Here's a photo of my friend, Carlos Murguia, 2 time Grammy nominee, awesome singer/keyboardist/composer/producer. We got together last week when he came to town with Chuck Negron, lead singer of 'Three Dog Night'.
Carlos and I go WAY back; in fact I started working in the group Tabasco with Carlos when he was just 15 years old!We met at Disneyworld, Florida (where I was working in 'Kids of the Kingdom' a 'grown-up' Mickey Mouse Club singing/dancing group). Tabasco was a group of three brothers, their brother-in-law, two sisters, and one of the sisters was married to one of the Murguia brothers! All were from Mexico City. They were so dynamic; did all styles of music, choreographed everything and did tight, multi-harmonies. What a group! They asked me to join their group when one of the sisters went back to Mexico to do a television show, so off I went with Tabasco to work at Tomorrowland Terrace at Disneyland. FUN!
I went on to tour Mexico, Puerto Rico, Panama, Acapulco and the U.S. and Canada with the 7 piece show group, which was where I learned most everything I know about performing, being on the road, doing Television etc. It was a great group and a life-changing experience for me.
So Carlos and I had lots of memories to talk about, especially since I hadn't seen him in 20 years! I don't know where the time goes!
While I was in the group Tabasco I used my middle name 'Cristina' since it was hard for Latinos to pronounce 'beth' - it always came out sounding like 'bet' or 'betty', so Cristina sounded much more Latin.
Carlos always played the B-3 in Tabasco, and he played the B3 at Chuck Negron's concert, too, so it was fun to hear that big organ sound again that we used so much in Tabasco.
I'm so glad to have had such a long career with so many adventures! I've seen places; met people and shared stages with some incredible people that I never would have, had I not 'followed my muse' and had a music career. It's been a great life, and so much more to come. I love the way my music is evolving; my teaching is helping others, and my friends from the past are still in my life.
Here's to Carlos, Tabasco, and Cristina, La Gringa!
