Los Hermanos Alacranes
Founded in 2023 by singer/songwriter Paulo Franco and drummer Rob Lytle, Los Hermanos Alacranes put together a band of first rate Richmond VA musicians to fuse latin melodies with American rock and roll. With guitarist Paul Pearce and bassist Brian Martin the band wowed audiences throughout RVA and central Virginia, with performances at the Church Hill Irish Festival, Richmond Folk Festival, Shockoe Sessions Live, Altria Theater’s Richmond Forum, and opening for Los Lobos at RVA’s The Broadberry.
By year’s end Brian departed and the boys were fortunate to pick up veteran bassist Turtle Zwadlo - just in time to sign with Shockoe Records. The band completed recording of their debut album in March 2024, with a full release planned for later that year.
Los Hermanos Alacranes’ songs mix ranchera, cumbia and classic Columbia melodies, energized by American rock and roll to create unforgettable performances.
Paulo Franco is a Richmond, Virginia based singer/ songwriter. Born to Colombian immigrants and raised in Washington D.C., Paulo embraces his heritage as a first generation American and his songs and style reflect that. Paulo's songs are steeped in storytelling, often drawing from his own life and those around him. The sound is a seamless blend of the myriad of influences that have shaped both his everyday life and his musical tastes. Listeners will find glimpses of the eclectic style of Los Lobos, The Mavericks, the Stones' rock n roll heart, and the fluidity of The Grateful Dead, oftentimes infused with the rhythms of traditional Latin and Colombian music. He has recently included original Spanish songs into his songwriting, bringing a depth and a love of two cultures seldom seen during the same show or album. Paulo switches his voice from country twang, to rock anthem, to Spanish troubadour with ease.
Paulo Franco
Paul Pearce, originally from Jackson, Tennessee, began playing guitar at 14, jamming on Lynyrd Skynyrd tunes with friends before moving on to Nashville to immerse himself in the local rock scene. He embraced the city's DIY ethos, playing in bands like The Boilers and collaborating with singer-songwriters while doing session work and finishing college. After a brief return to school in 1989, he continued performing, notably with Mouth Full of Bees, and later formed The Deaves, a project that followed him to Richmond, VA. After The Deaves disbanded in 2006, Paul joined The Velvet Marias, which evolved into Vexine, releasing multiple albums including Vexine (2013), Live from Nashville (2014), and Little Sin (2016). He remains active in the Richmond music scene, contributing to Los Hermanos Alacranes’s debut record Uno and continuing work with Vexine and various local projects.
Paul Pearce
Chad Bennett, a Roanoke, VA native, started playing bass at age 10, forming a cover band in middle school that performed Southern rock classics in local biker bars, with his dad on drums, who doubled as the adult needed to book gigs. After atteniding Radford University, where he played originals with a band named Lazy Sundays, Chad moved to Raleigh/Chapel Hill and joined jazz-rock band Saunter, recording two albums with Grammy-nominated producer John Custer. Later, he relocated to Richmond, VA in 2006, and took a break from performing. Chad returned to his craft in 2014 to play with Paulo Franco & The Rateros, until 2019 when he eventually bowed out. He occasionally reunited with Paulo to play acoustic gigs. Then, in late 2024, Chad began filling in as bassist for Los Hermanos Alacranes. With musical influences ranging from Neil Diamond to Alice In Chains, Chad brings a wide stylistic range to every project he joins.
Chad Bennett
Rob "Berto" Lytle began playing drums at age 7, inspired by the Average White Band with Steve Ferrone on the kit. Berto would go on and have his first gig by 11, stepping in for a missing jazz drummer. Berto kicked off his professional journey in earnest at 15 with The Untouchables and later he took off when he joined the Bopcats, touring the East Coast and sharing stages with legends like B.B. King and Los Lobos. He went on to perform with genre-defying acts such as Cashmere Jungle Lords, Chrome Daddy Disco, Reverb Rockets, and others. After the Jungle Lords disbanded in 2020, a chance meeting with Paulo Franco led to a new collaboration. In 2024, they formed Los Hermanos Alacranes and released their debut album UNO on Shockoe Records, blending rock and Latin influences into a cinematic sound.