Born in Tucson, AZ, on August 16, 1979, Crisantes (born Hector Crisanthakis) spent his childhood in nearby Nogales and Culiacan, Mexico. His father was an amateur musician who inspired Crisantes and his brother to start playing instruments, and after his first performance on-stage at age eight, the young singer/songwriter knew that he wanted to pursue music as a career. Though he had no formal lessons, Crisantes, thanks to his dedication and Beatles and Rolling Stones records, soon learned to play the guitar, keyboards, and drums, as well as sing, and in 2006 his debut, Crisantes, on which he sang solely in Spanish, came out. ~ Marisa Brown