Guitarist, singer, and songwriter Cesar Rosas is a key member of Los Lobos. While less prolific than the team of David Hidalgo and Louie Perez, his rootsy compositions, fiery guitar playing, and gritty vocals act as an important counterweight in the band's sonic blend. Primarily working from a blues-based foundation, Rosas' compositions for Los Lobos include the hard-rocking "Don't Worry Baby" (from How Will the Wolf Survive?) and "I Can't Understand," co-written with blues giant Willie Dixon, which appeared on The Neighborhood (1990). In addition to his role in Los Lobos, Rosas released Si Se Puede!, his debut solo album on 24/7, and in 1998 appeared as a member of Los Super Seven, the Latin American supergroup. Their self-titled album featured re-interpretations of traditional Mexican folk songs. It was a minor hit and the band became a touring concern. Rosas kept busy, issuing Soul Disguise for Ryko in 1999, a potent blend of rock, blues, soul, and Latin music. He appeared on blues icon Kid Ramos' self-titled offering for RCA. In October, a horrible tragedy struck Rosas' family. His wife Sandra disappeared. Her body was found a year later in a shallow grave outside Los Angeles. She had been murdered. Her half- brother Gabriel Gomez was convicted of the crime. After taking some real time off, Rosas healed himself by remaining busy. His touring and recording duties with Los Lobos and Los Super Seven (the latter recorded two more albums: Canto for Sony in 2001 and Heard It on the X for Telarc in 2005) took up a lot of time but he also took on work as a sideman, appearing on Rick Trevino's Mi Son and on Alejandro Escovedo's conceptual work By the Hand of the Father, and as part of the Texmaniacs with bandmate Hidalgo, Flaco Jimenez, and a host of other Latin luminaries on Tex-Mex Groove in 2006. A month after Los Lobos issued the acclaimed Gates of Gold in November 2015, Rosas emerged the following month with his third solo album, Live from the Galaxy -- backed by accordionist Jimmy Baca, drummer Aaron Ballesteros, bassist Steve Falomir, and keyboardist John Kito -- on the Los Angeles label. ~ Martin Monkman & Thom Jurek