Internet Radio Personality Is On a Quest

“My quest is to revive Tejano music and bring Tejano entertainment to California, Mel Anthony Duran said during an interview at the Tejano Conjunto Festival.

If the name doesn’t ring a bell, it’s because his on-the-air monniker is MadDawg.

“M.A.D. are my initials and I got ‘dawg’ because everyone says, ‘cómo eres perro en las tamboras.’

His admiration and respect for its artists is so deep that his analogy of Tejano musicians is that “they are ‘artists’ who sculpture something from out of nothing. You sign it and then people buy your work of art – being the music.”

Yes, MadDawg may have been born in Oxnard, California and raised in Pomona, but he loves Tejano music and he wants this genre known to mainstream American and he realizes that all they need is exposure.

“These artists have so much talent and it’s time for them to have their big day. I can’t believe it’s 2011 and Tejano music has never had a day in the limelight,” the 48-year-old radio jock said.

“I mean they can do it all and do it well – from country and western, rhythm and blues to boleros, soul, rancheras and cumbias and I’m talking about one artist.

“Jay Pérez can do it. Now try to get any member of Los Tigres Del Norte” to sing ‘Me and Mrs. Jones’ or ‘Suavecito.’ That’s how versatile a Tejano vocalist is.”

What few people know is that MadDawg is a drummer. So he can relate to musicians. But it was not until September 3, 2010 that he officially became a disc jockey for Dave “Biondi” Pierce’s Houston-based BNet Radio.

Flashing back to his childhood, MadDawg and his best friends Richard “Rick” Larez and Larry Tarin plus other neighborhood kids attended Alcott Elementary School, minutes from the home of Ritchie Valens.

Here, they were required to learn how to play an instrument by the fifth grade. Then the threesome formed The Blue Flame. When Rick’s father, Butch Larez of Los Tiburones, saw how serious they were, he took their band under his wing.

“Rick’s dad gave me a copy of Little Joe’s ‘Para La Gente’ double-eagle album and, at seven; I learned to play ‘Las Nubes.’ Then, after two years, we formed The Starlighters, a neighborhood garage band.

“As we grew up The Starlighters had the opportunity to open for Little Joe at the Chris Davis Supper Club in Rialto, California. Meanwhile, I played with a bunch of other bands. I recorded with Together Band, another Tejano Band. Over the years they opened for Tejano artists such as La Sombra, Jimmy Edward and Los Dinos. Thirty years later, Rick, Larry and I became the Flamingo Band,” MadDawg continued.

In spite of people’s love for Tejano, they continued to look for full exposure because in California because Tejano music was virtually underground music. And as hard as they tried to find the music, it was virtually non-existent and they got burnt out.

“So I much less gave up on Tejano music all together,” MadDawg explained. “That is, until my sister, Mary Jane Durán, told me about BNetRadio. ‘Listen to it and you’re going to become involved,’ she said.

“I did and I started noticing that every song was a Tejano tune and it was the music I had been looking for. They played the music that I enjoyed. Because of BNetRadio and El Picante (Manny García), I went to TTMA’s Fan Fair and I was in heaven. I was blown away by all the bands playing Tejano music.”

Two years after the Fan Fair, MadDawg brought the Flamingo Band to perform at the 2010 Fan Fair in San Antonio Texas where Robert Dorantes from Avizo performed with them as a special guest.

Just as his sister had predicted, he called BNetRadio’s founder and asked if he could promote the internet radio station in California and it was September 3, 2009 when MadDawg embarked on the mission of his life as the head of the Ground Task Force.

He spent $10,000 out of his own pocket for sound equipment, $3,000 to rent a booth at the largest country fair in the world – the Los Angeles County Fair plus another bundle for flyers and business cards. Roland Martínez and Tito Guerrero came out at their own expense. Johnny Hernández and Bob Gallarza also showed their support by attending the BNetRadio remote.

“The fair drew over one million people on the opening day and I personally spoke to 1,800 people and on September 3, 2010, another 2000 people” MadDawg said.

After that, he continued to do minor events all the way up to San Francisco. Later, Darrel and Anna Sauceda, a board member of the California Hispanic Chamber of Commerce hired Joe Posada and David Marez to perform at the prestigious Biltmore Hotel in downtown Los Angeles and the white collar crowd loved them.

Last year, MadDawg spent $7,000 on broadcasting equipment, did a second remote for BNetRadio where Jorge Moreno showed up for an interview.

“It’s all about exposing Tejano music to California. It’s not about me. It never was. It’s about the artists and them getting a fair shake. I’m just a voice.”

Now, as a BNetRadio personality, the construction company owner, who never did radio before, is giving Tejano artists a new field of exposure to not only California but the entire planet through the World Wide Web. Greater yet is the fact that BNetRadio is the “Number One Tejano music radio station” on the internet thus making it the most listened to broadcast in Earth.

In addition, musicians love him because he’s a musician and understands them. Therefore, they are able to jive, bond and open up to MadDawg during interviews, which are heard around the globe.

“The beauty of BNet Radio is that you can listen to it on your cell phone. That beats spending money on satellite radio and Terrestrial radio is on its way out. That’s why they don’t even make antennas anymore.”

“I thank God for my continued blessings. the opportunities and doors that been opened for me, that he has given me, my friends and family who have continued to support me in this quest plus a special thanks to Madeline Lozano.

The super popular MadDawg can be heard broadcasting live from Pomona, California or from time to time when in San Antonio, Texas conducting live interviews with the artists.

MadDawg can be heard at www.bnetradio.com each Monday to Friday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. CST. For additional information, readers can contact el perro de la radio at tejanocal@live.com or go to www.groundtaskforce.com.