Tony Casanova

Tony Casanova was born Jutilio Perez in Puerto Rico in 1942. His family moved to California in 1950, as Puerto Rico was part of the American commonwealth and Puerto Ricans had rights of US citizenship. Perhaps they, like thousands of other Latin migrants moved to the mainland in search of a better life but the climate for them and many others was one of discrimination and unequal rights. Youngs Latinos were not accepted as "real Americans" they were outsiders in many ways. For a youth standing at the margings of society, what greater salvation and could there be than R&R? Is it any wonder that so many juvenile Latinos identified with the youngful Elvis, the patron rockin saint of all the dispossessed misfits? The music found Tony Casanova and he began playing the guitar and singing whilist still at school..........