Champs

About

Few songs have a more accidental origin story than "Tequila". The Champs were essentially put together by Challenge Records to cut a throwaway B side, but the track flipped the script entirely: it hit number one in three weeks and made them the first act to reach the top spot with an instrumental on their debut release. The secret weapon was saxophonist Danny Flores, whose growling "dirty sax" and casually muttered "Tequila" became one of rock and roll's most recognisable moments. The song won a Grammy for Best R&B Performance in 1959 and shifted over a million copies. Beyond that signature hit, the band scored with instrumentals like "El Rancho Rock" and "Too Much Tequila", and their roster over the years included future names such as Glen Campbell, Jim Seals, and Dash Crofts. The Latin flavour running through their catalogue gave Flores the nickname "Godfather of Latino rock", a title that stuck. In 2020, founding member Dave Burgess brought the Champs back for a new album called Tequila Party, featuring twelve newly recorded tracks.