Amy Lindesmith - Violin 3
Clay Zapata - Trumpet
Gerardo Hernandez - Guitar, Lead Vocals
Juan Santana - Guitar, Lead Vocals
Julio Gascon - Vihuela
Justus Johnston - Violin 1
Kevin Stringfellow - Trumpet
Maria Belen Ruffin - Violin 2
Paul Gomez - Guitarron
Robert Ruiz - Vihuela/Guitar, Lead Vocals, Instructor
Wilmari Ruiz - Flute

Students and professionals wishing to audition for permanent
positions, please call 405-579-3693 or email info@enye.com.

Adair is of Japanese, Cherokee, and Caucasian decent and has lived in Norman, OK since she was 10 years old. She began playing piano at age 4 and began playing violin in 5th grade. She currently attends the University of Oklahoma to pursue a Bachelor's Degree in Music Education and teaches for the Sooner String Project through the University.Aside from attending school and performing with Mariachi Orgullo, Amy raises her two children. Amy joined Mariachi Orgullo in March 2005. What Amy likes about joining Mariachi Orgullo de America is the opportunity to play music again and the friendships she has made.
Picture to come.	My name is Clay Zapata and originally from Chicago, Ill.  I started playing trumpet while in high school.  I also had the opportunity to listen to mariachi groups as well as famous singing stars from Mexico.  From those experiences, I decided that if I ever had the chance I would play in one.  In the meantime, I have enjoyed playing in community bands and church groups the past few years here in Oklahoma City, OK.  Then, I had the opportunity to join the group about two years ago.  I have really enjoyed playing in the mariachi and the friendship with the talented members of the group!  I also like meeting and talking with the people at the gigs that we play throughout the state of Oklahoma on weekends.  During the week, I work as a civilian at Tinker Air Force Base.
Gerardo Hernandez - Bio to come.		Picture to come.
	Juan Santana Garcia was born in Monterrey, Nuevo León, México on July 26, 1962. As a child, he saved up his money and bought his first guitar. He began studying guitar on his own. When he was thirteen years old, he moved to Lubbock, TX. There he worked as a radio personality for KLFB and KCLR. During this time he also performed with Mariachi Flores as a singer and song writer. In 1988 in addition to performing with Mariachi Flores, Juan began performing with Israel Barantes. Together they formed a tropical music group called Algeria 88. They performed together for four years until Juan decided to move to Oklahoma. In 1994, Juan joined a group called Conjunto Regional Hermanos Rios. Currently, Juan performs with Mariachi Orgullo de América and operates his own roofing and remodeling company. He is also the father of nine children. Juan feels that joining Mariachi Orgullo has been a satisfying experience and is very proud to be a part of the group.
Julio Gascon was born in El Paso, TX and is from Mexican decent. His mother is from Delicias, Chihuahua and his father is from San Juan De Los Lagos,Jalisco. He began playing the saxophone in the 6th grade. Shortly after, he began playing guitar, vihuela, and trumpet. He performed at the music programs in Donna High School in Rio Grande Valley, TX from 1997-2001. He joined Mariachi Orgullo in 2006 and feels that joining this group allows him to interpret a tradition that will never end.		Picture to come.
Picture to come.	My name is Justus Johnston and I was born in Memphis, TN in 1979 and raised Jewish.  I started the violin at the age of 5.  After moving to Oklahoma at age 12, I became heavily involved with the local music world.  Although I won many awards for my playing, my fondest memories of being a music student are writing music for me and my friends in the orchestra to play together...culminating in conducting the orchestra in some of my own music during my senior year.  After high school, I studied violin and music composition at Oklahoma City University for 4 years.  Following my college experience, I decided to get involved in recording, and became a professional sound engineer/music producer, eventually even teaching classes.  What followed next was several years of working a great variety of jobs, which includes producing the audio for talk shows on TBN, directing voice acting/sound effects/Foley for animation, running front-of-house sound for a number of churches and rock venues, and working with incredibly diverse musical talent from many locales and many genres in the studio.  In 2007, I decided to return to school to study electrical engineering. I met Robert Ruiz in November 2008, at a Game Stop at the Sooner Mall in Norman carrying my violin case, as I had recently played a Holiday gig for a church there.  He walked right up to me and asked "Can you actually play that thing?"  This is a question I'm used to hearing, and since I'd long since given up on attempting false humility, I responded with my standard deadpan answer of "Yes, and I'm pretty good at it too."  Much to my surprise, he responded with an equally blunt response: "Then you should play with my band.", and so I've been playing with them ever since.
