Courtesy Photo / Arturo "Sauce" Gonzalez
"Gonzalez can best be described as South Texas' answer to Booker T. Jones," writer Gilbert Garcia noted in a 2003 Current profile of the musician.
Gonzalez, 80, recorded keyboards on pioneering Chicano soul band Sunny and the Sunliners' hit “Talk To Me” and took part in the group's groundbreaking appearance on American Bandstand. He also accompanied bonafide music legends ranging from country singer Bobby Bare and Tejano legend Little Joe to Alamo City musical hero Doug Sahm.
For many, though, Gonzalez is best known as the keyboardist for the West Side Horns — a group that also included late luminaries Spot Barnett and Rocky Morales. Over the years, Gonzalez and crew lent their signature sound to artists as diverse as power-pop group The Krayolas, Chicano blues guitarist Randy Garibay and The Band's Rick Danko.
"All of my deepest condolences, love and support to my Familia Gonzalez on the passing of tío Arturo 'Sauce' Gonzalez," fan Roberto Livar wrote in a Facebook tribute to the musician. "May he find peace jamming in that great gig in the sky with Spot, Rocky, Lola, Doug Sahm and all of our beloved musicos who have transitioned over before us."
A master of the Hammond B3 organ, Gonzalez was able to adapt the instrument's slinky soulfulness not just to R&B and rock but also to Tejano and jazz. His versatility embodied the essence of San Antonio's West Side Sound, which fused soul and R&B with South Texas influences such as Tejano and conjunto.
"Gonzalez can best be described as South Texas' answer to Booker T. Jones," writer Gilbert Garcia noted in a 2003 Current profile of the musician. Jones, of course, being the Hammond whiz behind the iconic R&B instrumentals "Green Onions" and "Hip Hug-Her."
Gonzalez was in fragile health for years, telling the Current in 2012 that he'd endured kidney problems, a triple bypass and myriad other ailments by the time he reached his late 60s. Even so, he performed as recently as the 2022 Corpus Christi Jazz Festival and remained a mentor to younger San Antonio musicians.
"Known him and have played countless gigs with him since I was at least 15-16 years old," San Antonio blues guitar hotshot Will Owen Gage posted in a Facebook tribute. "San Antonio just lost another legend."
"One of the reasons Sexto Sol is together today is people like Sauce Gonzalez," Eddie Hernandez, that band's guitarist, told the Current in 2012. "I used to come and watch him play at Saluté many years ago. … I took all that in, and his music inspired me to form Sexto Sol. So, thank you, man."
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