The group consist of Levi Mitchell Platero on guitar, with his father, Murphy L Platero on Bass guitar and Vocals, and his older cousin Douglas Jay Platero on drums.
In order to tell the story of this family band we have to start at the beginning. In the early 50's, the Gospel was preached to a small Navajo reservation 35 miles west of Albuquerque, NM (Tohajiilee). In one those meetings, many gave their lives to Jesus Christ. One of them was a lady by the name of Racheal Platero. With her new found faith and love, she proclaimed the love of God to her entire family. In the late 50's her sons came to follow the Lord Jesus. Chester & Robert (Bobby) Platero had no clue to what God had in store for them. They came together and worshipped. In the midst of all of them God called Chester Platero (Murphy's dad) and his older brother, Joe D Sandoval, to preach the Gospel to the Navajo Nation, when there were no Native preachers or Native ministers or churches.
In the late 50's and the entire 60's/70's, they went and preached the Gospel to a Nation carrying a large Tent that was given to them by a Native brother from the state of Washington. "Harvest Time Crusades" was born. The young Plateros had been given a mission and God did not send them with empty hands. They played music....and sang gospel everywhere they went. (Bobby tought his brothers to play guitars and the drums).
God was moving and 100's were coming to follow Jesus in the early Revivals. Entire families came and dedicated themselves to the work of the Lord Jesus Christ. Now at places they had first set up their Gospel Tents, now Churchs were built. The men prayed, Joe Sandoval / Chester / Bobby / John Johnson, and Jackson Platero (Eugene's father) and asked the Lord for a home church. In 1964, they built the Word Of God Church in Tohajiilee, NM.
In 1974, Murphy at the young age of 11, would come to help his father in the ministry. From there he learned to play the drums and the guitar, and sang with his cousin, Eugene Platero, Douglas's dad) who played lead guitar and sang. They started a group and named it "The Harvesters" after the crusade name and later named the band, "Morning Star Band".
In 1984, Eugene and Murphy decided to start their own music ministry and parted ways to start their own family's. With this the two new groups were formed, " New Harvest" with Eugene and his wife, Marita Clitso from Kayenta, AZ. Murphy married Janice Yazzie from Helper, Utah..and started "Hidden Manna" in Tohajiilee, NM.
The two groups made a huge impact on the Navajo Nation with their own style of gospel music - country and rock, contemporary sound (see music store).
Eugene and Marita were blessed with three wonderful kids and the middle child was Douglas Platero.He began to help his father in the music ministry at the age of 10 years old in the mid 90's and to this day he continues to be there for his family. In 2004 of March, Douglas and Adrienne (Janice's niece) were married in Albuquerque and moved to Tohajiilee, NM.
Janice and Murphy were also blessed with three kids. Levi who also is the middle child would also begin to help in the family music ministry at the age of 8. In 2000 Levi was playing drums and movied to guitar in 2003.
In the Winter of 2004, Levi and Douglas, together, started playing and practicing almost every day after work and school. In November, Murphy sat in with them at the small home studio/ practice room just to see what they knew. Two hours later he found out that these two boys had been given a gift.
From that moment on Levi would press his dad to continue to practice with them. In January of 2005, they played their first engagement. "It was amazing", as one minister said when he heard The Plateros.
The Platero family is thankful and give praises to the Lord Jesus for His blessing and wonderful word that is to continue in this Family.
