The Saints & Sinners Band formed in the early 70’s. Original members include Ralph, bass guitar, lead vocals & Mike Marron, rhythm guitar, background vocals. Both have been musicians in Houston and played originally with The StarLights in the late 60’s, playing Tejano and R&B music. Native Houstonians they have devoted many hours of their playing time to churches and charitable organizations. One of their first accomplishments was the Houston Festival where they were the first Tejano Band to play the event. Ralph & Mike formed The Saints & Sinners Band and continue to play at private parties and events around Houston and the surrounding areas.

    Another member of the group that gave the band the sound that made them a legend was Robert Gonzales from Seguin. Also known in Houston as Bobby G he plays a variety of instruments well including bass guitar, lead guitar, keyboards, and lead vocals. He was most instrumental in arranging the original Saints & Sinners sound with four horns. Bobby rejoined the group recently, but was with the group in the late 70’s and early 80’s. He has been given many accolades including induction into the Tejano Hall Of Fame.

    A most important and influential member of the band is Benito Juarez who also plays bass guitar, rhythm guitar, lead vocals, and excels in arranging sequenced music. Ben has given a lot of his time and musical talent to the band and is the second voice in many of the songs that require harmony. a natural talent Ben is an inductee of the Buddy Holly Hall of Fame in Lubbock Texas where he hails from. During the lean years Ben learned how to program his sequencer to play all of the instruments which included drums, bass guitar, accordion, keyboards, strings and all accompanying percussion instruments. Ben and Ralph played for about three years as a two man group using computer music.

    Mingo the drummer is the newest member in the rhythm section, however, he has all the talent to drive the band. His expertise includes percussion but with a band full of horns he is the person steering the whole sound and he does a great job of not being overpowering yet powerful. When the band turns to conjunto he also changes his playing to accommodate.

    The newer members of the band include two former players David Quiniones, and Rudy Leal, both trumpet players. David was in the band originally in the 80’s and has played in the Houston with several other local bands. He has taken on the duties of arranging and composing material for the four horn sound of The Saints & Sinners. Rudy also doing a second tour with the band and has the high pitch range that is needed to make the horn section drive through the songs with their classic style.

    Also included in the trumpet section I have to mention Robert Ramos. He recently rejoined the group to complement a horn section second to none. Robert is not only an accomplished horn player, he is a singer and band leader in his own right. He decided to add his musical talent to the group and make a sound like no other at this time in tejano music. His third time through the band, he is no mystery to our way of playing and enjoying the music.

    The horn section would not be complete without saxophones. Our sax players are Joe Perez and Jay Vargas. Joe Perez needs no introduction to most of the musicians of Houston. He plays all of the saxophones, Bari, Tenor, Alto, and fills in solos with a flute. Originally from Fort Worth, he came to Houston and was a band director at one of the Hispanic high schools where he taught some of the most prolific tejano musicians to come out of Houston. Prior to teaching he had a group in his hometown and played along side some of the real legends of tejano music. While teaching he also played with many of the well known tejano bands of Houston.

    Jay, as we call him has to have the best attitude of any musician I have ever played with. He plays saxophone very well, but his talent does not end. He doubles as our accordion player. When someone asks for a song, I watch him and even if the rest of the band may have a moment of question, not Jay. He will pick up his accordion and start playing and we follow, no problem. His attitude says it all, no problem. Along with being a talented musician, Jay also delivers in sound engineering as he owns a studio and is working on putting our songs to tracks and eventually recording an album for us!

    Vincent Cantu. When I first met Vince he told me about his musical background. I teamed up with Vin and his brother back in the early years to form the Saints & Sinners. It was not the original band, but the second band. He had a vision that I will never forget about how we would put the group together and he had the determination and the drive. I had seen this in him and I knew we could come together as a Band. Most of us that began back then, still see Vince as a performer. Not just a musician, which he is, but a person that once the groove starts and the juices flow, he becomes a performer and sets the standard not just on stage but off stage also. I am proud to say that I have played along side all of these musicians.

    Along with these guys, The Saints & Sinners Band was a launching pad for some of the best musicians playing around Houston town. I won’t go into naming all the people that have passed through this band throughout the years, but I can say that any Tejano band you think of in the Houston area, at least one member has played with us, and when I say Tejano I am not talking about regional, salsa, merengue, or banda groups. I am talking true Tejano, people born here raised here and taught here in Tejas by our grandparents, uncles, aunts, and yes even just teaching ourselves by listening to Los Grandes, Sunny, Little Joe, The Ramos Family, Isidro Lopez, Carlos Guzman, Roy Montelongo. Those are Tejano Bands!