Mike Carmona Bio

www.79thArmyBand.org - The Unofficial Website of Former Band Members 1964-1967

MIKE CARMONA
Trumpet

I'm from Austin Texas, but practically grew up as a teenager in San Jose CA.
Completed my high school years in San Jose CA.
Worked and played music upon arrival in CA; enjoyed the single life with California girls, I mean friends!
Played with my brother's band until the age of 21, including radio, recordings, tours.
At 21, I got drafted into the Army; six months at Ft. Ord CA, and 1 1/2 years in Panama, Canal Zone ... and grew up!
After the Army and at age 23, worked again and played more music with my brother and other local bands.
In late 1966, I met my future wife, Rose Marie Mendez. In December of 1968, we got married. I was 26.
In the 60s and late 70s and at a blink of an eye, our family grew to five kids!; I enrolled at San Jose City College with a major in electronics.
In the late 70s, I left my brother's band and I started playing more with smaller groups and conjuntos; even played salsa, rock, and one gig with a 'mariachi.
After college I started working in the electronics field with numerous Silicon Valley firms and companies, but finally landed at Advanced Micro Devices. At Advanced Micro Devices, I started as a technician and left the company with a management position after 15 years of employment; retired from the company.
I continued playing music all these years. No gaps in music at all since age 6 ... no breaks. My dad would of given me 20 lashes!
After AMD, I played nothing but conjunto music and even did some original recordings of mine. Traveled in the late 90s and worked again in electronics.
In late 2002, IBM San Jose where my wife worked more than 19 years, closed the plant.
My wife and I then talked about moving to Texas or Arizona after the plant closure. I said Texas; my wife said Arizona; SHE WON. We moved to Phoenix Arizona in JAN of 2003; my wife started at Blue Cross right away.
I continued my retirement here in Arizona a few years ago, but I am still very active in music promotions, songwriting, recordings, and always working with Internet projects with our tejano music industry in all three states: CA, AZ, and TX.

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