The Santa Cruz River Band is a beloved musical group from Tucson, Arizona. In 2004, the group’s founder Teodoro “Ted” Ramirez teamed up with Michael J. Ronstadt to form the duo “Ronstadt Ramirez” - they immediately began touring internationally. The duo’s success afforded them the opportunity to expand and included recognized and celebrated Southwestern backing-musicians of the Santa Cruz River Band. The Santa Cruz River Band performs songs in many languages including: English, Spanish, Welsh and American Indian languages. Ted and Michael tour year round in the United States, Canada, Mexico and Europe, both as the “Santa Cruz River Band” and the “Santa Cruz River Duo”.
This album is truly an intriguing and captivating collection of original, contemporary and classic story-songs recorded in English, Spanish and Welsh. The album authentically represents a very beautiful heritage and vision found in the people and places of the American Southwest. The musical influences at work in this recording come from the band’s unique musical influences – they range from Mexico’s King of Falsetto, Miguel Aceves Mejia, to amazingly prolific Bob Dylan. This album is a strong, authentic and heartfelt collection.
– including a popular Mexican Huapango. The Huapango is Mexican song style possessing a powerful rhythm pattern, one created by the indigenous musicians of Mexico and adapted to European styled instruments by Spanish musicians. This wonderful serenade song is entitled “Serenata Huasteca” and written by the legendary Mexican composer, Jose Alfredo Jimenez.
The collection includes many honored contemporary folk songs like “Friend For Life” by auto harp master Bryan Bowers and “Who Will Watch The Home Place” by Appalachian rooted songwriter Kate Long. The band presents each song with a new and very tasteful arrangement. Signal Fire takes you to the Country Blues yodeling sounds of the American depression era with the Jimmie Rogers classic “California Blues” and to the magical Sierra Madres of old Mexico with a beautiful rendition of “Cielito Lindo”.
Every song on this album offers something very exciting and new.
Teodoro “Ted” Ramirez – vocalist, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist is the founder of the Santa Cruz River Band. He was born in Tucson, Arizona, and is an 8th generation Arizonan, his family arriving in the Southwest in 1752. He is a noted Southwestern culture preservationist, and was named Tucson’s Official Troubadour in 2001. His love for the Southwest is clearly reflected in his powerful songwriting. Ted’s songs are an authentic look at Southwestern life. His original song "Born Unaware" speaks mystically and poetically of the spirit of the American Southwest.
Michael J. Ronstadt – vocalist, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, grew up in Tucson, Arizona learning traditional songs from his father, and singing with his elder sister Linda Ronstadt- he has performed on many of her award winning albums. His family came to the Southwest from Germany in the middle 1800’s. His original song "Wagon Mound" is about the old Santa Fe Trail stop in northern New Mexico - this haunting traveling song explores the effects felt by the territorial period pioneers traveling west on the Santa Fe Trail in the 1800’s.
This unique album includes the traditional Welsh folk song “Ar Lan Y Mor” Ted and Michael learned this song while touring in the U.K. They were honored to perform this song, in Welsh, for the Welsh BBC in the summer of 2006. Ted and Michael feel a strong connection to the people and culture of North Wales. This song honors and celebrates their strong friendship with the beautiful people of Wales.
Another special song is Bob Dylan’s “Lonesome When You Go”. This is a special song for SCRB – Ted once performed this song for a group of children living with Progeria, and the experience will be with him forever.
The album ends with a comedic song entitled “There’s No Tortillas” written by the legendary Lalo Guerrero. Lalo is recognized as the "Father of Chicano Music”.
Signal Fire is a folk music album that is truly hard to beat. This album belongs in every serious folk music fan’s permanent collection.