Nov 23, 2018
Johnny "Vatos" Hernandez's professional drumming career began at
age seventeen with a USO tour to South Vietnam. At nineteen, he was
playing in local big bands, the LACC Studio Jazz Band and the Si
Zenter Big Band. During the same time, Hernandez played in a
variety of pit orchestras and backing acts, like Bob Hope, Billy
Daniels and Gordon McCray. In the 1970s, he played with The Helen
Reddy Band and served as the house drummer of "The Midnight
Special" television show. There, he played with acts, such as
Frankie Avalon, Petula Clark, Keith Carradine and Martin Mull. When
Helen Reddy hosted "The Tonight Show With Johnny Carson," Hernandez
had the honor of sitting in with The Doc Severinsen Band. Playing
the famous opening theme song was a lifelong thrill.
After having been heard, drumming with Toni Basil's band by
composer, Danny Elfman and his longtime orchestrator, Steve Bartek,
Hernandez was hired as a session drummer on Elfman's first film
score, "The Forbidden Zone" (which continues to have a worldwide
cult following). Hernandez joined the original lineup of the famous
band, Oingo Boingo, a position he held for seventeen years, until
their breakup in 1995. During that time, the band released eight
albums, toured the world and played thousands of concerts.
After the breakup of Oingo Boingo, Hernandez joined the band, Tito
and Tarantula and was featured in the Robert Rodriguez film, "From
Dusk Till Dawn." He had a rewarding time, touring Europe with Tito
until 911, but at that point, he decided to return to Los Angeles
to play jazz again. In the 1990s, Hernandez returned to regular
session work for composers, like Jason Johnson, Steve Bartek and
Bear McCreary. He was the drummer for Bear McCreary's hugely
popular "Battlestar Galactica" live orchestra concerts.
For the past seven years, Hernandez has been touring with his own,
Boingo Dance Party, a high energy, wild Oingo Boingo music show
that features former members of Oingo Boingo. As well, Hernandez is
the drummer for the Don Kubec Big Band and recently formed his own
avant-garde group, Vlatko, featuring composer and arranger, Michael
Vlatkovich on trombone (with whom Hernandez has played
professionally for the past forty years). Vlatkovich is one of the
leading talents among the Los Angeles improvisational scene.
Playing unrestricted free style music always will be good for
Hernandez's soul.
In November 2012, Hernandez received the esteemed "Los Angeles
Certificate of Recognition Award" from the Los Angeles City
Council.
Links:
Website: http://www.johnnyvatos.com
IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0379608/
Paul Jennings (Host) Instagram: www.instagram.com/playcajon