny Ozuna. Songs like "Las Morenitas" and "Amorcito Chiquitito" with that 'bad ass' horn section, which you can hear on YouTube. He inspired me during my learning years, along with the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, Chuck Berrys' "Johnny B. Goode", Freddy Kings' "Hide Away" & James Brown with "Cold Sweat" and "I Feel Good". By 16, I was in recording studios with 'Fatz & the Allstars', then merged with Omar Lopez "Big Man & the Night Creepers" who earlier played guitar with Sam The Sham & the Pharaohs of "Wooly Bully" fame. I was playing Onda Chicana music on tenor saxophone, and then Bass guitar at 17 with the Centennials (11th grade) after my brother got drafted - until my life was saved by 'ROCK & ROLL'. Traveled and recorded with 'many' groups & bands, met loads of people & loose women - from ALL over.... that I can say: "I've Been There, and Done just about everything it means, and 'Then' - some".
First combo, 'The Sun Daps', was in the 8th grade with Moses Olivo and Arthur Moreno. We learned 5 songs and played them over and over at someones birthday party, and made 5 bucks a piece. Today I can feel how embarassing it must've been, but I was too nervous at the time to know it. Kinda like your first kiss, it's something you'll never forget -
9th grade we won the talent show in Jr. High, and played the Mobile Stage at Fair Park, sharing the stage with Jesse Lopez, brother of Trini Lopez ("If I Had a Hammer", and "Jimenez" in the movie "The Dirty Dozen" with Lee Marvin, all from the same neighborhood - Pike Park. We had to play a half time at the Cotton Bowl where our school (Spence link), was playing a football game. Then had to make a run to the stage. We were late, but got to play and make fools of ourselves, but hey....we were on that stage and it was all worth the _____ that happen'd that day. We were the only fools with Go Go Dancers up there with us, by the way. That's a whole other different story. Monitors were not used in those days, and our equipment really sucked in the open, but our school friends were there and it wasn't so bad. Still a very scary time paying "my dues to play the Blues".
Started out on Bass guitar, then switched to 3rd Tenor saxophone for about a year, touring with Lonnie Aguilar and the Latin Souls, and Carlos Landin y Los Rondels, also with Ruben Ramos along with the Mexican Revolution Bands all together on a 3 month tour thru Indiana, up to Aurora at the 'Foxx Gardens' in Chicago...the summer after high school graduation, then went into Business College.
BAND BIO: 1st band was in High school in 10th grade - with trumpet player Edward Fuentes ('Fatz' - from Austin) --- 'Fatz' and the Allstars - I played 3rd tenor and alto sax with 'Fatz' along with Mando Benavides on 2nd tenor. when we recorded "Wild Onions" at the age of 16 and Mando was 17. Then merged with Omar Lopez band 'Big Man and the Knight People in 1968. Sam the
Sham was in Big Man's group way before the 'Pharohs' and
"Wooly Bully" and "Littl' Red Ridin' Hood".
I was just an 11 year old kid just beginning to learn to play guitar,
dreaming to be up on stage like them. It took 5 years of hard
practice time to do it. On Saturday nights I would sit outside the Red Jacket Club on the corner of Maple and Wolf streets, selling Sunday newspapers to people coming out. But the reason I was there was to listen to the Rev. Filmore James and His Swinging Flames play till 2 in the morning, through the walls, I could hear the music, and I would practice what I heard when I got home. One night he came out and showed me some moves on guitar. I was outside picking along with what they were playing, and he came out and showed me some chords. One day I was walking home and he was passing by, he gave me a ride home in his pink caddy all the way into the projects. He had a beautiful blonde chic with him. All the neighbors saw me come out of the car and I was the talk of projects ever since. I was destined to be a player. Lost alot of friends practicing all day, but
guess who was at the back stage door when I made the band?
Yeah, all my rowdy friends who made fun of me, that I'd never make it, kissing my ass for a free pass. The girls got in. That was the whole reason I wanted to be a musician. The GIRLS!!! Thank You Rev. Filmore ~ wherever you are. One night in 1976, I saw him at one of MY shows. He came to see our show when I was in a show case band called 'The Funk Family'. He didn't remember me, but I told him who I was, and he just lit up. Never will forget that night. We came full circle ~ Now I had the chic, but no caddy till 1981.
