WTTW.COM/NEWS.

BRANDIS FRIEDMAN.

>>> IN THE STATE OF HONDURAS, HE CONTRIBUTED ONE OF THE BIGGEST HITS IN LATIN MUSIC.

IN HIS ADOPTED HOMETOWN OF CHICAGO, HE GETS A MODEST PROFILE WORKING AS A CUSTODIAN CHURCHES AND PLAYING OCCASIONAL GIGS TO SUPPORT HIS FAMILY.

A GROUP OF CHICAGO MUSICIANS HAS HELPED TURN THE SPOTLIGHT ONCE AGAIN ON SINGER-SONGWRITER CARLOS BARACONA.

WE MET AND RADIO FREE CONGRESS IN LITTLE VILLAGE.

>> I MET CHARLIE ON THE MUSIC SCENE IN CHICAGO.

WHEN I FIRST MOVED HERE IN THE EARLY 2000'S.

I JUST ADMIRED HIM AS A GUITAR PLAYER.

HE WAS AMAZING.

EVENTUALLY, I BECAME PART OF A BAND HE WAS PLAYING IN.

I GOT TO PLAY WITH THEM, GOT TO KNOW HIM.

YEARS LATER, I FOUND OUT HE WAS A SINGER, SONGWRITER HIMSELF.

THAT IS WHEN WE STARTED THIS BAND, WHEN I REALIZED HE HAD THIS WHOLE CAREER THAT I HAD NO IDEA ABOUT.

>> THE BAND THEY STARTED IS RADIO FREE HONDURAS.

CHARLIE BARAN HAD A LONG CAREER AS A MUSICIAN, A SINGER-SONGWRITER, AND A BANDLEADER IN HIS NATIVE HONDURAS.

HE SPOKE WITH THE SOUTHPAW GUITARIST THROUGH A TRANSLATOR, HIS SAXOPHONE PLAYER.

>> Translator: DAN APPROACHED CHARLIE AND ASKED HIM WE LIKE YOU ARE IS IT, WOULD YOU BE DOWN TO PUT A BAND TOGETHER AND RECORD SOME OF YOUR MUSIC.

IS IT THAT'S HOW IT STARTED.

HE NEVER WOULD HAVE DONE ANYTHING IF IT HADN'T BEEN FOR DAN, TO APPROACH HIM LIKE THAT.

>> Reporter: 1991, CHARLIE CONTRIBUTED VOCALS AND GUITAR TO A SONG THAT TOPPED THE LATIN BILLBOARD CHARTS.

HE LEFT HONDURAS, HE SAYS, AFTER BEING HARASSED BY LOCAL GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS.

A SECURITIES ROUTE BROUGHT HIM TO CHICAGO BY WAY OF MIAMI.

HE WORKS AT TWO CATHOLIC CHURCHES PLEASE THE OCCASIONAL SHOW WITH RADIO FREE HONDURAS.

WE ASKED OF THE 72-YEAR-OLD ABOUT RECENT HEALTH SETBACKS.

HE TOLD US HIS HEALTH ISN'T SO GOOD BUT, WITH THE HELP OF GOD, HE WILL GO ON.

>> I LOVED HIS MUSIC AND THE STYLE.

THAT WAS THE FIRST THING.

THEN, QUICKLY I REALIZED HE NEEDED HELP BASICALLY BEING A MARGINALIZED PART OF OUR SOCIETY RIGHT NOW AND HE IS.

THERE WAS NO WAY HE WAS GOING TO BE ABLE TO NAVIGATE THE MUSIC BUSINESS ON HIS OWN.

IT IS HARD ENOUGH FOR SOMEONE WITH EVERY OPPORTUNITY AND EVERY ADVANTAGE TO MAKE IT IN THE MUSIC BUSINESS.

SO, I KNEW I COULD HELP HIM AND I DECIDED THAT I WANTED TO HELP.

CHARLIE WRITES ALL THE MUSIC.

HE USUALLY BRINGS TO ME A PRETTY MUCH FINISHED SONG AND I JUST HELP WITH INSTRUMENTATION AND PUTTING IT TOGETHER AND PRODUCING RECORDINGS, THAT KIND OF THING.

>> Translator: HE SAID HE FEELS VERY PRIVILEGED AND VERY GRATEFUL TO BE PLAYING WITH MUSICIANS HAVE DIFFERENT CALIBERS THAT HAVE BEEN PART OF THE BAND TIME.

THEY HAVE ACCEPTED WHAT HE PLAYS AND APPRECIATED WHAT HE PLAYS.

HE IS ALWAYS LEARNING AND APPRECIATING FROM THOSE WHO ARE AROUND HIM.

>> HE IS HAPPY TO BE OUT HERE MAKING MUSIC, MEETING NEW MUSICIANS AND RECORDING NEW STUFF.

WE ARE ALL HAPPY ABOUT THAT.

>> Reporter: FOR CHICAGO TONIGHT, MY CARTEL.