Grupo Montez de Durango

History

Jose Luis Terrazas founded Grupo Montez De Durango in 1996. Terrazas, who was born in Durango, Mexico, grew up in Chicago and was a percussionist in the marching band at his high school. He hooked up with a traditional Mexican banda and learned that these groups were very popular in Chicago. The next step was the formation of his own group.

The seven-member group soon became a popular draw at local dance halls. Membership in the group includes leader Jose Luis Terrazas, Daniel Terrazas (drummer and son), Jose Luis Terrazas Jr (Hype Man) and other musicians. Besides covers of older traditional Mexican songs, the group also played a faster-paced style of music: a polka/ranchera mix. This musical style became associated with the dance style called "El Pasito Duranguense" (The Durango Step) and Grupo Montez de Durango was the band most closely identified with it. Terrazas founded his own Terrazas Records label and the band began recording and releasing albums.

In time, one of the major labels signed the group, but the label wanted the group to change its sound and they soon parted ways. The group signed with a Mexican independent label and released El Sube y Baja in 2002. The band's next release followed in 2003, and De Durango a Chicago debuted at No. 2 on the Top Latin Albums chart. A live album, En Vivo Desde Chicago (with a DVD), was released early in 2004. A year later, Y Sigue La Mata Dando was released and in 2006.

The group fractured that same year with several members, including vocalist Alfredo Ramirez Corral, breaking away to form their own group, Los Creadorez Del Pasito Duranguense De Alfredo Ramirez. Montez de Durango re-grouped, replenished their ranks, and released a new studio album, Borron Y Cuenta Nueva, which won a Billboard Award for Album Of the Year in the summer of 2007, showing doubters they were stronger than ever. They also released two albums in 2008, Vida Mafiosa in March and Nosotros Somos in October.

In 2010 they came back with a new studio album, Con Estilo...Chicago Style, debuting number 1 on the charts and with a new tour Mi Necesidad Tour 2010. The band followed this release with another mega hit "Descuide" on the 2012 MMXII album. On this album Montez De Durango also filmed a music video with a special guest appearance from Jose Jose on the second single "He Renunciado A TI".

In the spring of 2014 Montez De Durango launched a self-released compilation album "Montez De Durango: Presenta". The label "Cruz de Piedra" is owned by Jose Luis Terrazas & featured label artists Norteñisimo Zierra Azul & Rey Román for the compilation. This album launched 6 music videos for the album gaining over 3 million views in all.

On February 18, 2016 Montez De Durango will launch the new album "De Vuelta A La Sierra". In interviews the band has mentioned how proud they are with this release because it is an album that goes back to the roots of the groups music. "De Vuelta A La Sierra" is a "Cruz de Piedra" Production.

Discography