Los Desperadoz | Courtesy photo
Lee Villarreal, the renowned vocalist and bajo sexto player for Los Desperadoz, opened up about his personal struggles with his vocal cords that have been affecting his singing for the past 16 years in a heartfelt video shared on Facebook on Tuesday (May 7).
“And I wanted to share something with you, something that is very personal. It’s a struggle that I’ve been having,” Villarreal began. He revealed that despite having recorded many albums, he started to have issues with singing, which was once one of the easiest things for him to do.
Villarreal sought help from a specialist and underwent a procedure. “It turned out that I had a cyst on my vocal cords. I had two of them.” he shared. Despite a specialist’s assurance that there was a 99.9% chance of successful treatment, the procedure did not yield the expected results, and Villarreal admitted, “So ever since then, I’ve not been the same.”
In an attempt to rectify the issue, Villarreal had a second procedure done in Houston, where fat from his body was inserted into his vocal cords. Unfortunately, this too was unsuccessful. Despite the setbacks, Villarreal remains hopeful and is planning to make one last attempt to fix his vocal cords, even though the chances are slim.
“I’m going to make one more last attempt to try to get things fixed up. Chances are slim to none, but I’m going to do it anyway. I have a small chance that it may help, and that it would probably involve two surgeries,” he said.
Villarreal is asking for prayers from his fans and hopes that his video will go viral to reach as many people as possible. “Share this video. That way this can go viral. Why? Because I need as many prayers as I can get,” he urged.
Despite the uncertainty, Villarreal’s faith remains strong. “The only reason that I’m really doing this, because if I have almost a slim to none chance to get my vocal cords back, I have faith in God,” he said.
After the upcoming weekend, Villarreal will be taking some time off for recovery. He expressed his love for his fans, especially the fans, and shared his hope to return soon. “I love you guys. Shout out to all the Desperadoz fans. Love you guys. And I hope to see you soon. And I hope to sing all your songs because I miss them myself,” he concluded.
Los Desperadoz is an award-winning Tejano music band based in San Antonio, Texas. The group, which started fresh out of high school in the late 1980s, earned a sizable fan base in the ’90s through constant touring. Their string of albums for EMI Latin, beginning in 1992, captivated audiences with their unique sound and infectious rhythms. The band traces their heritage to the pioneering Los Hermanos Villarreal, led by their grandfather, Librado Villarreal, in the 1940s and early ’50s. Today, the band is led by three brothers: Singer-accordionist Mike Villarreal, singer-bajo sexto player Lee Villarreal, and drummer P.J. Villarreal. Over the years, Los Desperadoz has become a household name in the Tejano music scene winning two Tejano Music Awards and received two Latin GRAMMY nominations.
We at Tejano Nation wish Lee Villarreal all the best in his upcoming procedures and recovery. We join his fans in sending prayers and positive thoughts his way. Stay strong, Lee. We look forward to hearing your voice again soon.
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