THE AMIGOS BAND
Hiram Perez Pita born in Guines, Cuba in Oct. 19, 1969 and shortly thereafter joined my extended family in Union City, NJ, USA in 1970.
I was the only child living with my mother and growing up with my cousins in the adjacent apartment in the same building. I was attracted at an early age to music. And by the age of 5 I was a serious Elvis Presley fanatic. Scotty Moore’s guitar playing really caught my attention. And I would also laser focus my attention anytime a guitar solo was playing in the rock stations. When I discovered the Beatles? I knew then that I was going to buy a guitar and learn to play.
At the age of 11 my stepdad bought me my first guitar and I took lessons for about 1 yr. Then at the age of 13 I heard MJ’s beat it with Eddie Van Halen on the guitar and really began to get more serious about getting good at it. But the level of guitar playing of EVH was quite advanced and sophisticated. So I opted for the old blues players like BB King, Albert King, Eric Clapton and studied them and things started happening.
My ears developed and I would play anything that I heard instantaneously. I studied all the greatest blues/rock guitar players. becoming a Jimi Hendrix disciple and my abilities really jumped ahead. Listening to Santana’s hit songs bought me back full circle to the roots of my heritage.
The complex African percussion was a perfect marriage with melodic blues guitar. Early on at 16-17 I played with a local singer and got some live playing experience. Played in a few cover bands with local Hudson County fellow musicians. Played with the high school band combing players from Union Hill and Emerson high school. Every chance I could play? I would! BBQ’s, parties, local bars and even at the Hard Rock Cafe in NYC. Paying tribute to Hendrix, Cream, Led Zeppelin, etc. and now focusing on adding to this project with the incredible producer and talent of Marcos Quintanilla and the Amigos.
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