BIOGRAPHY

It was a great opportunity, as well as a necessary stage in La Diferenzia's artistic growth. Their appeal has grown with performances such as the Acapulco Festival, where more than 1 0,000 people received the band with open arms. And in Miami, where they performed for the national Hispanic television networks. And finally, in Houston, where more than 58,000 fans welcomed them home to Texas, at a concert engagement at the world's largest rodeo.

Recording for Arista/Latin, La Diferenzia has created hits such as "Si Lo Quieres," "Linda Chaparrita," "Anoche Sofie Contigo," "Tu No Tienes Coraz6n," "Antonieta" and more. But at the same time, they have impacted Tejano and Regional Mexican audiences with their solid foundation of modern arrangements and broad musical influences.

La Diferenzia now releases its third album, Canta Conmiqo. The album's first single is the up-tempo ranchera "Mundo Sin Guitarras," written by top composer Humberto Ramon, and is destined for radio and dance club success. The video for "Mundo Sin Guitarras" features Ricardo Castillon and his 5-year old son, Richie, along with the band members jamming together at an impromptu street performance.

The band's musical and stylistic elements, especially Castillon's distinctive vocals and the band's superior musicianship, make La Diferenzia's songs instantly recognizable and insatiably danceable. The members of La Diferenzia are:

Ricardo Castillon, lead vocals
Simon Arausa, accordion
Jose Luis Benavides, drums
Arnold Cardenas, keyboards
Mike Macias, bass
Miguel Spindola, keyboards
Adam Vargas, guitar

The members are from various regions and like all styles of music: therefore, upon designing the group's format, they each have stayed true to their musical roots and combined different influences. The name La Diferenzia says it all.

Born in Lubbock, Texas, and raised in La Pryor, southwest of San Antonio, Ricardo Castillon began forming the current La 0iferenzia with his childhood friend Jose' Luis Benavides. The rest of the members found each other thanks to Castillon's initiative, who publicized his intent to form a band on a bulletin board at a music store. The first who responded to the note was Mexico-City native Miguel Spindola; Arnold Cardenas then joined after relocating from Chicago; Simon Arausa became an instant member by joining the band on stage at am impromptu jam session, offering to talk over the accordion duties from Castillon; and Mike Macias and Adam Vargas were later additions who came from other well-established Tejano groups.

Among the ingredients that stand out in La Diferenzia's style is their sense of lyrical romanticism coupled with a very defined rhythm, giving the band the ability to win over audiences with ballads, cumbias, rancheras, and much more.

Canta Conmigo marks the third collaboration between the band and producers Michael Morales and Ron Morales in San Antonio, Texas, and showcases La Diferenzia's unique repertoire with ten songs.

While the majority of the album's songs have been written by creative duo Ricardo Castillon and Miguel Spindola, La Diferenzia's musical interpretation shines in their rhythmic version of "Querida," the memorable hit of Juan Gabriel, accelerated to a ranchera tempo.

The unique addition of a children's chorus marks the inspirational message of following one's dreams in the title cut "Canta Conmigo." And in "Otra Vez Sere Tu Amor," Castillon succeeds in taking the leap to record his first bilingual song.

Always composing and growing as artists, La Diferenzia continues to deliver well-crafted songs that stick, no matter where they are. With this kind of commitment, La Diferenzia carves their own niche at radio formats and among their loyal fans base with their unique sound. As Castillon puts it, "between being on the road, in the recording studio, on stage, at dances, in airports, hotels, radio stations, writing songs and doing interviews, we are living our dreams and trying to take our brand of Tejano music as fas as we can go.

"Making music is a privilage and we owe it to our fans and to ourselves to work as hard as we can," adds Castillon.