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Doug Sahm first used the name "Texas Tornado" in 1973, writing a song and naming an album after it. He first used it for a band in 1976, crediting Texas Rock for Country Rollers to Sir Doug & the Texas Tornados but the Texas Tornados didn't really become a group until 1990, when Sahm formed the Tex-Mex all-stars with his idol Freddy Fender, his right-hand man Augie Meyers, and Flaco Jiménez. Their first album -- released in two versions, one in English and one in Spanish -- caused a roots rock sensation upon its release, winning a Grammy for Best Mexican American/Tejano Performance for its track "Soy de San Luis" and helping to establish the band as a brand. Three albums followed quickly over the next six years -- the last, 4 Aces, appeared after a rush-released 1994 compilation The Best of Texas Tornados -- then the band faded away, turning into a touring concern and then an everlasting tribute to Sahm and Fender once those two giants passed away. Real Gone's A Little Bit Is Better Than Nada is the first real reckoning of the band's work, collecting highlights from those four albums (five, if you count the Spanish version of the debut separately) and adding some stray songs and unreleased recordings. The producers smartly balance all four Tornados, never favoring Sahm or Fender over Augie or Flaco, and the result not only highlights the band's range -- they slide from rock & roll and tejano to blues and honky tonk with ease -- but also how they make all these sounds seem unified. While each of their records is fun -- the first may be the best -- A Little Bit Is Better Than Nada eclipses all four by making those connections apparent but also underscoring how this sound, which was so innovative in the '60s and '70s, had turned into a deep, lasting tradition by the '90s.
© Stephen Thomas Erlewine /TiVo
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David Grissom, Bass - Louis Ortega, Electric Guitar - Freddy Fender, Harmony Vocals - Texas Tornados, Producer, MainArtist - BILL HALVERSON, Producer - Speedy Sparks, Bass Guitar - Mike Buck, Drums - Augie Myers, Organ, Vocals, Writer - Bill Sheffield, Writer
© 2015 Rhino Entertainment, a Warner Music Group Company. All Rights Reserved ℗ 1990 Reprise Records
Richard Bennett, Acoustic Guitar - David Grissom, Bass - Santiago Jimenez, Writer - Flaco Jimenez, Accordion - Louis Ortega, Writer, Harmony Vocals - Freddy Fender, Harmony Vocals - Texas Tornados, Producer, MainArtist - BILL HALVERSON, Producer - Speedy Sparks, Bass Guitar - Doug Sham, Vocals - Ernie Durawa, Drums
© 2015 Rhino Entertainment, a Warner Music Group Company. All Rights Reserved ℗ 1990 Reprise Records
Doug Sahm, Guitar, Vocals - Flaco Jimenez, Accordion - Freddy Fender, Vocals - Texas Tornados, MainArtist - Augie Myers, Piano
© 2015 Rhino Entertainment, a Warner Music Group Company. All Rights Reserved ℗ 1991 Reprise Records
Richard Bennett, Acoustic Guitar - Jim Glaser, Writer - David Grissom, Bass - Paul Gauvin, Writer - Cathie Pelletier, Writer - Flaco Jimenez, Accordion - Louis Ortega, Vocals - Freddy Fender, Harmony Vocals - Texas Tornados, Producer, MainArtist - BILL HALVERSON, Producer - Speedy Sparks, Bass Guitar - Doug Sham, Vocals - Mike Buck, Drums
© 2015 Rhino Entertainment, a Warner Music Group Company. All Rights Reserved ℗ 1990 Reprise Records
