Jimmy Gonzalez and Grupo Mazz Celebrate 6th Latin Grammy

Accordion music and dashing keyboards rushed into the dining room of Chef Ricardo Restaurant and Catering in Brownsville as Jimmy Gonzalez and Grupo Mazz celebrated a sixth Latin Grammy award.

"Do we have any Cowboy fans here?" he asked Friday afternoon as diners feasted on fried fish, shrimp, and other dishes from the buffet line. His question drew loud applause, and the band broke into the song "Monday Night Polkitas," from the album "The Legend Continues … La Continuacion." The work won Best Tejano Album at the Latin Grammys in Las Vegas on Nov. 5. At the 2003 Grammy Awards he won Best Tejano Album.

"It feels great!" said Gonzalez, who was born in Brownsville. "I mean it’s a lot of work. I thank the whole band. We have been blessed by God." He looked around at his adoring fans and added, "I am very happy everybody turned out."

"It’s amazing," said keyboard player Cris Perales, 35, who has performed with Mazz for 2 ½ years. "It would never have happened (for me) if I wouldn’t have joined the band."

This is the seventh year in a row that Gonzalez has won a Grammy. What made the difference this year between his album and the other contenders?

"I have my 12 original tunes and then added some of the old school that we had done in the 1980s," he said. "So I redid those again and put a little special thing on them and people loved it. It gave them the original songs plus the old-school tunes."

Gonzalez said that people would ask him at concerts to record certain tunes they couldn’t find, anymore.

"Hey, Jimmy," they’d say. "Why don’t you re-record this one or do this one? We can’t find it."

One woman said the song "Vuelvo" reminded her of her wedding. That song is on the album.

"It just had memories to certain people," he said. "I tried to stay with the original formula on it, but yeah, it had a little twist."

"Gabino Barrera" is also on the album.

"It’s a real famous corrido and people drink when they hear that," he said. "It’s a good party song."

The decision to take the album in a different direction was made in the midst of recording.

"I went back to looking at the old pictures of the 80s and I looked at my mom and my dad who are very supportive of me and it just got a little personal," he said. "I started reminiscing all those years and I said, ‘You know what? Let’s give it to ‘em really good.’ I dedicated the CD to the troops and I dedicated it to my mom and dad, so it had a little personal touch for me, and I really wanted this one."

Gonzalez’s sister, Cindy Garcia, was elated at her brother’s success.

"Oh my God, we are so excited," said Garcia, 50. "I am very proud of him. We didn’t think he was going to get it. It was a big surprise."