Sal Gonzalez

Born and raised in East Los Angeles, CA, Sal Gonzalez learned to sing in grade school while performing in the choir and quickly fell in love with the whole process. He later picked up playing guitar partially by learning from his self-taught father and partially by playing in bands with much better guitar players. Sal quickly started singing lead in bands throughout high school, having small success with his Spanish rock band “La Cabaña,” playing locally all over Southern California.

A CHALLENGING EXPERIENCE

Sal was flown to Bethesda Naval Hospital, where, after coming out of a weeklong coma, he learned the extent of his injuries. After more than 30 surgeries and 4 months of hospitalization, his left leg was amputated below the knee. Once healed, he was sent to San Antonio Medical Center in Texas, where he spent the next year learning to walk on his new prosthetic leg. Sal retired from the United States Marine Corps in late 2005 and, after a quick stay back home in Los Angeles, CA, he moved to Nashville, TN to pursue his dreams of songwriting and performing.

START OF A NEW JOURNEY

In 2014, Sal was selected to be a contestant on NBC’s America’s Got Talent. Off the strength of his performance, he has been able to perform with many of today’s country superstars. He has shared the stage with Taylor Swift, Keith Urban, Charles Kelly, and Trace Adkins, just to name a few. His songs about life, love, and loss are sometimes a far cry from the laughing, often joking guy he is today.

“I've come a long way in my recovery; I’m a completely different person than I was back then,” he said. However, his whiskey-soaked lifestyle is still apparent in his lyrics, penning songs like “Whiskey on the Ground,” a country ballad lamenting a veteran’s journey through PTSD and substance abuse. “Most of my music is sad because that’s the music that I write, it’s the stuff I want to get off my chest,” Sal said.

GET IN TOUCH

There are many things to look forward to about Sal and his music. For booking requests and inquiries about his latest gigs, do not hesitate to contact him today.



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