Rudy Madrid: August 4, 1949- January 23, 2010

By Ben Cadena

Where do you start to talk about an old friend compatriot and fellow musician? He left us too early but had been faring poorly in recent months. Local bar owner Brigitte Tapia of the Keyes Club at Eighth and Keyes (San Jose, CA) said, “We have to love him while we still have him.” This was just before Christmas. Strangely, Rudy had called me in October to complain and to try to find out who was spreading rumors of his demise. Rudy was born in Fresno Aug 4 th 1949, son of Manuel and Lola Dolores Madrid, compadres of Linda Ronstadt.

On a YouTube video this last August 24th at Rudy’s birthday and fundraiser bash, one could see Linda Pawlovich on piano, Ben Cadena (myself) on bass, Monico Flores on drums, Jim Flores on trombone, all came from the Andy Flores Band of the late ’60s .There also was longtime compatriot Abe Vasquez on sax and Bruce Kurasaki on trumpet. Tom Sosa played most of the night on bass. I remember Rudy sitting in, and then becoming the band’s vocalist in 1967 or so. Rudy was a young Overfelt High School student then and went to Santa Clara University later.

At San Jose State College, we would play for the Huelga gigs on Seventh Street with the late saxophonist Richard Herrera, Rudy’s compadre on sax. Then the University police would chase us off for not having a band permit. We had long hair drank Red Mountain wine (chicano gasoline) and at times we would play on the beach at Santa Cruz where the tide caught us instruments and all, or sneak into Professor Tino Esparza’s finals and play for them. We played for wine tastings and many times at Father Moriarty’s Sacred Heart Church on Palm in San Jose. Rudy's band always played for the 5 of May parades and of course Rigo Chacon's Abrazos and Books.

“Rudy was a truly gentle man and a community leader for United People Arriba in the ’60s and played for 250,000 people at the peace march in San Francisco,” recalled local labor organizer Fred Hirsch.Rudy was a C.O. during the Vietnam era. Rudy and I played for countless party’s and fundraisers, At the Keyes Bar we had just played for the 13 th fundraiser with Linda Pawlovich on piano and Monico Flores on drums and Rudy’s nephew Joey "Jam" Flores showed up, drummed and sang a few tunes also. The fundraiser was for an orphanage in Mexico and the local Carmelite nuns, Rudy could proudly say that we had raised some $73,000 for those institutions.

Rudy had also played with some famous names such as Little Joe, and Johnny Hernandez

of the Familia. He also played with Danny Valdez of Teatro Campesino fame. We toured in the 70s and played bars in Bakersfield and the Painted Wagon in Reno for the off duty bartenders and card dealers. In 1979 and 1980 Sweet Soul rudy's band representing San Jose was made up of Rudy, Monico Flores, Ben Cadena, Joannie Porras and Clay Shanrock on Bongos in Veracruz ,Mexico. 1980 found Rudy and Monico playing first in Las Vegas and later at the Willow Glen Inn on Lincoln in Willow Glen and the Greek owner recalled “Rudy put my kids through college.” In the 90s Rudy played at the Caravan downtown and with Steve Mendez's Big Band at the Three Flames Restaurant on Meridian. Rudy was a proud member of the Fraternal Order of the Eagles and once boosted their membership by at least eighty members when he signed all his friends up.

Rudy was always a cheerful jokester and loved to treat his friends to good food and always knew where the eats were on, being at Patty’s Bar or the old Bears" on Alma.

At his party on Aug 24 th he was presented with 4 plaques from the Congressman Mike Honda to plaques from the City Council and true to form when they called him up to stage he was getting a cold one in the local pub at the G.I. Forum. Rudy was always social and willing to lend a hand for anyone’s benefit.

He will be missed by all of us in his extended family and tons of local musicians and artists. Vaya con dios, Rudy I know you’ll be playing for him in the mas alla. Adios tu bajista, Ben Cadena.

-30-