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The Champs | |
|---|---|
 The band in 1958 | |
| Background information | |
| Origin | Los Angeles, California, United States |
| Genres | Rock and roll |
| Years active | 1957–1965, 2020 |
| Label | Challenge |
The Champs were an American rock and roll band, most famous for their Latin-tinged 1958 instrumental single "Tequila".[1][2] The group took their name from that of Gene Autry's horse, Champion,[2] and was formed by studio executives at Autry's Challenge Records[3] to record a B-side for the Dave Burgess single "Train to Nowhere". The intended throwaway track became more famous than its A-side, as "Tequila" went to number one in just three weeks,[2] and the band became the first group to go to the top spot with an instrumental that was their first release.[4] The song was recorded at Gold Star Studios in fall 1957, and in 1959 won the Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance.[5] It sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc by the Recording Industry Association of America.[6]
History
Success with their 1958 song "Tequila"
"Tequila" was written by saxophonist Danny Flores, although he was credited as "Chuck Rio" because he was under contract to another record label (RPM Records) at the time.[2] Flores, who was of Mexican heritage and died in September 2006, was known as the "Godfather of Latino rock".[4] Flores' "dirty sax" and his low-voiced "Tequila" are the hallmarks of the song.[7] Flores signed away the US rights to the song, but retained worldwide rights until his death.[8]
The many cover versions of the tune include a jazz version by guitarist Wes Montgomery 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" and "El Rancho Rock". In 1985, "Tequila" featured prominently in the film Pee Wee's Big Adventure. 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 – saxophone, vocals (born Daniel Flores on July 11, 1929, Santa Paula, California, died on September 19, 2006, Huntington Beach, California)
- Dave Burgess – rhythm guitar ("Dave Dupree", born on December 3, 1934, Beverly Hills, California, died on October 19, 2025, Dover, Tennessee)[9]
- Dale Norris – lead guitar (born Springfield, Missouri)
- Buddy Bruce – lead guitar (born 1930, Missouri, died 2014, Tulsa, Oklahoma)
- Bob Morris – bass guitar (born Hasty, Arkansas)
- Benjamin Van Norman – bass (born on July 19, 1928, Ann Arbor, Michigan, died on November 3, 1958, Buena Park, California in a car accident)
- Cliff Hills – bass (born 1918, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)
- Joe Burnas – bass (born 1923, Chicago, died on April 12, 1999)
- Gene Alden – drums (born 1930, South Dakota)
- Dean Beard – piano (born on August 31, 1935, Santa Anna, Texas, died on April 4, 1989, in Coleman, Texas)
- Jim Seals – saxophone (born on October 17, 1942, Sidney, Texas, died on June 6, 2022)
- Dash Crofts – drums (born on August 14, 1938, Cisco, Texas)
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 and the Blue Caps) on lead guitar.[10] Later band members included Glen Campbell,[11] Jerry Cole, Chuck Downs (drums), Rich Grissom, Gary Nieland (drums), Jerry Puckett (guitar), Marvin Siders, and Leon Sanders. The last lineup of the band, in 1964,[2] included Johnny Trombatore (who co-wrote some songs with Seals and Crofts), Maurice Marshall, bassist Curtis Paul, and Seals' replacement, Keith MacKendrick (who later stayed on saxophone when Seals returned).
Singles
| Year | Titles (A-side, B-side) Both sides from same album except where indicated |
Chart positions | Album | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | US R&B | UK | |||
| 1958 | "Tequila" b/w "Train To Nowhere" |
1 | 1 | 5 | Go, Champs, Go! |
| "El Rancho Rock" | 30 | 10 | — | ||
| "Midnighter" | 94 | — | — | ||
| "Chariot Rock" b/w "Subway" |
59 | — | — | Everybody's Rockin' | |
| "Turnpike" b/w "Rockin' Mary" |
— | — | — | ||
| "Beatnik" b/w "Gone Train" |
— | — | — | Non-album tracks | |
| 1959 | "Caramba" b/w "Moonlight Bay" |
— | — | — | |
| "Night Train" b/w "The Rattler" |
— | — | — | ||
| "Sky High" b/w "Double Eagle Rock" |
— | — | — | ||
| 1960 | "Too Much Tequila" b/w "Twenty Thousand Leagues" (Non-album track) |
30 | — | 49 | Great Dance Hits |
| "The Little Matador" b/w "Red Eye" |
— | — | — | Non-album tracks | |
| "Alley Cat" b/w "Cocoanut Grove" |
— | — | — | ||
| "Tough Train" b/w "The Face" |
— | — | — | ||
| 1961 | "Sombrero" b/w "The Shoddy Shoddy" (from Great Dance Hits) |
— | — | — | |
| "Hokey Pokey" b/w "Jumping Bean" (Non-album track) |
— | — | — | Great Dance Hits | |
| 1962 | "Tequila Twist" / | 99 | — | — | |
| "Limbo Rock" | 40 | — | — | ||
| "Experiment In Terror" b/w "La Cucaracha" |
— | — | — | Non-album tracks | |
| "I've Just Seen Her" b/w "What A Country" |
— | — | — | The Champs Play All-American | |
| "Limbo Dance" b/w "Latin Limbo" |
97 | — | — | Non-album tracks | |
| "That Did It" b/w "Varsity Rock" |
— | — | — | ||
| 1963 | "Nik Nak" b/w "Shades" |
— | — | — | |
| "Mr. Cool" b/w "3/4 Mash" |
— | — | — | ||
| "Cactus Juice" b/w "Roots" |
— | — | — | ||
| "San Juan" b/w "Jalisco" |
— | — | — | ||
| 1964 | "Only The Young" b/w "Switzerland" |
— | — | — | |
| "Kahlua" b/w "Fraternity Waltz" |
— | — | — | ||
| 1965 | "Bright Lights, Big City" b/w "French 75" |
— | — | — | |
| 1966 | "Anna" b/w "Buckaroo" |
— | — | — | |
| 1987 | "Tequila" b/w "Pee Wee's Dance" (by Joseki Love) |
— | — | 82 | Pee Wee's Big Adventure (Soundtrack) |
See also
References
- ^ McGuinness, Paul (February 9, 2022). "Best Surf Rock: Sunshine-Drenched Music To Catch A Wave To". uDiscover Music. Retrieved February 28, 2022.
- ^ a b c d e Colin Larkin, ed. (2002). The Virgin Encyclopedia of Fifties Music (Third ed.). Virgin Books. p. 65. ISBN 1-85227-937-0.
- ^ "THE CHAMPS (1958-1965)". Sealsandcrofts.com. Retrieved October 15, 2013.
- ^ a b [1] [dead link]
- ^ "1st Annual Grammy Awards". Grammy.com. Retrieved March 10, 2014.
- ^ Murrells, Joseph (1978). The Book of Golden Discs (2nd ed.). London: Barrie and Jenkins Ltd. p. 98. ISBN 0-214-20512-6.
- ^ [2][dead link]
- ^ Pete Larsen. "Danny Flores, 'Tequila' songwriter, dies at 77". Ocregister.com. Archived from the original on March 13, 2009. Retrieved October 15, 2013.
- ^ "Dave Burgess". Anglin Funeral Home, Inc. Retrieved November 14, 2025.
- ^ Dave Smith Oct 1999
- ^ Campbell, Glen (1994). Rhinestone Cowboy. New York: Villard Books. p. 50. ISBN 0-679-41999-3.
External links
- The Champs at AllMusic
- The Champs discography at Discogs
- "The Champs" on the History of Rock website
- The Champs at IMDb
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