HOUSTON - After a two year absence, Grammy Award-winning and four-time Grammy nominated La Mafia makes a blockbuster hometown comeback on Sunday, March 1 as part of Houston's annual Live Stock Show & Rodeo.

"We're happy to be back," said La Mafia lead vocalist Oscar De la Rosa. "We travel quite a bit. In the last six months we've been to South America, Mexico, Chicago, Los Angeles, South Texas... everywhere, so it's nice to be close to home. We feel like the rodeo is one of the most important gigs we can ever do."

According to sales figures provided by rodeo personnel, as of February 10, La Mafia's sheduled Rodeo appearance is only 1,623 seats shy of selling out. In 1991, La Mafia set a then attendance record during the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo's Go Tejano! Day, drawing approximately 55,000 people to the Astrodome. Approximately 57,000 fans saw La Mafia at the Astrodome during the Rodeo.

Before returning to Houston for the Rodeo, La Mafia will be in New York for the 40th Annual GRAMMY Awards. Winners of a GRAMMY in 1997, La Mafia has garnered four consecutive Grammy nominations since 1995, a rare achievement by any standards.

During the two days that follow the GRAMMY Award ceremony, La Mafia headlines "LATIN AID: A Concert for Life," an AIDS education benefit concert to be held at Town Hall where they perform alonside Cuban songstress Albita. On Friday, February 27th, La Mafia joins pop stars, Enrique Iglesias, Pandora, Lucero and Jose Jose for an anniversary showcase concert being held at Madison Square Garden by SUAVE 93.1 FM, the largest New York-area Latin music radio station.

To schedule an interview or request a current La Mafia press kit/photo, contact Abel Salas at (713) 224-3203. Requests may also be submitted in writing on letterhead via fax to (713) 224-0560, or via e-mail to Tejaztlan1@aol.com.