Kevin Stringfellow - bio to come.		Picture to come.
	Maria Belen Ruffin was born in Oklahoma City, OK. She is from Spanish, Sicilian, and Mexican decent. She began playing violin in 3rd grade. She graduated from the Classen School of Advance Studies. She has participated in several orchestras including Classen HS orchestra, All State, Oklahoma Youth Orchestra, NCHL, and Tri State. She currently attends Oklahoma City Community College majoring in nursing. She began playing with Mariachi Orgullo in Oct 2005. What Maria Belen likes most about playing with Mariachi Orgullo is performing fun music and dancing, the opportunity to perform in front of an audience, to show her talent, and the sense of family among the other musicians.
I was born in Lawton, Oklahoma to Paul R. Gomez, Sr. and Delphine Parton Gomez. My father is Mexican-American, born and raised in Anardarko, Oklahoma and my mother is Native American from the Caddo Nation of Oklahoma and was born in Binger, Oklahoma. My father was military and we were stationed in many locations. While in Germany I picked up playing the guitar. One Christmas my father surprised me with an electric bass guitar. I began playing the bass from that point on listening to the Motown sounds, rhythm and blues and the current top forty hits. I played in a group while there and later when we returned to Lawton. I came to Oklahoma City in 2005 to work after leaving Dallas, Texas to take care of my ailing sister and mother, who have since passed away. Through my uncle Ernie, I became acquainted with Mariachi Orgullo and found out they were going to need a guitarron player in the near future. Greg Hallman, the original guitarron player and I got acquainted and I mentioned I played bass and he asked if I would be interested in playing in his absence and I said maybe. I really didn’t know what I was getting into. Though I am both of Mexican-American and Native American heritage, I had never really listened to Mariachi music until after I attended the 2006 Mariachi Festival concert in Oklahoma City where Mariachi Cobre performed, I instantly fell in love with the music. Mariachi Orgullo de America also performed and was very good. At that moment I had no idea I would be playing Mariachi. After I joined the group, I immersed myself into the music and met the challenge of playing the difficult instrument. I had been raised in the American and Native American cultures until I met up with Mariachi Orgullo. They accepted me as a musician and now are teaching me my Mexican culture through this wonderful music. Mariachi has been described as the soul of the Mexican people and culture. I am proud to be playing this beautiful music of my Mexican heritage. My father has always wanted me to get involved in Mexican music and finally his wish is fulfilled. I know he is proud as I am proud in performing it.		Picture to come
	Robert Ruiz was born in San Antonio, TX. He began playing trumpet in 6th grade, and joined the Spanish church choir at St. Bridget's Catholic Church soon after. He joined Mariachi Estrellas de Tejas when he was twelve-years-old and began singing as well. He then went on to play for Mariachi Azteca and started his own group as a senior in high school called Mariachi Almas de Oro. He arranged music, played guitar and sang for the group. He came to the University of Oklahoma as a National Scholar in pursuit of an engineering degree in computer science. His freshman year, Robert co-founded the first OU Latin ensemble, Echos de las Américas. In 2002, Robert and a group of other individuals founded Mariachi Orgullo de América. Soon after he helped found Son del Barrio and established Enye Music. He is also the owner of Enye Group and is a Partner for Enye Media.Robert is now the musical director of Mariachi Orgullo de America and is extremely proud of the group's diversity, and being able to have his family so close to the music he loves.
Wilmari Ruiz was born in Wichita, KS. Because her father was in the Air Force, she was raised throughout the US. She began playing piano at age seven but switched to flute at age nine. She performed in junior high and high school playing in Concert Band and Marching Band. She graduated from Midwest City High School and began attend the University of Oklahoma. Currently she is the Director of Operations for Énye Media, Énye Music, and ARES recording studio. She performs in Mariachi Orgullo de America and Son del Barrio, and is a student at the University of Phoenix majoring in marketing. What joining Mariachi Orgullo de América means to her is the knowledge that she gains about her husband's culture and sharing it with their four children.
Mariachi Orgullo Past Members