Courtesy photo
Los Chamacos, one of Tejano music’s most iconic groups, is speaking out for the first time about the ongoing dispute over the band’s name after former frontman Jaime DeAnda filed for federal trademarks for both “Jaime y Los Chamacos” and “Los Chamacos” last month.
According to public records from the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), both applications are currently marked as “Live” and “Pending,” meaning they’re active and under review but not yet finalized.
On Wednesday, July 2, current members of Los Chamacos — including original member Edward “Chato” Ordóñez, along with Gilbert Fierros Jr., Hugo Moreno, and Ted “T-Rex” Villalobos — joined the popular Tejano livestream show Bumper’s Wacky Wednesday to address the name controversy for the first time publicly.
The current Los Chamacos lineup is managed and owned by Roel Joslin, who legally purchased the rights to the band’s name from Jaime DeAnda in 2015. That transaction, the band said, was part of an agreement to help DeAnda settle personal debts, including child support and credit card obligations.
“Jaime sold it to us because he was losing everything,” Ordóñez stated during the interview. “We got the contract stating, ‘Hey, you guys own the Chamacos.’”
Fierros added, “But see, nobody knew that. At the end of the day, we still treated it like Jaime was the owner. We didn’t want to mess anything up, so we just left it the way it was.”
Jaime DeAnda and Roel Joslin | Photos by Thomas Vasquez / Tejano Nation
That changed in 2018, when Jaime DeAnda officially parted ways with the band. At that point, the group dropped “Jaime” from the name and continued performing as simply Los Chamacos.
“Jaime was always the face of Jaime y Los Chamacos,” said Fierros. “But you sold something that Roel helped you out with. So why were we going to keep calling it Jaime y Los Chamacos if Jaime was no longer there?”
The band emphasized that the name has always been more than just one person. “I remember a guy once told us, ‘Los Chamacos siempre van a seguir,’” Fierros recalled. “They’re always going to keep going — no matter who’s in front.”
According to the group, the trademark filings came as a surprise, given the long-standing agreement in place. The members acknowledged that fans may be divided in their loyalties, especially because Jaime was the face of the group for over 40 years.
“And I get it,” said Fierros. “The fans are going to pick whatever side they want to pick. But nobody knew this guy (Chato) was the actual vocal for Jaime y Los Chamacos. We’re not trying to be Jaime. We’re just being ourselves — Los Chamacos.”
The band also stated that the door remains open for DeAnda to reclaim rights to the name — if certain financial conditions are met. “The name is available to Jaime once his owed debt is paid,” they said.
Despite the dispute, Los Chamacos remains active under Joslin’s ownership, with Ordóñez and the rest of the ensemble continuing to tour, release music, and keep the legacy alive.
As of now, no legal action has been filed to formally contest ownership of the band’s name, but with both sides speaking out and standing firm, this dispute appears far from settled — a dramatic contrast to the unity the group once symbolized.
Los Chamacos on Bumper’s Wacky Wednesday
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