Johnny Perez
DOB Unknown – September 11, 2012
Johnny Perez is perhaps best remembered as the original drummer for one of Texas’ greatest rock bands, the Sir Douglas Quintet. Formed by Doug Sahm in 1965, the group took a more regal sounding name in order to give the illusion they were less American during the peak of the British Invasion. Due to their name-trickery or not, the Sir Douglas Quintet had some of the most popular home-grown rock songs of the era, including “She’s About A Mover,” and “Mendocino.” Hardly anglo sounding, the band dished out a tamale-hot musical stew of country, jazz, cajun, blues, psychedelic and rock ‘n roll that is often credited as the birth of Americana music. And it was Perez who provided its back beat for many years. During the early ’70s, after the band relocated to Los Angeles, Perez opened Topanga Skyline Studios in the storied Topanga Canyon area just northwest of L.A. Bob Dylan, Jackson Browne and T-Bone Burnett, to name a few, all recorded there at one point or another. As a songwriter, Perez shared credit on several songs with Joe “King” Carrasco. They co-wrote “Pachuco Hop” and “Buena,” both now considered Tex-Mex staples. The Sir Douglas Quintet broke up in 1973, but reunited on occasion throughout the years with Perez participating. On September 11, 2012, Johnny Perez died from complications of cirrhosis of the liver. He was 69.
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