"The Godfather of Mexican Surf"

Danny Amis, aka Daddy-O Grande is perhaps best known as a founding member of the musical group, Los Straitjackets,
although his contributions to the world of Guitar Instrumentals goes back much further.

Born in Memphis to a respected newspaper editor, his family moved to Minneapolis when he was 4 years old. His first band,
The Overtones, brought guitar instrumentals to the late 70s Twin Cities punk scene, and was one of the first acts to appear
on the now legendary Twin/Tone Records. From there Amis made a much bigger instrumental splash when he
moved to New York City and joined up with the Raybeats for several records including Guitar Beat.

Switching roles from Musician to engineer, Amis produced an album for Beat Rodeo before moving on to
Nashville where he landed a job working for the Grand Ole Opry, TNN, Nashville Now and yes, Hee-Haw.

Enjoying his newly found world of paid vacations, Amis took time to travel and became enchanted with Mexico City and the Lucha Libre.
Soon after that, Amis donned a silver and blue wrestling mask and the persona of Daddy-O Grande was born!
It wasn't long after that that America’s Instrumentalists, Los Straitjackets, was formed.

With more than 17 years in Los Straitjackets, Amis is enjoying the success of 14 critically acclaimed CDs, a Grammy nomination,
numerous television appearances, and over 1500 live performances worldwide.
Among those live shows were two televised concerts in Daddy-O Grande’s home away from home, Mexico City,
one in the Historic Plaza de la Constitucion in 2005, as well as a 2008 appearance at Mexico City’s Foro Sol.
Both concerts were attended by more than 70,000 fans.

Amis also had the honor of hearing his own Calhoun Surf performed and recorded by his heroes, The Ventures.

Besides performing with Los Straitjackets, Amis also produced the debut CD by Mexico’s instrumental sensations, Lost Acapulco,
as well as producing and directing the ever-popular Go-Go Robics DVDs starring America’s queens of burlesque,
The World Famous Pontani Sisters.
Two documentaries about the Mexican Surf Music scene have called Danny Amis the "Godfather of Mexican Surf"

In 2006, Amis returned to Mexico City to record Daddy-O Grande in Mexico with his good friends, Lost Acapulco.
Solo tours of Argentina, Mexico, Brazil and Italy followed and at the end of 2008 Amis ended up back in Mexico to record
Mexican Chili Taco Fiesta, a collaboration with members of Lost Acapulco and Mexico’s Twin Tones.
A tour of Finland was soon followed by return tours to Mexico, Argentina and Brazil.
In 2010 the Daddy-O Grande Show made it’s way to Spain, France, Antigua and Venezuela.

In the summer of 2010 Amis received the unfortunate diagnosis of advanced Multiple Myeloma, cancer of the bone marrow.
After a June performance with Los Straitjackets at the Surfer Joe Summer Festival in Livorno, Italy,
Amis cancelled all future scheduled concerts to undergo various cancer treatments. The cancer seriously damaged much of the spine.
An outpouring of support from fans and artists through donations and benefit shows worldwide helped in covering medical expenses
and in the summer of 2011 Amis resumed songwriting and returned to the studio in November to record a new CD with Los Straitjackets.

For 2012, look for a new Los Straitjackets CD and a new Daddy-O Grande solo CD.
Depending on the progress of the spinal recovery, Amis hopes to return to the stage for live performances once again.

Citing the great surf-guitarist Dick Dale as a major influence,
Danny Amis has also developed an ability to write about himself in the third person.


Updated December 30, 2011


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