International Artist Spotlight: The Timeless Sound of Latin Music

In celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, PRS Guitars would like to recognize the contributions and influences of our Hispanic and Latin American artists both within the music industry and global arts community. Here we highlight a handful of these artists, Carlos Santana, Pablo Hurtado of Camila, Dany Villarreal of The Warning, Gonzalo Sanhueza, German Gallardo, Rony Feliz and Jimena Fosado.

Words like “icon” are often thrown around these days, but Carlos Santana is an artist truly worthy of the term. A genuine visionary, the impact that Carlos’s five-decade career has had on PRS Guitars, the electric guitar itself and the greater culture cannot be overstated. A Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee, Carlos has amassed ten Grammy awards, not including his three Latin Grammys. From humble beginnings emerging from the 1960s Bay area counter-culture scene to his legendary performance at Woodstock, on through to the current day, Santana has grown into a cultural institution.

@carlossantana

Guitarist and producer Pablo Hurtado is best known as a founding member of the Mexican pop-rock band Camila. Born in Mexico City and raised in San Luis Potosí, Pablo began his musical journey studying piano before embracing the classical guitar at age seven. Ultimately graduating from the Fermatta Music Academy with a degree in production and audio engineering, it was around this time that Pablo joined forces with singer-songwriter Samuel "Samo" Parra and fellow producer Mario Domm to form Camila. The band has since released five albums together, selling over two million records and racking up three Latin Grammy Awards and three Billboard Awards.

@pablocamila

Based in Chile, guitarist Gonzalo Sanhueza’s musical journey began in the early nineties as a member of the shred band "Hacker", a group “instrumental” in shaping the Chilean metal scene. In 2006 Gonzalo released his first solo record "Mundo Perdido”, positioning him as one of the leading heavy guitarists in Chile. He has since shared the stage with some major names including Kiko Loureiro, Vinnie Moore, Riche Kotzen and Joe Satriani.

@gonzalosanhuezaofficial

German Gallardo is a Mexican-born guitarist, producer, and sound engineer, most well-known for his long running collaboration with singer Jose Madero. German holds a degree in Industrial Engineering, and his formal musical training includes study at Berklee Latino in Mexico City and Berklee College of Music in Valencia, Spain. As a guitarist he has toured extensively throughout Central and South America, as a producer he has recorded music in his own studio for other artists, agencies, and businesses alike. German is also a published author and guitar instructor.

@germangallardo

Rony Feliz’s creative passions began when he was just nine years old, quickly becoming obsessed with everything that had to do with music. He always finds a way to be involved with the entire process from performing, to writing, to engineering. He got his feet wet in local New York City venues like The Bitter End and Rockwood Music Hall, developing a taste for Hip-Hop R&B, funk, reggae, Latin, Gospel and everything in between. Following his graduation from the SAE Institute of Technology, Rony was selected to go on tour as an engineer for Mr. 305 himself, Pitbull. Since then, he has been on the road, traveling the world and experiencing how music truly brings everyone together.

@_ronyfeliz_

Born in Mexico City and currently based in Los Angeles, session and touring guitarist Jimena Fosado is a rising star on the scene. Specializing in the genres of rock, metal, fusion and electronica, Jimena is a member of the “Shreddelicious” online community alongside other notable female musicians including Lari Basilio, Sarah Longfield, Nita Strauss, Courtney Cox, Nikki Stringfield and Yvette Young. An alumnus of the prestigious Musicians Institute in Hollywood, she was also one of the first “graduates” from the PRS Pulse Artist Program. In addition to her work as a hired gun and solo artist, Jimena has performed in a wide range of environments including musical theater, film and even live television.

@jimenafosado

Photo Credits:

• Denise Truscello
• Cesar Calderon
• Gibran Villa
• Jade Pike