Bobby Pulido

Jose Roberto Pulido Jr. (born April 25, 1971), known professionally as Bobby Pulido, is an American singer, songwriter, guitarist, and actor.

He is acclaimed for pioneering the dissemination of Tejano music to a youthful audience, subsequently ascending as a teen idol and becoming one of the most influential Tejano recording artists among Mexican-American teenagers.

Jose Roberto Pulido Jr. was born on April 25, 1971, in Edinburg, Texas.

He is the oldest child of Roberto Pulido, an award-winning Tejano music singer; and Diana Montez, daughter of norteño musician Mario Montez of Los Donneños.

Known professionally as Bobby Pulido, he attended Edinburg High School and became a member of the school's mariachi ensemble before embarking on a journey with his father's band, Los Clásicos, where he contributed as a saxophonist and backup vocalist.

In 1994, EMI Latin unveiled a compilation album titled Branding Icons, that showcased Pulido's collaborative effort with his father on "Contigo".

Pulido was accepted at St. Mary's University, where he pursued a major in business management.

Following the album's release, Pulido abandoned his collegiate pursuits and venture into a singing career during the golden age of Tejano music.

Pulido spearheaded the establishment of his own band, enlisting guitarist Gilbert Trejo, bassist Mike Fox, drummer and uncle Jimmy Montez, keyboardist Rey Gutierrez, and Frank Caballero, who assumed the role of the band's accordion virtuoso.

Initially, Pulido encountered censure from Tejano musicians, who contended that the vocalist was capitalizing on the prestige amassed by his father's well-established musical career.

In 1995, Pulido debuted on the music scene as the frontman of his eponymous band.

During the same year, he forged a recording contract with EMI Latin and released his debut album, Desvelado.

The album peaked at number nine on the United States Billboard Top Latin Albums chart and at number three on the US Billboard Regional Mexican Albums chart.

The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) certified the album platinum, denoting shipments of 100,000 units.

The titular track propelled Pulido into a celebrated Tejano singer, albeit drawing criticism from veteran musicians who opined that his success in the genre derived from the preexisting musical impact of his father, Roberto Pulido.

In May 1995, Pulido inked a recording agreement with EMI Latin, culminating in the release of his debut album, Desvelado, that September.

President of EMI Latin, Jose Behar, shared with Billboard his ardent optimism for the singer's propects within the country music market.

His debut single "No Se Por Que" peaked at number 33 on the United States Billboard Hot Latin Tracks chart in December 1995.

Debuting at number 44 on the Top Latin Albums, Desvelado propelled Pulido's eponymous title track, where it peaked at number 21, establishing Pulido as one of the most popular Tejano artists.

Pulido's album Enséñame (1996), which peaked at number two on the Billboard Regional Mexican Albums chart, garnered him a nomination for the Tejano Music Award for Male Entertainer of the Year and the Lo Nuestro Award for Regional Mexican New Artist of the Year.

In April 1996, the album peaked at number nine on the Top Latin Albums chart and number three on the Billboard Regional Mexican Albums chart.

Billboard's John Lannert, lauded Pulido's chart placement as "impressive", hailing the singer as a "fast-rising artist".

It was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), signifying shipments of 100,000 units in the US.

Pulido ended 1996 as the eighth best-selling regional Mexican artist and Desvelado ended the year as the eleventh best-selling regional Mexican album.

At the 1996 Tejano Music Awards, Pulido tied first place with Eddie Gonzales for Best New Rising Male Tejano Artists.

In July 1996, Pulido married Eliza Anzaldua, prompting a brief hiatus from his career.

Pulido persisted in the promotion of his second album, Enséñame, which was released a month following his marriage.

Billboard, recognizing the essence of Enséñame as a resounding ranchera album infused with catchy cumbia undertones, surmised that Pulido aimed to emulate Emilio Navaira, who sought to crossover and establish himself as a country music singer.

Writing in the San Antonio Express-News, Ramiro Burr affirmed that Pulido's vocals had undergone significant refinement compared to the preceding recordings.

Enséñame peaked at number ten on the Top Latin Albums and number two on the Regional Mexican Albums charts.

The album generated three Regional Mexican Airplay tracks that secured spots within the top 20; "Enséñame", "Se Murió De Amor", and "La Rosa".

In 1998, Pulido performed a sold-out performance at the Auditorio Coca-Cola in Monterrey, the first Tejano artist to achieve this feat.

In 1998, the singer was recognized with the Male Entertainer of the Year award at the Tejano Music Awards for three consecutive years.

Pulido became the youngest honoree to receive the Orgullo de la Frontera accolade by the Fiestas Mexicanas in February 1999.

The album reached sales of 100,000 units by the end of 1999.

By 2000, the waning popularity of Tejano music resulted in Pulido's subsequent albums failing to make an impact on music charts.

In 2003, Pulido made his acting debut, assuming the lead role in the made-for-television film La Decada Furiosa.

He also appeared in the telenovelas Fuego en La Sangre and Qué pobres tan ricos.

Pulido encountered commercial disappointment with his album Enfermo de Amor (2007), prompting a three-year hiatus, he resurfaced with the release of Dias de Ayer (2010).

Concurrently, Pulido renewed his foray into the acting realm, making a guest appearance in the film Noches Con Platanito.