Tierra Cali

by Evan C. GutierrezFrom their home state of Michoacan, regional Mexican group Tierra Cali is one of the genre's few family acts, comprised of five brothers, including Humberto Plancarte (voice and keyboard), Rafael (bass), Cruz (percussion), Arcadio (keyboards), and Efrain Plancarte (drums). Tierra Cali began performing publicly in the town of Uruapan, where the brothers were brought up, quickly gaining popularity throughout the region. Early recordings with the Discos Ciudad label included tracks like "No Pares," the single "La Milpa," "El Arroyito" (2003), and "El Pescado Nadador" (2004). As the group gained notoriety, plans were laid for their first international appearances in Georgia, Washington, Texas, California, and more, following the release of their disc Alegria Calentana. Tierra Cali switched to the Lideres label in 2006 for the release of their first self-titled collection, switching again only a year later when offered a contract with Universal Latino's Vene Music. With Vene the band reached their largest audience to date with their 2007 release Enamorado de Ti. Though the band had built a healthy fan base through touring and experienced limited success with record sales, they had never before conquered the charts. "Enamorado de Ti" earned Tierra Cali a strong presence on charts both in Mexico and the States, placing at number 15 in Billboard's regional Mexican category.