Chilean blues-rock band El Cruce was formed in 1999 by Felipe Toro and Claudio Valenzuela. The group began as a school project called PeaceCo, inspired by bands like Grand Funk Railroad and Led Zeppelin. Their first album, PeaceCo, was released independently in 1999 with limited resources. By playing in local venues, the group was able to help build an underground blues scene in Chile. Notable performances include their opening act at the first Festival Internacional de Blues en Chile in 2003 with Memphis la Blusera. In 2006, El Cruce released A mi país, which introduced the concept of "blues criollo," blending Chilean folk elements with blues. The album was nominated for Best National Album by Radio Futuro. Despite disbanding in 2012 due to internal fatigue and external challenges, they reunited in August 2015.
