Augustin Ramirez is an icon in tejano music. Known to fans as "El Guti," the Grammy winner is a celebrated (and often covered) composer as well as a performing and recording artist. Some of his most popular songs include "Ruina de Mi Corazon," "Sangre de Indio," and "Tres Ramitas." He has recorded over 80 albums and been recognized nationally for his contribution to tejano music. Ramirez was born in Lockhart, Texas, a small town located south of Austin. His musical career commenced during his teens as he performed with regional artists such as Cisco Rangel y Los Jesters, Los Dominoes, Fred Salas, Los Latinos, and Roy Montelongo, before leaving to form his own band. Beginning with his solo debut album, El Barco Chiquito (known especially for its hit single "Ojitos Traviesos") released by El Zarape in 1965, Ramirez's unique singing style drew fans en masse. He cut numerous records for El Zarape -- including El Cautivador, El Sangre Indio, Es Tierra Chicana, and Te Quiero Carinito -- and in 1973 he left for Freddie Records, where he remained. His best-known albums of the 1970s and '80s include No. 1 Otra Vez, Live at the Party House and Necesito Tu Amor. Ramirez's signature song, "Las Tres Ramitas," was recorded by the Hometown Boys in 1995; it won Best Song of the Year at the annual Tejano Music Awards in San Antonio. In 1997, he was inducted into the Tejano Music Hall of Fame. In 2001, he won a Latin Grammy Award for Best Tejano Album for Qué Es Música Tejana? as part of his participation in the Legends, a collaborative effort between tejano all-stars Sunny Ozuna, Freddy Martinez, and Carlos Guzman. They issued a follow-up in 2006 (Otra Vez Raices) and were nominated again. Since then, Ramirez has focused primarily on recording and re-recording his enormous catalog of songs, as well as norteño and tejano standards and touring Texas. He has numerous hits compilations, but his multi-volume The Legendary series offers the finest representation of his work, blending new and old, originals and covers. The eighth volume in the series was issued in 2016. ~ Thom Jurek, Rovi