The Champs are an American

rock and roll Rock and roll (often written as rock & roll, rock-n-roll, and rock 'n' roll) is a Genre (music), genre of popular music that evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s. It Origins of rock and roll, originated from African ...

band, most famous for their Latin-tinged 1958

instrumental An instrumental or instrumental song is music without any vocals, although it might include some inarticulate vocals, such as shouted backup vocals in a big band setting. Through Semantic change, semantic widening, a broader sense of the word s ...

single "

Tequila Tequila (; ) is a liquor, distilled beverage made from the blue agave plant, primarily in the area surrounding the city of Tequila, Jalisco, Tequila northwest of Guadalajara, Jalisco, Guadalajara, and in the Jaliscan Highlands (''Los Altos (Jal ...

". The group took their name from that of

Gene Autry Orvon Grover "Gene" Autry (September 29, 1907 – October 2, 1998), nicknamed the Singing Cowboy, was an American actor, musician, singer, composer, rodeo performer, and baseball team owner, who largely gained fame by singing in a Crooner ...

's horse, Champion, and was formed by

studio A studio is a space set aside for creative work of any kind, including art, dance, music and theater. The word ''studio'' is derived from the , from , from ''studere'', meaning to study or zeal. Types Art The studio of any artist, esp ...

executives at Autry's Challenge Records to record a

B-side The A-side and B-side are the two sides of phonograph record, vinyl records and Compact cassette, cassettes, and the terms have often been printed on the labels of two-sided music recordings. The A-side of a Single (music), single usually ...

for the Dave Burgess

single Single may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * Single (music), a song release Songs * "Single" (Natasha Bedingfield song), 2004 * "Single" (New Kids on the Block and Ne-Yo song), 2008 * "Single" (William Wei song), 2016 * "Single", by ...

"Train to Nowhere". The intended throwaway track became more famous than its A-side, as "Tequila" went to No. 1 in just three weeks, and the band became the first group to go to the top spot with an instrumental that was their first release.
The song was recorded at

Gold Star Studios Gold Star Studios was an independent recording studio located in Hollywood, Los Angeles, Hollywood, California. In its entire history, Gold Star was one of the most successful commercial recording studios in the world. Founded by David S. Gold ...

in fall 1957, and in 1959 won the

Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance The Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance is an award presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards. According to the 54th Grammy Awards description guide it is designed for s ...

. It sold over one million copies, and was awarded a

gold disc Music recording certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped, sold, or streamed a certain number of units. The threshold quantity varies by type (such as album, single, music video) and by nation or territory (see ...

by the

RIAA The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/o ...

History

Success with their 1958 song "Tequila"

"Tequila" was written by the

saxophonist The saxophone (often referred to colloquially as the sax) is a type of Single-reed instrument, single-reed woodwind instrument with a conical body, usually made of brass. As with all single-reed instruments, sound is produced when a reed (mouthpi ...

Danny Flores Daniel Flores (July 11, 1929 – September 19, 2006), also known by his stage name Chuck Rio, was an American Rock and roll saxophonist. He is best remembered for his self-penned song "Tequila", which he recorded with The Champs, the band of wh ...

, although he was credited as Chuck Rio because he was under contract to another

record label "Big Three" music labels A record label or record company is a brand or trademark of Sound recording and reproduction, music recordings and music videos, or the company that owns it. Sometimes, a record label is also a Music publisher, ...

( RPM Records) at the time. Flores, who was of

Mexican Mexican may refer to: Mexico and its culture *Being related to, from, or connected to the country of Mexico, in North America ** People *** Mexicans, inhabitants of the country Mexico and their descendants *** Mexica, ancient indigenous people ...

heritage and died in September 2006, was known as the "Godfather of

Latino rock Latin Rock is a term to describe a subgenre blending traditional sounds and elements of Latin American and Hispanic Caribbean folk with rock music. However, it is widely used in the English-language media to refer any kind of rock music featurin ...

