Lance Canales & The Flood, an Americana trio influenced by roots-blues, hail from California's agricultural heartland. Canales draws from the experiences that have inspired countless songs since the inception of roots music, including hard labor, modest living conditions, and the haunting echoes of dreams for a better future. His raw, guttural vocals are complemented by a gritty storytelling style set against a backdrop of stripped-down, foot-stomping acoustic instrumentation. The ensemble features stand-up bassist Stan "Cadillac" Lum and drummer Eric "The Kid" Encinas, whose rhythmic prowess keeps the audience engaged as Canales, described by music journalist Robin Wheeler on the blog “Bound for Glory,” delivers his “hollow-bodied, anger-fueled blues guitar,” all while stomping in the heavy work boots of his grandfather.
As a child, Canales earned a reputation for his ability to train wild horses and faced numerous hardships to support his family. His journey into music began when he appropriated an old guitar from his sister and merged it with the singing style he discovered in his mother’s fire-and-brimstone church, gradually carving out a path away from a life of toil.
Although Canales has moved on from that life, its influence remains deeply embedded in his music. This is evident in the band’s 2012 album, “Elixir.” The song “Digging” portrays a desperate man entering a church filled with chaos, where he observes, “…preacher screaming fire and hell. People screaming, running, crying, but still I felt no soul.” In 2015, Canales released the critically acclaimed album "The Blessing and The Curse" with Music Road Records, propelling the band into various festivals across the United States and Europe.
In February 2013, Canales released the single “Plane Crash at Los Gatos: Deportee,” a rendition of a poem by Woody Guthrie from 1948, which Saint Louis Magazine praised as “gut-wrenchingly beautiful.” While many artists have covered the song, Canales’ version is notable for revealing the names of the Mexican nationals referred to as “deportees” in the original news article. After performing the song with author and poet Tim Z Hernandez at the 2012 Steinbeck Festival, Canales felt compelled to further honor the “deportees” who were buried in a mass, unmarked grave in Fresno, California, where he currently resides.
In August 2013, Canales collaborated with Nora Guthrie, The Guthrie Foundation, and Tim Z Hernandez to organize a concert aimed at raising $10,000 for a historic memorial headstone for the “deportees.” Canales initiated the fundraising efforts to ensure the names of the plane crash victims were commemorated. The monument's unveiling on September 2, 2013, drew hundreds of attendees from across the country. A Los Angeles Times reporter captured a poignant moment as Canales knelt beside the grandson of one of the victims, reflecting on both triumph and emotion.
The impact of Canales’ work on the monument has persisted. In 2016, he delivered a TEDx Talk that garnered international attention. In 2019, he was featured in the BBC documentary "Three Chords and The Truth," which focused on Woody Guthrie. Additionally, filmmaker David Kennedy's short film, "The Blessing and the Curse," has gained recognition in film festivals, earning selections and awards at various events, including Pinnacle, The Los Angeles International Film Festival, Dumbo, Chain Film Festival, Albuquerque Film Festival, and Queen Palm International Film Festival, among others.
