Fito de la Parra

Adolfo "Fito" De la Parra has played drums professionally since he was 14 years old. He was born in Mexico City on February 8, 1946, and as he grew older, had become a member of a series of Mexican rock bands… starting with Los Sparks in 1958 and including Los Juniors, Los Sinners, Los Hooligans and Javier Batiz / the “Godfather of Rhythm & Blues” in Mexico and Carlos Santana’s first guitar mentor… all of which mainly played covers of American hits. Los Sinners evolved into Los Tequilas and, after a number of gold records, entered the U.S. in 1965 to play in clubs in the Los Angeles area. After some success, de la Parra returned to Mexico where he married an American woman and soon returned to the U.S. again. This time, as the drummer for the house band at the Tom Cat Club in Torrance, California, he played behind some of the greatest R&B artists of the time, including the Coasters, T-Bone Walker, Ben E. King, Mary Wells, Etta James, and the Platters. After a short stint with the Sotweed Factor, they broke up and he joined Bluesberry Jam.
On December 1, 1967, Fito played his first gig with a group of record collectors called CANNED HEAT.
Canned Heat has survived under the leadership of Fito de la Parra since the late 70’s. Since 1967, the band has toured extensively all over the world, performing at numerous festivals including Monterey Pop, Newport Pop, the Sturgis Motorcycle Run U.S.A., and the original Woodstock. They have performed at world-renowned venues such as Paris’ Olympia, both Fillmore Auditoriums, The Kaleidoscope, Carnegie Hall (with John Lee Hooker), Madison Square Garden and even Royal Albert Hall and have played more biker festivals than any other band in the world.
Fito’s book, “LIVING THE BLUES” is available through the band’s website at www.cannedheatmusic.com and at most popular book outlets. It is the complete and outrageous Canned Heat story of “Music, Drugs, Death, Sex and Survival” along with over 100 captivating pictures from their past.
Besides playing, Fito has produced many Canned Heat CD's, and music from other artists including Javier Batiz.Fito is also now also involved in film producing, and is working currently on "Living The Blues" a feature film based on his book.
His newest project, Rock N Roll Made In Mexico: from Evolution to Revolution, is finished and is due to be previewed at the Wilshire Fine Arts Theater in Beverly Hills CA.
Fito has also produced the DVD documentary Boogie With Canned Heat: the Canned Heat Story, on Eagle Rock Entertainment. It is available in his website www.cannedheatmusic.com
"Boogie on my friends, and thank you for visiting on Myspace!" - Fito
Rock & Roll Made In Mexico from Evolution to Revolution

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