Music dream comes true

Anthony Chavez said since he lived in a small town, Portales, his dream of having his music played on the radio felt impossible. But now his slow Latin R&B music is played on radio stations.

Chavez has been through difficult times with his son, Esteban, 4, who was diagnosed with bacterial meningitis and lost his hearing.

Recently, however, Esteban received a cochlear implant and now he is at almost 100 percent hearing.

Chavez said his biggest influences are his grandmother and grandfather, who raised him. His grandfather died three years ago, but is still a huge influence on his life.

He has been with his wife Anna Chavez for 17 years.

What influences you when you write your songs?

My family and my experiences are what really inspire me. What my son has gone through with his hearing and my mom and dad (grandparents) have also wanted me to be my best.

My dad would always tell me, “Always make it in life because I’m’ not going to always be here.”

Since he passed away three years ago, I want to give all I can to my son. When you listen to my music, it's about my experiences and about my life.

What are your hobbies?

My music, and I like to take my son fishing. Also our family loves to do charity work. Whenever there is an event or anything to help our community, we try to do it. Recently we gave some pumpkins to the radio station for the pumpkin drive.

I’m also part of the Los Reyes Car Club, which does a lot for the community with car washes that raise money for people with cancer. Cancer effects everyone and I believe as a community we should help out as much as we can.

Also the weekend is family time. During the week day we are never home at the same time, so on the weekend it’s our time to be together.

So you like to fish?

Oh yes, I’m a big fisherman. I love to fish and we went out to Oasis State Park last year and I signed up my son into the derby and he was so excited, but we all got sunburn so bad.

Thing was though that day we were fishing and my wife was trying to be a fisherman and I was teaching her. Of course she caught all the fish and I got nothing.

How did you and your wife meet?

Well this was a secret to my mother-in-law, but I went to her quinceanera. Her father approached me and told me to stay away from her. I told him when she turns 18, I would find her. I did find her and I proposed to her.

We have been through the good and bad, but she is the best thing that has happened to me.

My mother-in-law, my wife and my mom are very strong women and great influences on me. They remind me to go to church when I don’t want to. That really helps me.

Why do you feel like giving back to the community?

Since my son was given the gift of hearing and we were a part of the radio station’s Secret Santa.

We were so blessed and we want to give back as much as we can. We want to give forward. The community is so great here and we want to support it.

Why did you become a diesel mechanic?

When I was growing up, I would see the kids playing in the street having fun and I would ask my dad if I could go and play, but he would tell me we had to work on the car.

He taught me everything about working on cars and so I became a diesel mechanic.

Every time I would work on a car it reminds me of my dad and that’s why I stayed in the field.