Chicano group Tierra Legacy returns to Cal State LA for First Annual Car Show and Community Festival | Cal State LA Newsroom
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Chicano group Tierra Legacy returns to Cal State LA for First Annual Car Show and Community Festival
Iconic East Los Angeles band comes full circle after more than 50 years
April 20, 2026
By
Cal State LA News Service
Photo: Chicano R&B band Tierra Legacy will perform live at Cal State LA's First Annual Car Show and Community Festival on Saturday, April 25. (Credit: Tierra Legacy)
University News
Chicano group Tierra Legacy returns to Cal State LA for First Annual Car Show and Community Festival
Iconic East Los Angeles band comes full circle after more than 50 years
April 20, 2026
By
Cal State LA News Service
Photo: Chicano R&B band Tierra Legacy will perform live at Cal State LA's First Annual Car Show and Community Festival on Saturday, April 25. (Credit: Tierra Legacy)
Cal State LA will host a special performance by Chicano group Tierra Legacy during the First Annual Car Show and Community Festival, bringing the sound of one of East Los Angeles’ most influential bands back to the campus where its history began.
Tierra Legacy
, the next chapter of the legendary band Tierra, will perform live on Saturday, April 25, at 2:45 p.m. in Lot 5 as part of the festival’s entertainment lineup.
The performance marks a full-circle moment for the band, as Tierra, founded and led by brothers Rudy and Steve Salas,
first performed at Cal State LA in the early 1970s
. More than 50 years later, the latest iteration of the band returns to its roots to build on its legacy.
Tierra became a pioneering Chicano band known for blending rock, pop, jazz, R&B, and salsa into a distinctive Latin R&B sound. The group gained national recognition in 1981 with its hit “Together,” which reached No. 14 on the Billboard Hot 100. Other popular songs include “Gonna Find Her” and “Memories.”
Tierra earned widespread acclaim throughout the 1980s, including being named “Best R&B Vocal Group” by several publications, and appearing on shows such as
American Bandstand
Soul Train
, and
Solid Gold
. The band also became the first Latino American group to place four songs on national charts, with two appearing in the Top 100 at the same time.
Following the deaths of
Rudy in 2020
and
Steve in 2022
, the Salas family chose to continue the band’s influence through Tierra Legacy.
Today, Tierra Legacy—led by Rudy Salas’ son, David Salas—honors its past by bringing together original and longtime members to deliver the same timeless sound that made Tierra a household name.
With a deep commitment to preserving the music and spirit created by its founders, Tierra Legacy has performed hundreds of shows across the country and recently expanded internationally, performing in Canada for the first time in the band’s history.
Tierra Legacy recently released a new album, “The Legacy Continues,” showcasing its signature blend of soul, R&B, and Latin influences. The project was executive produced by Cal State LA’s former Educational Opportunity Program Director David Sandoval and alumnus Rafael Ventura of New Vista Communications. The album is available on Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube, Amazon Music, and Deezer.
Audiences can expect an unforgettable performance filled with classic hits, soulful melodies, and the signature blend of R&B, Latin, funk, and jazz that defined a generation. Tierra Legacy continues to bridge generations of fans, celebrating a musical legacy that remains as powerful today as it was over five decades ago.
The
Cal State LA Car Show and Community Festival
is an all-day event, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., celebrating car culture, live entertainment, and community engagement.
In addition to Tierra Legacy’s performance, the festival will feature a book signing and fan meet-and-greet with Lakers legend Michael Cooper, a stand-up comedy set by Johnny Roque, an acrobatic showcase by Stunts in Motion, a ceremonial handoff of Cal State LA’s award-winning Solar Eagle III to the Petersen Automotive Museum, and the El Sereno Night Market with local food vendors.
This event is a powerful reflection of who Cal State LA is—rooted in Los Angeles, driven by innovation, and connected to the community.
Photo: Founded by brothers Rudy and Steve Salas, the original R&B band Tierra debuted in 1972 at Cal State LA in a performance organized by their uncle, Art Brambila. (Credit: Tierra Legacy)
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