Richard Bennett, Acoustic Guitar - Flaco Jimenez, Accordion - Louis Ortega, Vocals - Texas Tornados, Producer, MainArtist - BILL HALVERSON, Producer - Doug Sham, Vocals - Ernie Durawa, Drums - Louis Terrazas, Bass - Rich Minus, Writer
© 2015 Rhino Entertainment, a Warner Music Group Company. All Rights Reserved ℗ 1990 Reprise Records
Richard Bennett, Acoustic Guitar - Doug Sahm, Composer - Flaco Jimenez, Accordion - Louis Ortega, Vocals - Freddy Fender, Harmony Vocals - Texas Tornados, Producer, MainArtist - BILL HALVERSON, Producer - Speedy Sparks, Bass Guitar - Doug Sham, Vocals, Writer - Mike Buck, Drums
© 2015 Rhino Entertainment, a Warner Music Group Company. All Rights Reserved ℗ 1990 Reprise Records
Richard Bennett, Acoustic Guitar - Randy Sharp, Writer - David Grissom, Bass - Flaco Jimenez, Accordion - Louis Ortega, Vocals - Freddy Fender, Harmony Vocals - Texas Tornados, Producer, MainArtist - BILL HALVERSON, Producer - Speedy Sparks, Bass Guitar - Doug Sham, Vocals - Mike Buck, Drums
© 2015 Rhino Entertainment, a Warner Music Group Company. All Rights Reserved ℗ 1990 Reprise Records
Richard Bennett, Acoustic Guitar - David Grissom, Bass - Flaco Jimenez, Accordion - Louis Ortega, Vocals - Freddy Fender, Harmony Vocals - Texas Tornados, Producer, MainArtist - BILL HALVERSON, Producer - Speedy Sparks, Bass Guitar - Doug Sham, Vocals - Mike Buck, Drums - Augie Myers, Writer
© 2015 Rhino Entertainment, a Warner Music Group Company. All Rights Reserved ℗ 1990 Reprise Records
Richard Bennett, Acoustic Guitar - Jack Barber, Bass - Rocky Morales, Tenor Saxophone - Flaco Jimenez, Accordion - Louis Ortega, Vocals - Freddy Fender, Harmony Vocals - Texas Tornados, Producer, MainArtist - BILL HALVERSON, Producer - Huey P. Meaux, Writer - Speedy Sparks, Bass Guitar - Doug Sham, Vocals - Mike Buck, Drums - Charles McBurney, Trumpet - Luis Bustos, Tenor Saxophone
© 2015 Rhino Entertainment, a Warner Music Group Company. All Rights Reserved ℗ 1990 Reprise Records
Santiago Jiménez, Sr., Composer - Flaco Jimenez, Accordion - Texas Tornados, MainArtist - Oscar Tellez, Bass - Ernie Durawa, Drums - Louis Terrazas, Bass
© 2015 Rhino Entertainment, a Warner Music Group Company. All Rights Reserved ℗ 1990 Reprise Records
Glenn Martin, Writer - Dave Kirby, Writer - Flaco Jimenez, Accordion - Freddy Fender, Guitar - Texas Tornados, Producer, MainArtist - BILL HALVERSON, Producer - Oscar Tellez, Banjo - Bobby Black, Guitar - Speedy Sparks, Bass - Doug Sham, Vocals - Ernesto Saldana Durawa, Drums - Louis Ortego, Acoustic Guitar
© 2015 Rhino Entertainment, a Warner Music Group Company. All Rights Reserved ℗ 1991 Reprise Records
Flaco Jimenez, Accordion - Freddy Fender, Guitar - Texas Tornados, Producer, MainArtist - BILL HALVERSON, Producer - Oscar Tellez, Banjo - Bobby Black, Guitar - Speedy Sparks, Bass - Doug Sham, Vocals - Ernesto Saldana Durawa, Drums - Louis Ortego, Acoustic Guitar - Sandoval Fuentes, Writer
© 2015 Rhino Entertainment, a Warner Music Group Company. All Rights Reserved ℗ 1991 Reprise Records
Flaco Jimenez, Accordion - Freddy Fender, Guitar - Texas Tornados, Producer, MainArtist - BILL HALVERSON, Producer - Oscar Tellez, Banjo - Bobby Black, Guitar - Speedy Sparks, Bass - Doug Sham, Vocals - Augie Myers, Writer - Ernesto Saldana Durawa, Drums - Louis Ortego, Acoustic Guitar
© 2015 Rhino Entertainment, a Warner Music Group Company. All Rights Reserved ℗ 1991 Reprise Records
