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Last edited by Bearcat (talk | contribs) 28 hours ago. (Update) |
Comment: In accordance with Wikipedia's Conflict of interest policy, I disclose that I have a conflict of interest regarding the subject of this article. Sotoboy1 (talk) 14:03, 15 June 2025 (UTC)
Zag Soto | |
|---|---|
| File:Zag Soto MD portrait.jpeg | |
| Born | Leroy Theoforo Soto April 6, 1941 Honolulu, Hawaii, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Physician, musician, helicopter pilot |
| Known for | Bassist in The Mixtures, Clinical Director at DHS/ICE |
| Spouse | Jacqueline Leilani Soto |
| Children | 2 |
Zag Soto (born Leroy Theoforo Soto, April 6, 1941) is an American physician, musician, and Vietnam War helicopter pilot. He is best known for his service as Clinical Director for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security / Immigration and Customs Enforcement (DHS/ICE), and for his earlier musical work as bassist for the racially integrated R&B band The Mixtures. The group’s 1962 live album Stompin’ at the Rainbow is considered an influential document of California’s Chicano soul scene.
Early life and education
[edit]Soto was born in Honolulu, Hawaii. His grandparents were part of the Puerto Rican migration to Hawaii in the early 20th century to work on sugar plantations. He was nicknamed “Zag” by his grandfather, who disliked the name Leroy. After his father joined the U.S. military, the family relocated to Maryland.
Soto later earned a bachelor’s degree in microbiology from the University of California, San Diego (UCSD), and graduated from the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) School of Medicine in 1979.
Musical career
[edit]While in high school, Soto began playing rhythm and blues, performing alongside future drumming legend Bernard Purdie. After relocating to California, he joined The Mixtures, a racially diverse R&B band based in Oxnard. Initially a drummer, he later switched to bass and was featured on the band’s 1962 live album, Stompin’ at the Rainbow, recorded at Rainbow Gardens in Pomona.
Soto’s contributions are discussed in music historian Mark Guerrero’s retrospective on the band,[1] and in a 2011 Los Angeles Times article reviewing the album’s cultural importance.[2] Soto is also quoted in Kent Crowley’s book Long Promised Road, recalling performances with The Mixtures and the early Beach Boys.[3]
Military service
[edit]Soto was drafted into the U.S. Army and served in the Vietnam War, where he flew CH-47 Chinook helicopters out of Phu Loi as part of the aviation group known as the "Black Cats." He conducted medevac and support missions during the conflict.
Medical career
[edit]After the war, Soto became a physician, specializing in emergency medicine and pediatrics. In the 2000s, he served as a Clinical Director for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security / ICE, overseeing medical services for detainees.
His work at the T. Don Hutto Residential Center in Texas was highlighted in a 2009 federal compliance report, which praised his oversight of detainee health services.[4] Soto’s medical profile is publicly listed on [Vitals.com](https://www.vitals.com/doctors/Dr_Leroy_Soto.html).[5]
Personal life
[edit]Zag Soto has been married to Jacqueline Leilani Soto for 57 years. They have two sons and reside in the Temecula Valley, California.
Legacy
[edit]Soto’s life spans music, military service, and medicine. His work with The Mixtures placed him at the heart of a unique West Coast musical moment, while his postwar career demonstrated service to country and community in both combat and clinical roles.
References
[edit]- ^ "The Mixtures". MarkGuerrero.net. Retrieved June 15, 2025.
- ^ Roberts, Randall (April 25, 2011). "In Rotation: The Mixtures' 'Stompin' at the Rainbow'". Los Angeles Times.
- ^ Crowley, Kent (2015). Long Promised Road: Carl Wilson, Soul of the Beach Boys. Jawbone Press.
- ^ "Settlement Agreement Monitor's Report (ACLU v. ICE, Hutto Facility)" (PDF). ACLU.org. June 2009.
- ^ "Dr. Leroy Soto, MD". Vitals.com. Retrieved June 15, 2025.