Thee Midniters
Thee Midniters were one of the first Chicano rock bands to emerge from East LA in the 60s, paving the way for bands like Los Lobos. Their cover of "Land of A Thousand Dances" and the instrumental "Whittier Boulevard" put them on the map in 1965, but they became politicized and were early to write about Chicano themes, in songs like "Chicano Power" and "The Ballad of César Chávez". They integrated horns and diverse percussion producing a funky big band sound. Make no mistake; Thee Midniters are a stomping band with equal measures of soulfulness and booty-shaking rhythm.