2nd band When my brother got drafted I took 'his' place on bass with Sal de Leon and the Centennials in Dallas, Texas - Recorded "Siempre Junto a Ti" and "Segue Llorando" with Mike Martinez, and "In a Moment" and "Never Gonna Give You Up" with Joe Luna in 1969.
3rd band Lonnie Aguilar and the Latin Souls - Ft. Worth - Recorded "Mamas Pollo" and "Me Despido de Ti", "I Got a Line on You", and "Yesterday" in 1970.
4th band Stone Free - 1972 Rock & Roll
5th band Sweet Sound Trio with Isreal Cavasos and Jesse Rocha - '72 - '74 ~ House band at D's Lounge and - Big Lou's Club
6th band Joie Jay and the Funk Family Show/Case Band toured all states including Alaska and Canada ~ Opened shows for bands like Tower of Power, The Pointer Sisters, and The Kingston Trio to name a few ~ Followed acts like Carol Lawrence at the Pink Garter Club with Moses Olivo on drums, and Mike Hensley on guitar...Jerry Burgess Quartet - in Jackson Hole, Wyo., and Pat Boone in Florida a couple times with Joie.
7th band Click band in Hollywood , Florida ~ show/case backup band for- Cathy Chaney (daughter in-law) to Lon Chaney,Jr.(The Wolfman) who was also a Golddigger Girl on The Dean Martin Show.
8th band "Icarus" Rock & Roll - Featured on PM magazine on ch. 8 in Dallas with local bands like Buggs Henderson at KZEW 102.1 at the Convention Center.
9th band Wedding Band, ~ Finally really fell in love/lust (balls to the wall) - after 11 years - with a 5ft 2 Irish/French/Cherokee - green eyed red head, ten years older than me. Didn't last long ~ rag'd out and 'mental-pause' hit the fan - and I hit the 'road' -
10th band Latin Percussion 20 piece free form with The Latin from Manhattan and KNON radio in Dallas. Featured players like Gilbert and George Cortez on congas.
11th band "Blue Jones" ~ Blues Band
12th band Ricky Smith Y La Movida band '86-'87
visit: link
link
http://www.NumberOneMusic.com/paulgizzmartinez
link
13th band 1988 high school reunion with The Tunemakers. Came back from Detroit and put it together in 10 months at my house with a bunch of rag/tag buddies from 1967 & '68.
14th band Last but not least "Control" Environmental band with songs like "XLR rated Particles", and "Brenda" ~ original music featured on my DVD for Bass Players.
For more info on it, contact me at RockandGizz@link
Have jam'd with countless bands for short while's but bands listed were for more than 1 year stays and I can't remember or list all of them.
Favorite Videos, Songs & Albums:
Fav. Videos - "I want my MTV" - "Hot for Teacher"
Fav. Songs - "Bad Boy" - The Beatles
"Hot Legs" Rod Stewart
"Just What I Needed" The Cars
Fav. Albums - "East Bay Grease" - Tower of Power
"Laugh Your Ass Off" - Redd Foxx
Finally ~
I created my own destiny and lived all my fantasy dreams thru all my tours at least 6 times, or 6 life times of a year or more on the road.
My only regret is that I did not save any of the money I made cause I was living like there was no tomorrow, I called it the "James Dean, Rebel without a Cause" - syndrome. Don't know how I've lived this long, but I think someone up there loves me. Thank You Jesus, My Lord, for everything that I have - now that I pulled my head out my ass in 1990 and got a 'Real Job'. Quit drinking and smoking and used that money to buy a place near Lake Bonham on 2.7 acres, with a white picket fence in front. Go fishing when I can, ~ Would like to meet a 'smooth and creamy peanut butter woman' this time around...who has 'her own shit' and leave when she wants too ~ without my shit! ... ~ It's the Rock & Roll mentallity I have developed - Blame it on the Beatles...it all started back in 1964.
FAVORITE QUOTES
You and ONLY - YOU.... can Create your own Destiny and Live It!
Ignorant, prejudice people...love to be deceived; why present them with the truth? - Richard Boone (Palladin)
Up Yours.....La Tuya ~
The End ~
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