Los Lonely Boys Cottonfields and Crossroads

After a childhood of playing cantinas and honky tonks from Texas to Tennessee, Los Lonely Boys have rocked their way to the top of the American music industry, determined to fulfill their father's long held dream. Los Lonely Boys Cottonfields and Crossroads tells the story of three Mexican American brothers from San Angelo, Texas who are creating a unique sound that melds the core of the early San Angelo music scene of the 1950s and 60s with a signature style they call "Texican". It is a sensitive and emotional film that depicts a classic rock story told from a Mexican-American perspective, revealing how family, culture and identity shape dreams.

Filmmaker Hector Galán, himself a San Angelo Texas native, fuses exciting live performances, vivid imagery of West Texas, and intimate personal stories in this feature documentary. Galán started working on the film in 2003 and was able to capture a magical moment in time when the stars finally aligned in the boys' favor after so many years of struggle. Los Lonely Boys Cottonfields and Crossroads is a heartfelt and moving account that brings to life Los Lonely Boys' incredible personal musical journey.

"When I first saw Los Lonely Boys perform an amazing rendition of their song 'Cottonfields and Crossroads,' I felt an immediate connection and I knew I had to tell their story," says Hector Galán. "To me, Los Lonely Boys have a unique West Texas sound that is reminiscent of music I listened to growing up in San Angelo. It was a sound created by a people with a dual identity, that of Mexican and American. Through their musical performances I was able to tell a story with deep West Texas Mexican roots that in many ways reflects the Mexican American experience in America. The music of the three Garza brothers provoked in me a profound sense of identity. I understood where the influences of their music came from. It's a music born of the working class."

The film weaves a historical and cultural perspective on brothers Henry, Jojo and Ringo Garza, highlighting their Mexican American roots and musical influences. The Garza brothers come from a long line of working musicians—music has always been a way of life for them. Like work in the cottonfields, music also brought the family a means of survival. The film traces the early days as the young family band cuts its teeth learning from their father as he takes them to play in country bars and Mexican cantinas in and around San Angelo, Texas. We travel with them to Nashville where they endure turmoil and heartbreak. These life experiences captured so eloquently by Galán's camera reveal a compelling portrait of three brothers who against all odds break out of poverty and find the American rock 'n roll dream.