Out of Their Minds: The Incredible and (Sometimes) Sad Story of Ramon and Cornelio

“Hey, what’s up, come a little closer, I have something to tell you,” God said to Cornelio. The deal was simple: God would be the silent partner in the norteño band that Cornelio had started with his best friend Ramon. Cornelio would sing and play the bajo sexto, Ramon the accordion, and God would write the songs. Cornelio agreed; he would sell his soul to God.

Success and disaster followed. The band went from playing bars in Tijuana to playing the biggest stadiums in Mexico. Women started fan clubs and motorcycle gangs dedicated to their heroes Ramon and Cornelio. It seemed to Cornelio and Ramon that they had everything, but fame was a cruel mistress.

Luis Humberto Crosthwaite lives and works in the Tijuana/San Diego metroplex. He is the author of five novels, and his fiction has garnered critical attention for his ability to express the complexities of living on the US/Mexico border. He writes a weekly column for The San Diego Union Tribune.