An early-'70s spin-off group from El Chicano, Tierra kept plugging away until 1980, when they scored some brief success on the R&B charts doing Afro-Latin-flavored soul covers. Guitarist Rudy and trombonist/percussionist Steve Salas had both been in El Chicano. They teamed with keyboardist Joey Guerra, bassist Steve Falomir, drummer Philip Madayag, percussionist Andre Baeza, and Bobby Navarrete on reeds. Their cover of the Intruders' "Together" cracked the R&B Top Ten in 1980 and reached number 18 on the pop charts. It was their lone big hit, although their remake of the Delfonics' "La La Means I Love You" did make the R&B Top 40 in 1981. The group returned in the early '90s with Tonight in 1993 and A New Beginning two years later. Another long break preceded the release of 2001's Two Worlds: Dos Mundos and 2005's ambitious soundtrack Welcome to Café East L.A. Two albums were issued the following year -- Tierra Live on Thump and Together Again on Boardwalk Entertainment Company. The band continued to perform with numerous personnel changes. On the Right Track was issued in 2008. Though they continued to perform, the band didn't record again until 2013's On Solid Ground. In October 2017, bandleader Rudy Salas premiered a new album on YouTube's Thee Mr. Duran Show titled !Ya Llego? It was officially released in November on Music Access. Thump Records issued Keep It Going in early December 2020; it was the grand finale for Rudy Salas, who died on December 29, 2020 at the age of 72. ~ Ron Wynn, Rovi