Arellano presents CD release show at Society Hall

ALAMOSA — Society Hall, the new performance space, concert hall and community gathering place at 400 Ross Ave. in Alamosa, is proud to welcome Chris Arellano and his band back to the Society Hall stage, on Friday, October 6th, at 7:30 p.m. for a CD release performance celebrating his new Howlin' Dog Records release “Nuevo Americana.”

Tickets are $20 in advance or $25 at the door and are available at the Green Spot in Alamosa or online at www.societyhall.org.

Chris is a native of Costilla, New Mexico, perched right on the Colorado border at the southern end of the San Luis Valley. He grew up playing drums for local gigs in his father’s band, but his musical journey has since taken him from the Musician’s Institute in Los Angeles, to major label record deals in Nashville, through performances in New York City to running his own music teaching academy in Oregon.

Arellano has a remarkable range of musical influences and expressions, from the Norteno music he grew up playing in his father’s band, to the high desert folk/Americana music he learned to love in Red River, New Mexico, while learning to write songs with his friend and mentor Eddy Lee Bullington, well known to area audiences as a member (with Michael Hearne) of the popular South by Southwest band, and also as a member (with Don Richmond) of the regional favorite Hired Hands. Chris is able to blend these different musical streams seamlessly, and delightfully, in his music that he calls “Nuevo Americana” (also the name of his band and the title of his new CD), creating a true expression of the beauty, richness and diversity of the musical heritage of this area.

If you add in his superb command of multiple stringed instruments and voice, honed by years of experience as a recording artist, studio musician and producer in Nashville, and you have the ingredients of a remarkable performer, and an amazing musical evening. Chris will also be joined at Society Hall by his brother Rodney on bass and Taos pedal steel guitarist Scott Harris, Alamosa musician Don Richmond, and maybe another guest or two.

Chris's new CD, released on Alamosa's own Howlin' Dog Records, features several original songs, two of his father's Norteno-styled tunes, as well as songs from his mentor Eddy Lee and Nashville legend and friend Verlon Thompson. The CD has received rave reviews from fans and DJ's alike, and is in heavy rotation on regional radio. Two cuts from Arellano’s previously released self-titled album held #1 positions on New Mexico Radio Charts and Cuentas Que Te Vas and Puno de Tierra were respectively the #6 and #3 most requested songs of the year in 2015. This CD project also received a Los 15 Grandes De Nuevo Mexico Music Award from the New Mexico Latin Music Academy. Early 2016 finds the album with nine seperate nominations for New Mexico Hispano Music Association Awards, including Songwriter of the Year, Artist of the Year, and the Rising Star Award.

The board of Society Hall, a 501c-3 non profit organization, invites lovers of music of all kinds to join them Friday, October 6th, at 7:30 pm, for an evening of the beautiful and moving music of Chris Arellano and Nuevo Americana. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. As always, wine, beer, soft drinks and snacks will be available. Society Hall – where community celebrates!