Merry Christmas, I'm Bob Carlson, creator of KCRW's documentary program Unfictional,

and you're listening to an afternoon of stories from KCRW's Independent Producer Project.

We collaborate with the most talented independent producers, writers, and

artists in the country to bring you great stories. You can hear them on all our KCRW

programs from Unfictional to strangers to which way LA to good food and this afternoon

we are sharing our favorite stories of 2013 all created by independent audio producers

you'll hear about a little-known 1950s Chicano musician

who dominated the East LA music scene

while keeping a really big secret.

You'll meet a Palestinian-American actor

who's changed his identity in order to go on tour

with Barbara Streisand and will take you along on a trip to the salt flats of

Utah where a lapsed Mormon searches for her mother's ghost. So wherever you are this holiday, I hope you can

sit down and take a moment to listen. It's all coming up after this short break.

Welcome back to an afternoon of stories from KCRW's Independent Producer Project.

I'm Bob Carlson, host of Unfictional.

Our first story comes to us from independent producer Alex Schmidt.

Little Julian Herrera, now an obscure Chicana musician,

was once one of the first Latino pop stars,

and that was while he was holding a really big secret. This story

takes us back to the East LA music scene of the 1950s and 60s when a singer

could become a superstar in his own neighborhood.

...