WTTW.COM/NEWS.
BRANDIS  FRIEDMAN.
>>>   IN THE STATE OF HONDURAS,   HE CONTRIBUTED ONE OF THE   BIGGEST HITS IN LATIN MUSIC.
IN  HIS ADOPTED HOMETOWN OF   CHICAGO, HE GETS A MODEST   PROFILE WORKING AS A CUSTODIAN   CHURCHES AND PLAYING OCCASIONAL  GIGS TO SUPPORT HIS FAMILY.
A   GROUP OF CHICAGO MUSICIANS HAS   HELPED TURN THE SPOTLIGHT ONCE   AGAIN ON SINGER-SONGWRITER   CARLOS BARACONA.
WE MET AND   RADIO FREE CONGRESS IN LITTLE  VILLAGE.
>> I MET CHARLIE ON THE MUSIC   SCENE IN CHICAGO.
WHEN I FIRST  MOVED HERE IN THE EARLY 2000'S.
I JUST ADMIRED HIM AS A GUITAR   PLAYER.
HE WAS AMAZING.
EVENTUALLY, I BECAME  PART OF A  BAND HE WAS PLAYING IN.
I GOT   TO PLAY WITH THEM, GOT TO KNOW   HIM.
YEARS LATER, I FOUND OUT   HE WAS A SINGER, SONGWRITER   HIMSELF.
THAT IS WHEN WE   STARTED THIS BAND, WHEN I   REALIZED HE HAD THIS WHOLE   CAREER THAT I HAD NO IDEA  ABOUT.
>> THE BAND THEY STARTED IS   RADIO FREE HONDURAS.
CHARLIE   BARAN HAD A LONG CAREER AS A   MUSICIAN, A SINGER-SONGWRITER,   AND A BANDLEADER IN HIS NATIVE   HONDURAS.
HE SPOKE WITH THE    SOUTHPAW GUITARIST THROUGH A   TRANSLATOR, HIS SAXOPHONE   PLAYER.
>> Translator: DAN APPROACHED   CHARLIE AND ASKED HIM WE LIKE   YOU ARE IS IT, WOULD YOU BE   DOWN TO PUT A BAND TOGETHER AND  RECORD SOME OF YOUR MUSIC.
IS   IT THAT'S HOW IT STARTED.
HE   NEVER WOULD HAVE DONE ANYTHING   IF IT HADN'T BEEN FOR DAN, TO   APPROACH HIM LIKE THAT.
>> Reporter: 1991, CHARLIE   CONTRIBUTED VOCALS AND GUITAR   TO A SONG THAT TOPPED THE LATIN  BILLBOARD CHARTS.
HE LEFT   HONDURAS, HE SAYS, AFTER BEING   HARASSED BY LOCAL GOVERNMENT   OFFICIALS.
A SECURITIES ROUTE    BROUGHT HIM TO CHICAGO BY WAY   OF MIAMI.
HE WORKS AT TWO   CATHOLIC CHURCHES PLEASE THE   OCCASIONAL SHOW WITH RADIO FREE  HONDURAS.
WE ASKED OF THE   72-YEAR-OLD ABOUT RECENT HEALTH  SETBACKS.
HE TOLD US HIS HEALTH  ISN'T SO GOOD BUT, WITH THE   HELP OF GOD, HE WILL GO ON.
>> I LOVED HIS MUSIC AND THE   STYLE.
THAT WAS THE FIRST   THING.
THEN, QUICKLY I REALIZED  HE NEEDED HELP BASICALLY BEING   A MARGINALIZED PART OF OUR   SOCIETY RIGHT NOW AND HE IS.
THERE WAS NO WAY HE WAS GOING   TO BE ABLE TO NAVIGATE THE   MUSIC BUSINESS ON HIS OWN.
IT   IS HARD ENOUGH FOR SOMEONE WITH  EVERY OPPORTUNITY AND EVERY   ADVANTAGE TO MAKE IT IN THE   MUSIC BUSINESS.
SO, I KNEW I   COULD HELP HIM AND I DECIDED   THAT I WANTED TO HELP.
CHARLIE   WRITES ALL THE MUSIC.
HE   USUALLY BRINGS TO ME A PRETTY   MUCH FINISHED SONG AND I JUST   HELP WITH INSTRUMENTATION AND   PUTTING IT TOGETHER AND   PRODUCING RECORDINGS, THAT KIND  OF THING.
>> Translator: HE SAID HE FEELS  VERY PRIVILEGED AND VERY  GRATEFUL TO BE PLAYING WITH  MUSICIANS HAVE DIFFERENT   CALIBERS THAT HAVE BEEN PART OF  THE BAND TIME.
THEY HAVE   ACCEPTED WHAT HE PLAYS AND   APPRECIATED WHAT HE PLAYS.
HE   IS ALWAYS LEARNING AND   APPRECIATING FROM THOSE WHO ARE  AROUND HIM.
>> HE IS HAPPY TO BE OUT HERE   MAKING MUSIC, MEETING NEW   MUSICIANS AND RECORDING NEW   STUFF.
WE ARE ALL HAPPY ABOUT  THAT.
>> Reporter: FOR CHICAGO   TONIGHT, MY CARTEL.