Los Cenzontles and David Hildalgo Release 'He'll Have to Go' Today

California-based Mexican roots band Los Cenzontles is set to release a recording of the classic "He'll Have to Go", their most recent collaboration with singer-songwriter, and Los Lobos front-man, David Hidalgo. The recording will be released this Friday, November 10 th on iTunes and other digital platforms. The release of "He'll Have to Go" follows Los Cenzontles' celebrated 2016 "Covers" album which includes "Both Sides Now", honored by NPR as one of the best songs of 2016.

Listen to "He'll Have to Go" here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5k_PYqZ-Atw

"He'll Have to Go" was a #1 country hit for Jim Reeves, and artists as diverse as Elvis Presley, Nat King Cole, and Ry Cooder have covered this ageless ballad. In this distinctive rendition, Hidalgo and Los Cenzontles convey the song's wistful yearning while drawing on their shared musical sensibilities to evoke a lonely night in a smoky cantina.

As Los Cenzontles director Eugene Rodriguez explains, "David Hidalgo's voice carries the soul of both traditional Mexican and Americana music. It's no wonder that he sings this new version of the country classic "He'll Have To Go", adorned with Mexican brass banda, with warmth and poignancy."

Rodriguez grew up third generation Mexican American in Southern California in the 1960's and 70's. At family parties, he and his brother played rock songs while his uncles and aunts played mariachi music. Rodriguez says, "Los Cenzontles has always been about bridging cultural gaps. This project is another leg of that journey."

David Hidalgo, best known for his work with Los Lobos, has been a very active musical collaborator, working on multiple projects with Bob Dylan and John Lee Hooker, as well as Tom Waits, T-Bone Burnett, Eric Clapton, and many others. T-Bone Burnett has said, "David Hidalgo is one of the greatest musicians I have ever worked with. Everything he touches turns soulful." Linda Ronstadt adds, "David Hidalgo is a complete original, yet remains deeply rooted in tradition. An enormously gifted guitarist, singer, and composer, his song 'La Pistola y el Corazon' is the purest flower ofMexican-American culture.He has long been one of my musical heroes."

Los Cenzontles(pronounced los senn-sont-less) has made a name for themselves among music aficionados across the US and in Europe creating roots music, cross-cultural projects, collaborating on recordand live with Linda Ronstadt, Jackson Browne, Ry Cooder, Los Lobos, TajMahal,andThe Chieftains, among others. Their media productions have beenbroadcast nationally on PBS. Their YouTube Channel hosts hundreds of video shorts.

ABOUT LOS CENZONTLES For the past years Los Cenzontles has explored Mexican American identity, culture and traditions through their 23 albums, videos and educational projects. Their community Cultural Arts Academy has trained countless young people from their working class neighborhood of San Pablo and Richmond, CA including the musicians that make up Los Cenzontles performing group.

"Los Cenzontles is a factory of culture."NPR, Morning Edition

"[Los Cenzontles] both honors and upends traditional Mexican music, tapping deep roots as it flowers into something completely new, and distinctly American."New York Times

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SOURCE Los Cenzontles Cultural Arts Academy

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