Martha Gonzalez (musician)

Academic career

Gonzalez holds a PhD degree in Gender, Women & Sexuality Studies from the University of Washington and a BA in Ethnomusicology from the University of California, Los Angeles. She was a Fulbright Garcia-Robles Scholar (2007–2008), a Ford Foundation Dissertation Fellow (2012–2013), and a Woodrow Wilson Career Enhancement Fellow (2016–2017). In September 2016, Gonzalez began a one-year artist-in-residence program at Arizona State University in Phoenix.

Musical career

Gonzalez is a singer/songwriter and percussionist for the Chicano rock band Quetzal. Gonzalez also performs with the band FandangOban. In addition, Gonzalez and her partner Quetzal Flores have played a key role in connecting Chican@/Latin@ communities in the U.S and Jarocho communities in Veracruz, Mexico. In September 2011, the U.S. Library of Congress and Kennedy Center invited Gonzalez to perform and speak as a part of their "Homegrown" music series. 
Gonzalez has collaborated musically and/or toured with numerous artists, including Los Lobos, Los Van Van, Jackson Browne, Susana Baca, Perla Batalla, Jaguares, Ozomatli, Jonathan Richman, Los Muñequitos de Matanzas, ¡Cubanismo!, Taj Mahal, Tom Waits, Los Super Seven, Lila Downs, Raul Malo, Rick Trevino, Son de Madera, Relicario, Chuchumbe Charanga Cakewalk, B-Side Players, Teatro Campesino and Laura Rebolloso. 
In the summer of 2014 Gonzalez’s tarima (stomp box) and zapateado shoes were acquired by the National Museum of American History.

Artivism

Gonzalez trains other local Los Angeles-based artists in the Collective Songwriting method, and she works with The Alliance for California Traditional Arts (ACTA) on implementing the method.

Personal life

Gonzalez is the middle of four children, born in Los Angeles to parents who had immigrated from Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico. Gonzalez and her siblings grew up singing in downtown Los Angeles. She is married to her Quetzal bandmate Quetzal Flores, and they have a son together.