Flaco Jimenez, Accordion - Freddy Fender, Guitar - Texas Tornados, Producer, MainArtist - BILL HALVERSON, Producer - Oscar Tellez, Banjo - Bobby Black, Guitar - Speedy Sparks, Bass - Doug Sham, Vocals, Writer - Ernesto Saldana Durawa, Drums - Louis Ortego, Acoustic Guitar
© 2015 Rhino Entertainment, a Warner Music Group Company. All Rights Reserved ℗ 1991 Reprise Records
Flaco Jimenez, Accordion - Freddy Fender, Guitar - Texas Tornados, Producer, MainArtist - BILL HALVERSON, Producer - Oscar Tellez, Banjo - Bobby Black, Guitar - Speedy Sparks, Bass - Doug Sham, Vocals, Writer - Ernesto Saldana Durawa, Drums - Louis Ortego, Acoustic Guitar
© 2015 Rhino Entertainment, a Warner Music Group Company. All Rights Reserved ℗ 1991 Reprise Records
Glenn Martin, Writer - Flaco Jimenez, Accordion - Freddy Fender, Guitar - Texas Tornados, Producer, MainArtist - BILL HALVERSON, Producer - Oscar Tellez, Banjo - Bobby Black, Guitar - Speedy Sparks, Bass - Doug Sham, Vocals - Santiago Jimenez Sr., Writer - Ernesto Saldana Durawa, Drums - Louis Ortego, Acoustic Guitar
© 2015 Rhino Entertainment, a Warner Music Group Company. All Rights Reserved ℗ 1991 Reprise Records
Gavin Povey, Writer - Flaco Jimenez, Accordion - Freddy Fender, Guitar - Texas Tornados, Producer, MainArtist - BILL HALVERSON, Producer - Oscar Tellez, Banjo - Bobby Black, Guitar - Speedy Sparks, Bass - Doug Sham, Vocals - Augie Myers, Writer - Ernesto Saldana Durawa, Drums - Louis Ortego, Acoustic Guitar
© 2015 Rhino Entertainment, a Warner Music Group Company. All Rights Reserved ℗ 1991 Reprise Records
Justo Carreras, Composer - Flaco Jimenez, Accordion - Texas Tornados, MainArtist
© 2015 Rhino Entertainment, a Warner Music Group Company. All Rights Reserved ℗ 1990 Reprise Records
Richard Bennett, Requinto Jarocho - Glenn Martin, Composer - Flaco Jimenez, Accordion - Louis Ortega, Acoustic Guitar - Freddy Fender, Electric Guitar, FeaturedArtist - Texas Tornados, MainArtist - Oscar Tellez, Bass - Bobby Black, Guitar - Augie Meyers, Organ, Voice - Speedy Sparks, Bass - Doug Sham, Electric Guitar - Ernie Durawa, Drums - Dave Kriby, Composer
© 2015 Rhino Entertainment, a Warner Music Group Company. All Rights Reserved ℗ 1990 Reprise Records
DISC 2
Doug Sahm, Guitar, Vocals, Writer - JIM DICKINSON, Producer - Flaco Jimenez, Accordion - Freddy Fender, Vocals - Texas Tornados, MainArtist - Augie Myers, Piano
© 2015 Rhino Entertainment, a Warner Music Group Company. All Rights Reserved ℗ 1992 Reprise Records
Marco Antonio Solis, Writer - Doug Sahm, Guitar, Vocals - JIM DICKINSON, Producer - Flaco Jimenez, Accordion - Freddy Fender, Vocals - Texas Tornados, MainArtist - Augie Myers, Piano
© 2015 Rhino Entertainment, a Warner Music Group Company. All Rights Reserved ℗ 1992 Reprise Records
Doug Sahm, Guitar, Vocals - Paige Levy, Writer - JIM DICKINSON, Producer - Flaco Jimenez, Accordion - Freddy Fender, Vocals, Writer - Texas Tornados, MainArtist - Augie Myers, Piano, Writer
© 2015 Rhino Entertainment, a Warner Music Group Company. All Rights Reserved ℗ 1992 Reprise Records
Doug Sahm, Guitar, Vocals - Bob Dylan, Writer - JIM DICKINSON, Producer - Flaco Jimenez, Accordion - Freddy Fender, Vocals - Texas Tornados, MainArtist - Augie Myers, Piano
© 2015 Rhino Entertainment, a Warner Music Group Company. All Rights Reserved ℗ 1992 Reprise Records
