La Autoridad de la Sierra were born of a small splinter group that left the duranguense front-runners K-Paz de la Sierra. Former K-Paz composer and arranger Arturo Palomar, originally from Guadalajara, along with a few other key bandmates, decided in October of 2004 to walk away from one of the genre's most successful groups and start afresh. Based in the duranguense hub of Chicago, Palomar and cohorts wasted no time in assembling a group, recording and releasing their debut record only a few months later in February of 2005. 100% Autoridad Duranguense hit the Billboard charts with force, landing close to the top of several Latin categories. The album's release was followed by a well-attended concert tour, along with a follow-up release in November entitled Gracias Rigo. La Autoridad were nominated for a Billboard award that year thanks to their startling rise to fame, noted by a dominant presence on Mexican radio and months of sold-out concert tours. As is typical in the regional Mexican music world, the group hammered the market over the next few years with exhaustive touring and a new record every six months. In 2006 the band, only two years old, was honored with the Lo Nuestro Award for Group of the Year. La Autoridad de la Sierra have maintained their strong chart presence right through 2007's Momentos Inolvidables, which debuted at number five on Billboard's regional Mexican charts. ~ Evan C. Gutierrez, Rovi