Daniel Valdez

Daniel Valdez
Born (1949-04-27) April 27, 1949
California

Daniel "Danny" Valdez[1] (born April 27, 1949)[2] is an American actor, musician, composer and activist. He is best known for his work as musical director of the films Zoot Suit (1981) and La Bamba (1987).[3]

Early life

Valdez was born to Francisco and Armida Valdez.[4] His brother is Luis Valdez.[5][6][7] In 1966, Valdez joined Cesar Chavez's United Farm Workers union.[8]

Career

Valdez and his brother co-founded the theater group, Teatro Campesino.[8][9][10][11] In 1973, Valdez's first solo album, Mestizo, became the first Chicano album to be produced by a major label, A&M Records.[8][10][12][13]

During the late 1970s, Valdez appeared in such films as Which Way Is Up? (1977), with Richard Pryor, and The China Syndrome, with Jane Fonda, Jack Lemmon and Michael Douglas.[8][9][12] He garnered recognition for playing Henry Reyna on Broadway in his brother's 1979 play, Zoot Suit.[14][15] In 1981, Valdez reprised his role in the film adaptation of the same name, for which he also co-wrote the original music.[8][9][16] He also composed music for the play as well.[13]

In 1987, Valdez served as an associate producer of La Bamba, the biopic based on the life of Ritchie Valens.[17][18] The project, which became a hit, was a "life-long dream" of Valdez's that came true.[8] That same year, he appeared and wrote songs in Born in East L.A. (1987), starring Cheech Marin.[8][9][12] He performed some of the featured songs in that film.[4] Daniel Valdez sang and played guitar on Linda Ronstadts multi platinum album Canciones De Mi Padre. The album won the Grammy for Best Mexican-American Album in 1988.

In 1996, Valdez composed the original score to the IMAX documentary, Mexico.[4][8][12] In 1997, Valdez served as a musical consultant and a historical expert for the San Diego Repertory Theatre and Southwestern College's revival of Zoot Suit.[4][8][12] While he was at Southwestern, Valdez wrote his first original musical, Ollin.[4][8]

In 2000, he appeared in the musical, Selena Forever.[8][9] That same year, he reprised his role as musical director at the Goodman Theater in Chicago for their production of Zoot Suit.[12] The next year, he participated in another production of the play with his brother, Luis.[19]

In 2010, Valdez acted in the TheatreWorks production of José Cruz González's play, Sunsets and Margaritas at the Lucie Stern Theatre.[20]

Select filmography

References

  1. ↑ "Daniel Valdez". People.theiapolis.
  2. ↑ "Daniel Valdez". Hollywood.com.
  3. ↑ "MECA presents Daniel Valdez". Retrieved 23 October 2015.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 Candelaria, Cordelia (2004). Encyclopedia of Latino Popular Culture, Volume 1. Greenwood Publishing Group. ISBN 9780313332104.
  5. ↑ "Various Artists'iay Califas! Raza Rock of the 70s and 80s". Vibe. March 1998. Retrieved 23 October 2015.
  6. ↑ Pratt, Douglas (2005). Doug Pratt's DVD: Movies, Television, Music, Art, Adult, and More!. UNET 2 Corporation. ISBN 9781932916010.
  7. ↑ Wilson, John M. (4 January 1987). "A Screen Ghetto: Hispanic Americans Are Beginning To Climb Out". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 23 October 2015.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 "Actor-singer Daniel Valdez of La Bamba and Zoot Suit fame to present musical lecture". Arizona State University. 3 October 2002. Retrieved 23 October 2015.
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 "Actor, musician Valdez to perform at PCC". The Pueblo Chieftain. 17 November 2005. Retrieved 23 October 2015.
  10. 1 2 "Daniel Valdez – Mestizo". University of Iowa. February 2014. Retrieved 23 October 2015.
  11. ↑ Rodriguez, Richard T. (2010). Next of Kin: The Family in Chicano/a Cultural Politics. Duke University Press. ISBN 9780822391135.
  12. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Daniel Valdez". Claremont McKenna College. 2 April 2008. Retrieved 23 October 2015.
  13. 1 2 Brown, Alex (9 October 2013). "SU TEATRO'S MESTIZO RESURRECTS THE SOUNDTRACK OF THE CHICANO MOVEMENT". Westword. Retrieved 23 October 2015.
  14. ↑ Morris, Chris (2015). "Los Lobos: Dream in Blue". University of Texas Press. ISBN 9780292748231.
  15. ↑ Tatum, Charles M. (2011). Lowriders in Chicano Culture: From Low to Slow to Show: From Low to Slow to Show. ABC-CLIO. ISBN 9780313381508.
  16. ↑ Monaco, James (1991). The Encyclopedia of Film. Perigee Books. ISBN 9780399516047.
  17. ↑ Coto, Juan Carlos (19 July 1987). "La Bamba The Late Hispanic Musician Ritchie Valens Was An Early Force In Rock Whose Influence, A New Film Shows, Went Far Beyond His Music.". Sun-Sentinel. Retrieved 23 October 2015.
  18. ↑ Ryan, Desmond (24 July 1987). "Brothers On Brothers Ritchie Valens' Family Life Is The Focus Of The Film "La Bamba"". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved 23 October 2015.
  19. ↑ "Zoot Suit". Los Angeles. July 2001. Retrieved 23 October 2015.
  20. ↑ Hetrick, Adam (10 March 2010). "Carrasco and Valdez Enjoy Sunsets and Margaritas at Theatreworks, Starting March 10". Playbill. Retrieved 23 October 2015.
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