Los Mier

Known as "The Princes of Chicano music," Los Mier is a longstanding, truly legendary band from Nuevo Leon. Their mix of norteño, cumbia, and ranchera helped establish them in the 1990s as one of the progenitors of the grupero movement. They are celebrated as traditionalists throughout Mexico and the Americas.

Four brothers (Hector, Alejandro, Ricardo, and Oscar) and two cousins (Sergio and Eduardo) -- who share the last name Mier -- formed in the early '80s under the moniker Grupo Armonía and began playing the local party circuit. They changed the name shortly thereafter, when Hector (the band's leader) decided the family name would serve their collective commercial ends better.

After establishing an enthusiastic fan base in their hometown of El Cercado, they began touring the outskirts of Nuevo Leon where their lengthy and exuberant shows garnered the attention of promoters. They signed their first record deal with RCA, and made their debut in 1987. Though they'd released earlier singles, their first real hit was "Coloreteada," off the album of the same name. It achieved massive air play and chart success not only in Mexico but in the Southwest United States. This led to touring north of the border where shows were sold out weeks in advance.

Throughout the '90s, the band continued to record hit albums for Fonovisia, issue compilations, and tour exhaustively, eventually making their way to South America; they were especially well-received in Paraguay and Argentina. As the neo-traditional grupera movement gathered steam in the mid-'90s, Los Mier's influence grew. They received their first gold record for 1995's Dedicado a Ti. In 1996, on the occasion of their second visit to Paraguay, UNICEF and the UN organized a reception in their honor.

In 1997, they issued their last recording for three years: the bestselling, chart-topping Amigos y Mujeres. During the band's absence from the studio, RCA re-released their debut album and followed it in 1998 with the 20-track compilation Serie Platino, that is perhaps their best known recording.

Los Mier returned to recording in 2000, getting back at RCA by re-recording some of their early hits for the set Recordando Nuestras Canciones -- including "Coloreteada" and "Muñeca de Ojos de Miel," and also a new single, the ballad "Confesiones," which went on to chart.

The drought of new material didn't last, however, and in 2001 they issued Noticia de Ultima Hora, which netted four hit singles including "Sed de Cariño." 2005's Mas Que Antes was released just in time to celebrate their 23rd anniversary, and revealed Los Mier's staying power as the album landed near the top of various charts.

The group continued recording for Universal affiliate labels Fonovisia, Island/Def Jam International, and Universal Latin itself until 2012, when they moved to Apodaca Records -- distributed by Select-O-Hits -- and released En Vivo por México, followed immediately with the split live offering Mano a Mano, Vol. 1: Los Baron de Apodaca vs. Los Mier en Vivo. Though their chart success had waned somewhat, Los Mier continued to be a steady concert draw and still garnered airplay with each new single.

Tragedy struck in 2013 when Los Mier's youngest member, Sergio, age 42, succumbed to cancer. Their last album with him, Pienso en Tí… was issued later that year. Los Mier continued as a quintet, and their sons are members of the backing ensemble. ~ Thom Jurek, Rovi