Doug Sahm, Guitar, Vocals - JIM DICKINSON, Producer - Flaco Jimenez, Accordion - Freddy Fender, Vocals - Texas Tornados, MainArtist - Shawn Sahm, Writer - Augie Myers, Piano
© 2015 Rhino Entertainment, a Warner Music Group Company. All Rights Reserved ℗ 1992 Reprise Records
Russell Smith, Writer - Mark D. Sanders, Writer - Doug Sahm, Guitar, Vocals - JIM DICKINSON, Producer - Flaco Jimenez, Accordion - Freddy Fender, Vocals - Texas Tornados, MainArtist - Augie Myers, Piano
© 2015 Rhino Entertainment, a Warner Music Group Company. All Rights Reserved ℗ 1992 Reprise Records
Doug Sahm, Guitar, Vocals - JIM DICKINSON, Producer - Flaco Jimenez, Accordion - Freddy Fender, Vocals - Texas Tornados, MainArtist - Jose Morante, Writer - Augie Myers, Piano
© 2015 Rhino Entertainment, a Warner Music Group Company. All Rights Reserved ℗ 1992 Reprise Records
Paige Levy, Composer - Flaco Jimenez, Accordion - Freddy Fender, Composer, Electric Guitar - Texas Tornados, MainArtist - Oscar Tellez, Bass - Augie Meyers, Composer, Accordion, Organ, Voice - Ernie Durawa, Drums - Louis Terrazas, Bass
© 2015 Rhino Entertainment, a Warner Music Group Company. All Rights Reserved ℗ 1990 Reprise Records
Bill Carter, Composer - Flaco Jimenez, Accordion - Texas Tornados, MainArtist
© 2015 Rhino Entertainment, a Warner Music Group Company. All Rights Reserved ℗ 1990 Reprise Records
Doug Sahm, Guitar, Vocals - Flaco Jimenez, Accordion - Freddy Fender, Vocals - Texas Tornados, MainArtist - BILL HALVERSON, Producer - Augie Myers, Piano - William Russell, Writer
© 2015 Rhino Entertainment, a Warner Music Group Company. All Rights Reserved ℗ 1996 Reprise Records
Doug Sahm, Guitar, Vocals - Flaco Jimenez, Accordion - Freddy Fender, Vocals, Writer - Texas Tornados, MainArtist - BILL HALVERSON, Producer - Augie Myers, Piano
© 2015 Rhino Entertainment, a Warner Music Group Company. All Rights Reserved ℗ 1996 Reprise Records
Doug Sahm, Arranger, Guitar, Vocals, Writer - JIM DICKINSON, Producer - Flaco Jimenez, Accordion - Freddy Fender, Vocals - Texas Tornados, MainArtist - Augie Myers, Piano - The West Side Horn Section, Horn
© 2015 Rhino Entertainment, a Warner Music Group Company. All Rights Reserved ℗ 1996 Reprise Records
Doug Sahm, Guitar, Vocals - JIM DICKINSON, Producer - Flaco Jimenez, Accordion - Freddy Fender, Vocals, Writer - Texas Tornados, MainArtist - Augie Myers, Piano - The West Side Horn Section, Horn
© 2015 Rhino Entertainment, a Warner Music Group Company. All Rights Reserved ℗ 1996 Reprise Records
Doug Sahm, Guitar, Vocals, Writer - JIM DICKINSON, Producer - Flaco Jimenez, Accordion - Freddy Fender, Vocals - Texas Tornados, MainArtist - Augie Myers, Piano - The West Side Horn Section, Horn
© 2015 Rhino Entertainment, a Warner Music Group Company. All Rights Reserved ℗ 1996 Reprise Records
Doug Sahm, Guitar, Vocals - JIM DICKINSON, Producer - Flaco Jimenez, Accordion - Freddy Fender, Vocals - Texas Tornados, MainArtist - Augie Myers, Piano - The West Side Horn Section, Horn - Joe Carrasco, Writer
© 2015 Rhino Entertainment, a Warner Music Group Company. All Rights Reserved ℗ 1996 Reprise Records
Doug Sahm, Guitar, Vocals - JIM DICKINSON, Producer - Flaco Jimenez, Accordion - Freddy Fender, Vocals - Texas Tornados, MainArtist - Augie Myers, Piano - The West Side Horn Section, Horn - Chris Wallisch, Writer
© 2015 Rhino Entertainment, a Warner Music Group Company. All Rights Reserved ℗ 1996 Reprise Records
