ON A SOUL SEARCHING JOURNEY
After a life-changing accident, Josué Urrutia finds his grove with Los Domingueros, solo work
Josué Urrutia has an ear for music. All his life, he’s been influenced by not only the music he’s listened to, but the sounds that make up his environment.
The Albuquerque-based musician’s family came to the United States during the Family Unity and Parental Notification Act in 1992.
While growing up, his brother got him listening to Elvis Presley. Meanwhile, his mother would sing mariachi music at home.
These elements were the foundation that serves Urrutia today as a full-time musician.
He’s part of the Latin-based band Los Domingueros, which plays locally around New Mexico.
While the band continues to perform, Urrutia took a giant leap recently and began performing solo shows. He’s beginning to perform a locations around the Albuquerque metro area about four to five times a week. His upcoming shows are on Friday, March 10, at Black Angus Steakhouse and then on Saturday, March 11, at Duke City Beaches.
“The decision was tough to make because I was making a living working in corporate America,” he says. “I needed to make a change.”
Los Domingueros was started by Urrutia in August 2021.
In June 2021, Urrutia was in a car accident that put him on a soul- searching journey.
At the time, he was playing and singing at parties and local Latin dance events, while going live on Facebook for friends and family to pass the time.
When an opportunity came to play a venue, he thought he was booked as a solo artist and good to go.
The venue owner told him he wanted to book a band and he quickly assembled some musician friends and they pulled together to perform for this first gig. Afterward he immediately started the search for a drummer and guitar player to form an official band.
Urrutia balances both of his ventures in music with great care.
He’s coming up with new ideas for songs for both projects.
“I’m impatient and I work to make things happen,” he says. “When I write, my approach is different. I write things I like to sing because my pride is my voice. I let things come naturally. Sometimes I start with a melody, other times, it’s with lyrics.”
Urrutia is in no rush to get material out, though.
“I’ve had a song that’s been running around in my head since November,” he says. “I wish my pace was better at writing. Last year, I busted out six or seven new songs. Writing songs brings me to life.”