". Flores' "dirty sax" and his low-voiced "Tequila" are the hallmarks of the song.
/ref> Flores signed away the US rights to the song but retained worldwide rights until his death. There are many

cover version In popular music, a cover version, cover song, remake, revival, or simply cover is a new performance or recording by a musician other than the original performer or composer of the song. Originally, it referred to a version of a song release ...

s of the tune, including a jazz version by guitarist

Wes Montgomery John Leslie "Wes" Montgomery (March 6, 1923 – June 15, 1968) was an American jazz guitarist. Montgomery was known for his unusual technique of plucking the strings with the side of his thumb and for his extensive use of octaves, which gave him a ...

in 1966. It has also been recorded by rappers A.L.T. and XL Singleton. The Champs also had success with instrumentals such as "

Limbo Rock "Limbo Rock" is a popular song about limbo dancing written by Kal Mann (under the pseudonym Jan Sheldon) and Billy Strange. An instrumental version was first recorded by The Champs in 1961. The first vocal version was recorded in 1962 by Chubby ...

" and "El Rancho Rock". In 1985, "Tequila" featured prominently in the

film A film, also known as a movie or motion picture, is a work of visual art that simulates experiences and otherwise communicates ideas, stories, perceptions, emotions, or atmosphere through the use of moving images that are generally, sinc ...

Pee Wee's Big Adventure ''Pee-wee's Big Adventure'' is a 1985 American adventure comedy film directed by Tim Burton in his feature-film directing debut. The film stars Paul Reubens as Pee-wee Herman, along with Elizabeth Daily, Mark Holton, Diane Salinger and Judd Ome ...

''. The Champs also recorded a sequel to "Tequila" entitled "Too Much Tequila".

2020 band reunion

In 2020, group leader Burgess resurrected The Champs for a new album, ''Tequila Party'', scheduled for November release. The LP contains 12 newly recorded tracks including a "party" rendition of their signature hit plus seven new compositions.

Band members

Chuck Rio Daniel Flores (July 11, 1929 – September 19, 2006), also known by his stage name Chuck Rio, was an American Rock and roll saxophonist. He is best remembered for his self-penned song "Tequila", which he recorded with The Champs, the band of wh ...

– saxophone, vocals (born Daniel Flores on July 11, 1929,

Santa Paula Santa Paula (Spanish for " St. Paula") is a city in Ventura County, California, United States. Situated amid the orchards of the Santa Clara River Valley, the city advertises itself to tourists as the "Citrus Capital of the World". Santa Pau ...

California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...

, died September 19, 2006,

Huntington Beach Huntington Beach is a seaside city in Orange County, California, United States. The city was originally called Pacific City, but it was changed in 1903 to be named after American businessman Henry E. Huntington. The population was 198,711 as o ...

) * Dave Burgess – rhythm guitar (a.k.a. "Dave Dupree", born December 13, 1934,

Beverly Hills Beverly Hills is a city located in Los Angeles County, California, United States. A notable and historic suburb of Los Angeles, it is located just southwest of the Hollywood Hills, approximately northwest of downtown Los Angeles. Beverly Hil ...

) *Dale Norris – lead guitar (born Springfield,

Missouri Missouri (''see #Etymology and pronunciation, pronunciation'') is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking List of U.S. states and territories by area, 21st in land area, it border ...

) *Buddy Bruce – lead guitar (born 1930,

, died 2014,

Tulsa, Oklahoma Tulsa ( ) is the List of municipalities in Oklahoma, second-most-populous city in the U.S. state, state of Oklahoma, after Oklahoma City, and the List of United States cities by population, 48th-most-populous city in the United States. The po ...

) *Bob Morris – bass guitar (born

Hasty, Arkansas Hasty is an Unincorporated area, unincorporated community in Newton County, Arkansas, Newton County, Arkansas, United States. Hasty is located on Arkansas Highway 123, east of Jasper, Arkansas, Jasper. Hasty has a post office with ZIP code 72640 ...