Doug Sahm, Guitar, Vocals, Writer - JIM DICKINSON, Producer - Flaco Jimenez, Accordion - Freddy Fender, Vocals - Texas Tornados, MainArtist - Augie Myers, Piano - The West Side Horn Section, Horn
© 2015 Rhino Entertainment, a Warner Music Group Company. All Rights Reserved ℗ 1996 Reprise Records
Doug Sahm, Guitar, Vocals - JIM DICKINSON, Producer - Flaco Jimenez, Accordion, Writer - Louis Ortega, Writer - Freddy Fender, Vocals - Texas Tornados, MainArtist - Max Baca, Writer - Augie Myers, Piano - The West Side Horn Section, Horn
© 2015 Rhino Entertainment, a Warner Music Group Company. All Rights Reserved ℗ 1996 Reprise Records
Gene Dobbins, Writer - Bob Morrison, Writer - Doug Sahm, Guitar, Vocals - JIM DICKINSON, Producer - Flaco Jimenez, Accordion - Freddy Fender, Vocals - Texas Tornados, MainArtist - Augie Myers, Piano - The West Side Horn Section, Horn - Michael Ruffman, Writer
© 2015 Rhino Entertainment, a Warner Music Group Company. All Rights Reserved ℗ 1996 Reprise Records
Flaco Jimenez, Accordion - Texas Tornados, MainArtist
© 2015 Rhino Entertainment, a Warner Music Group Company. All Rights Reserved ℗ 1990 Reprise Records
Album review
Doug Sahm first used the name "Texas Tornado" in 1973, writing a song and naming an album after it. He first used it for a band in 1976, crediting Texas Rock for Country Rollers to Sir Doug & the Texas Tornados but the Texas Tornados didn't really become a group until 1990, when Sahm formed the Tex-Mex all-stars with his idol Freddy Fender, his right-hand man Augie Meyers, and Flaco Jiménez. Their first album -- released in two versions, one in English and one in Spanish -- caused a roots rock sensation upon its release, winning a Grammy for Best Mexican American/Tejano Performance for its track "Soy de San Luis" and helping to establish the band as a brand. Three albums followed quickly over the next six years -- the last, 4 Aces, appeared after a rush-released 1994 compilation The Best of Texas Tornados -- then the band faded away, turning into a touring concern and then an everlasting tribute to Sahm and Fender once those two giants passed away. Real Gone's A Little Bit Is Better Than Nada is the first real reckoning of the band's work, collecting highlights from those four albums (five, if you count the Spanish version of the debut separately) and adding some stray songs and unreleased recordings. The producers smartly balance all four Tornados, never favoring Sahm or Fender over Augie or Flaco, and the result not only highlights the band's range -- they slide from rock & roll and tejano to blues and honky tonk with ease -- but also how they make all these sounds seem unified. While each of their records is fun -- the first may be the best -- A Little Bit Is Better Than Nada eclipses all four by making those connections apparent but also underscoring how this sound, which was so innovative in the '60s and '70s, had turned into a deep, lasting tradition by the '90s.
© Stephen Thomas Erlewine /TiVo
About the album
- 2 disc(s) - 39 track(s)
- Total length: 02:09:26
- Main artists: Texas Tornados
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: Rhino - Warner Records
- Genre: Pop/Rock Rock
© 2015 Rhino Entertainment, a Warner Music Group Company. All Rights Reserved ℗ 2015 Rhino Entertainment, a Warner Music Group Company. All Rights Reserved
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