Remembering The Hacienda Bros. Chris Gaffney

Fresh Air | By Terry Gross

Published May 16, 2008 at 10:03 AM EDT

Chris Gaffney, vocalist and accordion player for the Hacienda Brothers, died last week from liver cancer at the age of 57.

In this 2006 Fresh Air interview, Gaffney and bandmate Dave Gonzalez discuss the origins of the band's "western soul" sound, which blends country and soul music, and Gaffney reveals his short stint as a boxer.

The Hacienda Brothers' upcoming album is called Arizona Motel.

This interview originally aired on December 5, 2006.

Terry Gross

Combine an intelligent interviewer with a roster of guests that, according to the Chicago Tribune, would be prized by any talk-show host, and you're bound to get an interesting conversation. Fresh Air interviews, though, are in a category by themselves, distinguished by the unique approach of host and executive producer Terry Gross. "A remarkable blend of empathy and warmth, genuine curiosity and sharp intelligence," says the San Francisco Chronicle.

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