A lot can happen in a decade. Just ask Lucky Diaz and the Family Jam Band. The Spanish-and-English indie music duo of Diaz and his wife, Alisha Gaddis, a 1999 F.J. Reitz High School graduate, were performing at Wesselman Woods’ Art in the Park when Evansville Living first featured them in the May/June 2014 issue.
The band also was fresh off winning its first Latin Grammy award in 2013 for Best Latin Children’s Album for “¡Fantastico!” With that accolade, Diaz and Gaddis became the first Americans to win a Latin Grammy in a children’s category.
“It is so special that I get to share what I do … in such a fun capacity,” Gaddis told Evansville Living that spring.
Since then, the band has been nominated for three more Latin Grammy awards — winning one in 2019 with the album “¡Buenos Diaz!” — as well as three Grammys for Best Children’s Album.
The Family Jam Band’s latest hardware came on Feb. 2, when The Recording Academy named its 2024 release “Brillo, Brillo!” Best Children’s Album. It was the group’s first Grammy win and a special moment for Gaddis.
“Winning a Grammy is an incredible honor, but what makes it even more special is representing the Midwest on a global stage,” Gaddis says.
“This win is not just for me. It’s for every kid in a small town who dares to believe that their voice can reach the world,” she adds. “It’s a reminder that big dreams can start anywhere, and with passion and persistence, they can take you everywhere.”
