Today we’d like to introduce you to Chris Rocha.
Hi Chris, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I come from a Hispanic family born and raised in Robstown Tx. My father was a Vietnam veteran so I was raised very patriotically. The war affected him in a very negative way. He would abuse my mother and was an alcoholic. When I was at the age of 7 he gave his life to Christ and did a complete 180. Since he was a musician he started a band/ ministry with my family. He then started teaching me to play guitar.
That sparked something in me. I would sit in the front row of my church watching the guitar players. I became obsessed with the instrument. I started traveling with my dad’s band at the age of 9 and started playing at my church as well. Since I had all the instruments at my house I started learning to play them all. In my teenage years, I started a band with my sisters and friends.
During my senior year in high school, I knew that I had to make decisions as far as my career. I remember the college recruiters coming to my class offering up all kinds of careers but none interested me. The only thing that interested me was music. I heard about a school in Ohio that was for studio engineers but my family had absolutely no resources.
One of my friends went and brought back his curriculum and gave it to me. There was no YouTube University back then so I learned everything from the books my friend brought back. I started working as a dishwasher to build funds to get equipment and started my recording studio. My dad would help me by sending his friends that were singers to have me produce them.
When I was 20 I got 2 great offers: 1 was from Abraham Quintanilla, Selena’s father. He had the nicest studio in Corpus Christi and was a world renounced producer. The 2nd offer was from a church in Beaumont Tx. I knew choosing between the 2 was going to be an important decision for me so I prayed to God and asked for his guidance. He told me something very clear. He said, “stay close to me and my church and you’ll never lack anything”.
I decided to take that position at the church in Beaumont Tx and everything started lining up for me. After being there for 2 years I decided to move to Dallas to continue my music career. I played for a few different bands in the English music industry but things started to go well for me in the Spanish music industry. I found myself working and producing for artists that I grew up listening to.
At first, I was reluctant to continue down that path cause Spanish was my 2nd language and it wasn’t my preferred industry. After a few years of struggling in small band tours sleeping in the van and sharing 6 people in a room in motel 6’s across the US I decided to go all out in the Christian Spanish Music industry. Since then I’ve participated in 2 Grammy Award-winning Albums, nominated in 5 others, won 2 dove awards, and won a Premios Arpa.
I’ve been traveling around the world and producing for a Spanish band called Miel San Marcos among other artists for the past 10 years. I’ve started a record label called 418 Records. I believe it’s important to invest in upcoming artists and give them the tools they need to make a difference. I’ve started an online guitar teaching platform called CR Online.
I feel that I’ve traveled so much and played at some of the most prestigious venues in my life and at this point, I’m more about inspiring and teaching the younger generation. I also write articles for Worship Musician Magazine every month. Amongst running my businesses I’m also the music department director at my church.
I’ve been there for 20 years and I believe investing in your local church is key to having God’s favor upon your life. Among my sponsors, I work a lot with Gretsch Guitars which is my favorite guitar company. We’re in the process of putting out my signature guitar which is en route to come out this year. I can’t complain, God truly has blessed me.
As far as what’s in store for my future, I’m about to launch a vocal teaching platform called CR Online Canto with one of my artists from 418 Records. I’m investing in my Record Label to take it up to another level. I also want to release an album this year with some of my very singers. So many things to do, and I’m very for what’s coming in 2023.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
I wouldn’t say it’s been smooth but when you have a solid purpose you can move mountains to make things happen. I remember a time when I moved to Dallas Texas a while back. I went to play in a band that had an opportunity to sign with a big record label. They had potential but I wasn’t that pleased with their songs. I went all in for them.
We wrote songs from scratch, started playing in the local scene and I started helping out the singer and his family to build a recording studio. I started teaching them about writing songs, studio engineering, and producing. After 2 years of being there, we still didn’t have a solid contract with a record label and I started realizing that I had spent the last 2 years investing in them and had nothing to show for it myself. I had no money whatsoever. I remember one night after working late in the studio a storm hit.
As I drive to my apartment I drive into a flash flood area where I lost my car and the equipment in it. I laid down that night to go to sleep still in my wet clothes and shoes on my twin bed staring up at the ceiling thinking, what have I got myself into? The next morning I called my older brother depressed and asked him for help. He offered to take me in and told me that he had an extra car. All I had to do was repair it and I could use it. I somewhere came up with the $750 to get it fixed.
There at my brother’s house in the woodlands, I started building my studio from scratch again. I remember meeting a drummer from before that had invited me to his church which was in that area so I went there. That was 20 years ago and I’m still there at that church working. It’s become a staple in my life. I knew that if I kept supporting the local church and doing my best for God that he would continue to line things up for me and he has.
I learned some very valuable lessons from that time and haven’t forgotten them. Never stop Investing in yourself no matter how busy you are with other things. God can’t give you more if you can’t handle and take care of what you have now.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I’m a guitar player/ Music Producer. I love producing music. I started playing guitar at the age of 7 and never stopped. I started producing music at the age of 18. I have participated in 2 Granny award-winning records, been nominated for 5 Grammy awards, won 2 Dove awards and I won 1 Premios Arpa.
I’m known for being a guitar player in the Christian Spanish music industry. I’ve been playing and traveling in this industry for over 20 years. I’ve produced, played, and recorded live in some of the nicest venues. Madison Square Garden, Crypto Arena formally known as Staples Center, Auditorio Nacional (Mexico), and amongst others the Mexico City Arena.
I’m proud of several things. I own a record label called 418 Records, I have a Guitar Teaching Platform and I’m in the process of putting out my signature guitar with Gretsch Guitars. That’s a huge honor. They have some of the most renowned guitars on their artist signature roster. Bono from U2, Brian Setzer, Richard Forus (Guns and Roses) Etc…..
What sets me apart from others is that I make it intentional to invest in others. I dedicate most of my YouTube channel which just hit 100,000 subscribers to teaching other guitar players what I know. I know that my calling is to inspire other musicians.
What are your plans for the future?
I plan to grow my record label and also release a few albums myself. I also plan to start a few more businesses within the music industry this year.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.chrisrochaguitar.com
- Instagram: www.Instagram.com/chrisrochaguitar
- Facebook: www.Facebook.com/chrisrochaguitar
- Youtube: www.YouTube.com/chrisrochaguitar
