Patrulla 81

Duranguense pioneers Patrulla 81 came together in their native Durango during 1981. Their hallmark sound arose by accident when the musicians substituted a melodeon for electric keyboards that exceeded the group’s budget. That distinctive instrumental choice appears on the early tracks “Ojitos,” “El Lirio,” and “Las Calles de Chihuahua.” Those regional successes let the band play throughout Durango yet rarely beyond its borders. Seeking wider exposure, member Jose Angel Medina traveled to Juarez City and forged a key connection with Radio Canon programmer Ismael Dominguez. Heavy airplay of Patrulla 81’s “Tu Mirada” delivered the group’s first hit, which in turn opened doors to tours across Mexico and the United States. Garmex soon signed the act and issued its debut album, No Aprendi a Olvidar. After years of steady recording and live work, the ensemble broke through in 2004 with the concert recording En Vivo Desde Dallas, Texas, which climbed to number four on Billboard’s Regional Mexican chart. That same year the band contributed to the documentary film Le Verdadera Historia de la Musica Duranguense and appeared in Los Angeles, Denver, and Chicago. Patrulla 81 also received the La Revelacion del Ano honor at the Premios Que Buena. The group has continued to rank among the leading acts in the Regional Mexican field while maintaining chart presence throughout Mexico and the States.