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“Chicano Rock!  The Sounds of East Los Angeles,” a new PBS documentary, to premiere at a gala benefit screening at the historic Million Dollar Theater

Narrated by Edward James Olmos, this landmark film chronicles more than 40 years of America’s largest Mexican-American community as generations of artists and audiences defined themselves with music.

·     Los Angeles, CA, August 29, 2008  Emmy Award-winning documentary producer and Los Angeles historian Jon Wilkman will preview his latest one-hour PBS documentary “Chicano Rock! The Sounds of East Los Angeles” at a benefit screening at the historic Million Dollar Theater on Broadway in downtown Los Angeles at 7PM on October 9. Along with the screening, musical performers will recapture “The Eastside Sound” and special guests will honor and celebration forty years of musical and cultural history.

 

·     The result of more than seven years of research and production, “Chicano Rock!” is narrated by Edward James Olmos and features the stories and the music of generations of East L.A. Angelenos.  Appearing in the documentary are “The Father of Chicano Music,” Lalo Guerrero, legendary early rocker Ritchie Valens, pioneering local bands such as “The Premiers,” whose national hit “Farmer John” helped launch what is known as The Eastside Sound,  Also included is the amazing story of Cannibal and the Headhunters, kids from local housing  projects whose best-selling recording of “Land of a Thousand Dances”  led to a tour with the Beatles in 1965, and Thee Midniters, whose song “Whittier Blvd.” captured  the spirit of Chicano car culture and an East L.A. cultural renaissance.

 

·     “Chicano Rock!” is musical history, but it is also the story of the ever-changing social, political and cultural environment of East Los Angeles as generations defined themselves with music.  Bands such as El Chicano and Tierra produced national hits and reflected a new militancy during the 60s and 70s.  It all came together in the 80s and 90s with perhaps the greatest East L.A. band, Los Lobos .  Today, bands such as Quetzal and Ozomatli carry a great heritage into America’s multicultural future. 

 

·     Among others appearing in the documentary are DJs Art Laboe and Casey Kasem, legendary producers Bob Keane and Billy Cardenas, producer/musician Max Uballez and historians Steve Loza, Tom Waldman, David Reyes and Ruben Molina.

 

·     The Producer/Writer/Director and Editor of “Chicano Rock! The Sounds of East Los Angeles,” Jon Wilkman began his documentary career more than 40 years ago at CBS News in New York, where he worked with Walter Cronkite.  A past president of the International Documentary Association, his work has been seen on every major television network and he has been honored with national and international awards.  With his wife Nancy, he is the author of the illustrated history “Picturing Los Angeles.”

 

·     “Chicano Rock! The Sounds of East Los Angeles” was produced with the support of Latino Public Television, The California Council for the Humanities and the Skirball Foundation.  Proceeds from the premiere screening will used to complete production and create an educational outreach program.