) *Benjamin Van Norman – bass (born July 19, 1928,

Ann Arbor, Michigan Ann Arbor is a city in Washtenaw County, Michigan, United States, and its county seat. The 2020 United States census, 2020 census recorded its population to be 123,851, making it the List of municipalities in Michigan, fifth-most populous cit ...

, died November 3, 1958

Buena Park, California Buena Park (''Buena'', Spanish for "Good") is a city in northern Orange County, California, United States. As of the 2020 census its population was 84,034. It is the location of several tourist attractions, including Knott's Berry Farm. It i ...

in a car accident) *Cliff Hills – bass (born 1918,

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...

) *Joe Burnas – bass (born 1923,

Chicago Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...

, died April 12, 1999) *Gene Alden – drums (born 1930,

South Dakota South Dakota (; Sioux language, Sioux: , ) is a U.S. state, state in the West North Central states, North Central region of the United States. It is also part of the Great Plains. South Dakota is named after the Dakota people, Dakota Sioux ...

) *

Dean Beard Dean Beard (August 31, 1935 – April 4, 1989) was an American rockabilly musician, known as the "West Texas Wild Man".Dea ...

– piano (born August 31, 1935,

Santa Anna, Texas Santa Anna is a town in Coleman County in Central Texas, United States. Its population was 1,014 at the 2020 census. Geography Santa Anna is located in east central Coleman County. Three U.S. highways pass through the center of town. U.S. Ro ...

, died April 4, 1989, in

Coleman, Texas Coleman is a town in and the county seat of Coleman County, Texas, United States. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, its population was 3,912. History Coleman was founded in 1876 when R. J. Clow donated a 160-acre site on Hords Cre ...

) *

Jim Seals Seals and Crofts were an American soft rock duo formed in Los Angeles, California in 1969 by James Eugene Seals (October 17, 1942 – June 6, 2022) and Darrell George "Dash" Crofts (born August 14, 1938). They are best known for their hits " Su ...

– saxophone (born Oct 17, 1942, Sidney, Texas, died June 6, 2022) *

Dash Crofts Seals and Crofts were an American soft rock Soft rock (also known as light rock or mellow rock) is a form of rock music that originated in the late 1960s in the United States and the United Kingdom which smoothed over the edges of singe ...

– drums Dave "Snuffy" Smith played bass from late 1959 to 1960. Other members around this time were Jim Seals and Dash Crofts, with Johnny Meeks (originally of

Gene Vincent Vincent Eugene Craddock (February 11, 1935 – October 12, 1971), known as Gene Vincent, was an American rock and roll musician who pioneered the style of rockabilly. His 1956 top ten hit with his backing band the Blue Caps, "Be-Bop-a-Lula", is ...

and the Blue Caps) on lead guitar. Later band members included

Glen Campbell Glen Travis Campbell (April 22, 1936 – August 8, 2017) was an American country musician and actor. He was best known for a series of hit songs in the 1960s and 1970s, and for hosting ''The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour'' on CBS television from ...

Jerry Cole Jerald Edward Kolbrak (September 23, 1939 – May 28, 2008), known professionally as Jerry Cole, was an American guitarist who recorded under his own name, under various budget album pseudonyms and as an uncredited session musician. Biography ...

, Chuck Downs (drums), Rich Grissom, Gary Nieland (drums), Jerry Puckett (guitar), Marvin Siders, and Leon Sanders. The last lineup of the band, in 1964, included Johnny Trombatore, who co-wrote some songs with Seals, Crofts, Maurice Marshall, bassist Curtis Paul and Seals' replacement, Keith MacKendrick (who later stayed on saxophone when Seals returned).

Singles

References

External links

* *
"The Champs"
on the History of Rock website * {{DEFAULTSORT:Champs, The Challenge Records artists Apex Records artists Musical groups from Ventura County, California Grammy Award winners American rock and roll music groups American instrumental rock musical groups Challenge Records (1950s) artists