Business major stay true to his music

Entrepreneurship Jose Angel Altamirano sings, plays the guitar and little bit of piano.

“ I started singing before I can remember and I just naturally liked it,” Altamirano said.

“ My dad bought me my first guitar, which I broke because at that age (10 years old), I didn’t want to learn.”

One of the first tunes that he learned to play was, “You’re Mine” by Richie Valens. Later on he learned to sing Spanish ballads from the group Los Terricolas.

Jose’s love for the music came from his parents. He admitted his dad also likes to sing music like classica Mexicana, Rancheras and other Latin rhythms. Altamirano’s mom likes oldies from Latin groups, like 1970 s Spanish music. However Jose drew his influence from bolero music, slow-tempo Latin music, like Armando Manzanero. Rock music from the 1970s, like Led Zeppelin, inspired him as well.

But Jose has listens to two musicians he really looks up to.

Two admired musicians by Jose are Pedro Infante and Jose Jose.

“Jose Jose because he came from a poor background the same as Pedro Infante and the both rose to become icons in the musical world of Mexico and Latin America, another thing I admire of Pedro Infante is his charisma, people say he was always laughing and smiling” Jose Angel said.

Jose’s first instrument is his voice, because he learned he could manipulate it in whatever way he desires. To help his voice, a friend gave him a guitar and he learned to play so he could have background music while singing. He practices vocals and guitar at least an hour a day.

A majority of his recording is done at his home studio.

Altamirano tries to schedule a designed time for music and work around it but sometimes obligations take over. Currently

Jose performs at restaurants, parties and any public places where he is invited.

Jose recalls his earliest performances, some of his fondest times.

“My musical memories are the time when I was 7 years old and I had to sing a song at the Mother’s day festival in front of all the students and their parents.” Altamirano said. “And the time I performed in the venue Chain reaction, with a rapper C-Tre.”

He confesses focusing on his studies first and cannot put 100 percent into his music, but is hoping to enter a competition sometime in 2012.