Chris Montez toured with the Beatles, went to high school with the Beach Boys worked with Herb Alpert and talked to Ritchie Valens.
Montez, who plays Katie Belle’s on Thursday, Sept. 25 at 5 p.m. and 9 p.m., is practically a walking-talking history of rock and roll.
“People don’t realize how important Chris Montez is as a singer and the significant acts he has performed with,” said Gerry “Rocky” Seader of the Rocky and the Rollers. The Rollers will be on the bill with Montez, along with doo-wop singer Tommy Mara.
Montez’ most important brush with music history came in March, 1963 when he headlined a tour of England with the Beatles. Montez had a hard rocking Top-Ten hit in 1962 called “Let’s Dance.”
The tune was big in England where the Beatles were just starting to explode. They had a hit single with “Love Me Do” and by early ’63 were already taking England by storm. Montez wasn’t aware of how popular they were but he soon found out.
“It was crazy,” Montez said. “Everywhere we played we were surrounded by crowds and screaming girls. The Beatles had long hair and these cool jackets. On stage, they were unbelievable. You could tell these guys really knew rock and roll.”
One day, during a break in touring, Montez was in a hotel room with John Lennon and Paul McCartney. The two Beatles were working on their first English album, “Please Please Me.” One of the songs that McCartney played for Montez was, “I Saw Her Standing There.”
“We like this one,” McCartney told Montez as he played his guitar and starting singing, “Well, she was just 17, if you know what I mean…”
Montez was jolted by the rocking sound. “It was so good,” Montez said. “I said, ‘Hey Paul, play it again.’ He must have played it three or four times.” By the time the tour ended, the Beatles were on the cusp of worldwide stardom.
The last stop on the Beatles’ tour was Liverpool, the band’s hometown. Although Montez had top billing on the tour, he said he let the Beatles close that last show on their home turf. “It was an honor to be a part of that tour,” Montez said.
Montez relationship with the Beach Boys was far different. He grew up in Hawthorne, CA, the same hometown for Brian Wilson, who formed the Beach Boys in 1961, and his brothers Carl and Dennis.
Montez attended Hawthorne High School along with the Wilson brothers. “I used to jam with Brian all the time when we were kids,” he said. “I would go over to Brian’s house and we’d get together with Carl and Dennis and just play music.”
One night, Montez said he remembered Brian telling him the band had worked out a record deal and needed a name. “We’re going to call ourselves the Beach Boys,” Montez said he remembered Brian Wilson telling him.
By that time, Montez was also on the verge of a record deal and a name change. He was born Ezekiel Christopher Montanez, one of nine children. He grew up in poverty but loved music and the guitar. He got hooked on rock and R&B when he was about 10 years old and heard Johnny Ace singing “Pledging My Love.”
A few years later Ritchie Valens came along with songs like “Donna,” “La Bamba” and “Come Let’s Go” and Montez knew music, “was my destiny.”
Montez was still in high school when Valens, only 17 at the time, came to a record hop. “I had to see him,” Montez said. “He was the only Mexican rock and roll singer. He inspired me. I wanted to be like Ritchie Valens. I played all his guitar riffs.”
The show was sold out and Montez had to stand in the back of the room. “All of a sudden I turn around and I’m standing next to Ritchie Valens,” Montez said. “I couldn’t believe it. I told him I wanted to be a singer. Ritchie smiled at me. He said, ‘good luck with your singing career.’ He was my idol. Three months later, he was dead.”
Valens died in a February, 1959 plane crash with Buddy Holly and the Big Bopper. “I’ll never forget Ritchie. He was a kind and gentle soul. He was nice to me, a kid he never saw before. I remember that moment and I always try to be nice to people.”
After his first few rock hits, Montez struggled in the music business. He went to college and studied music. Then, in 1965, famed producer, performer and record executive Herb Alpert took Montez into the studio. Alpert wanted Montez to drop his hard rocking sound and record softer, more mature records. The first was a song named “Call Me” for A&M Records. To see Montez perform “Call Me” in 1966 on YouTube go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Snuk0RaAtV0
“Herb Alpert was a genius, he just had a feel for songs,” Montez said. “But I didn’t want to do that song. I was a rock and roll singer.”
Finally, Alpert convinced him and in 1966, “Call Me,” became a huge hit for Montez. He was among the first rockers, long before Rod Stewart, to record middle of the road music and standards. Montez followed up with more hits such as “The More I See You,” “Time After Time” and “There Will Never Be Another You.”
Montez’ career has stood the test of time. The kid who stood next to Ritchie Valens at the high school hop has left his own mark on contemporary, Latin and Hispanic music. A film crew is currently working on a documentary of his remarkable career and life.
“I grew up as a poor kid and I’ve never forgotten where I came from,” said Montez, who lives in Simi Valley California with his wife Chaz and teenage daughter Ryan. “Music changed my life. It’s still what makes me come alive.”
