The Kelley Boyz get down with Los Lobos

Christopher Kelley (in the hat) looks on while his

dad shakes hads with David Hildago of Los Lobos.

Here is a great story - I am going to let the "proud papa" tell it. A friend of mine, Rick Kelley, and his sons had some great interaction with one of my favorite bands - Los Lobos. Here is what Rick reported in an email:

"Last year's Los Lobos concert at Meijer Garden turned into a fun-filled quasi-free-for-all wherein the members of the band invited the audience on-stage during the finale. About 60 concert goers including Chris took them up on the offer. When the show was over and the audience began clearing the stage, Los Lobos' leader David Hidalgo leaned down to Chris and, handing him his guitar pick, said, "you look like a guitarist." The spontaneous moment inspired the young lad who has practiced his guitars relentlessly since and taken to always carrying a guitar pick in his pocket wherever he goes.Fast forward to last night and Los Lobos' third Meijer Garden appearance this time with The Los Lonely Boys.
Inexplicably Los Lobos performed first and then announced they would have CDs for sale and would be meeting and autographing after their set. I hadn't obtained a new CD in, like, oh, 36 hours so I picked out a dandy collection of live stuff unavailable in stores. Tim, Chris and I took our place in the autograph line and soon enough were shaking hands with first Louis Perez who now pays the guitar with the band but originally played drums "when I was much younger," followed by bassist Conrad Lozano. I introduced the kids to multi-insturmentalist Steve Berlin next joking that "in the '80s Steve played on every album made in L.A. prior to joining "Los Lobos" to which Conrad Lozano laughed and replied, "just about."
Next up was Chris' unintended mentor David Hidalgo with whom Chris shook hands and then gave the Los Lobos leader the guitar pick out of his own pocket. When Hidalgo (the large, handsome gray haired man in the pics) learned the guitar pick was a reciprocal gift for the one he'd given Chris last year he appeared tickled to death, held the pick up and said, "you know what, I'm gonna record with this" and then reaching into his hip-pocket, removed his wallet, opened it and slipped the guitar pick deep into the recesses "next to the one I got from Billy Gibbons (ZZ Top)." He then told Chris, "next year I want to hear you play"He and Caesar Rojas then had their assistant stop the autograph line so Terry (our guest at the show) could snap the group shot attached (wherein I didn't block the sun enough). Handshakes were exchanged all around and we returned to watch The Los Lonely Boys.Thank you for your patient indulgence of a proud papa. Besides, it beats another election joke."

Great story and a great memory for a budding guitarist. It is also noteworthy that Los Lobos take the time to interact with their fans instead of beating feet back to the hotel or tour bus.