Dave Burgess, the Champs frontman famous for Grammy-winning Pee-wee's Big Adventure song 'Tequila...

The mostly instrumental track also has been featured in movies such as &34;The Sandlot&34; and &34;American Graffiti.&34; Dave Burgess, the Champs frontman famous for Grammywinning Peewee's Big Adventure song 'Tequila,' dies at 90 The mostly instrumental track also has been featured in movies such as &34;The Sandlot&34; and &34;American Graffiti.&34; By Raechal Shewfelt :maxbytes(150000):stripicc()/RaechalShewfeltauthorphotoc49d3a3b6aa442f588f2bbc0de804e09.jpg) Raechal Shewfelt Raechal Shewfelt is a writer at . She has been working at EW since 2024.

The mostly instrumental track also has been featured in movies such as "The Sandlot" and "American Graffiti."

Dave Burgess, the Champs frontman famous for Grammy-winning *Pee-wee's Big Adventure *song 'Tequila,' dies at 90

The mostly instrumental track also has been featured in movies such as "The Sandlot" and "American Graffiti."

By Raechal Shewfelt

Raechal Shewfelt

Raechal Shewfelt is a writer at **. She has been working at EW since 2024. Her work has previously appeared on Yahoo and in American *Journalism Review* and *The Shreveport Times*.

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November 14, 2025 5:23 p.m. ET

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Dave Burgess' song 'Tequila' was part of Paul Reubens' movie 'Pee-Wee's Big Adventure' in 1985. Credit:

Anglin Funeral Home; Warner Brothers

Musician Dave Burgess, known for his work with the group the Champs, who contributed the song "Tequila" to the 1985 movie *Pee-Wee's Big Adventure*, has died. He was 90.

Burgess, who died Oct. 19, was a songwriter and producer, with more than 700 copyrights registered with BMI, according to his official website. While his songs were taken on by the likes of Bing Crosby, Glen Campbell, and Dean Martin over the years, it was "Tequila," which the Champs performed themselves, that stood out.

It's appeared in multiple movies, most notably the first film that Paul Reubens did as his signature character Pee-Wee Herman. In one scene, Herman has upset a crowd of scary-looking bikers at a watering hole, so he puts "Tequila" on the jukebox and jumps up on the bar to perform a dance, thrusting his arms in front of him, then behind. With his wild moves and that addictive tune, he wins over the intimidating crowd — and the many viewers who would soon imitate his moves. Everyone in the scene raises their beer bottles and shouts, "tequila!"**

"One afternoon, with only 15 minutes of studio time remaining, Dave asked the other musicians if they could assist him with a B-side for his soon to be released [song] 'Train To Nowhere,'" Burgess' bio reads. "The sax player offered a Les Baxter inspired sax-line, a snazzy riff was provided by the guitarist, the drummer clanged his cymbal bell on the backbeat, and Dave muted his guitar strings and strummed away. 'Tequila' was spoken in a low voice after each bridge and, in only a few minutes, they unknowingly provided Challenge Records with their biggest selling record!"​

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In fact, the group was formed to release the mostly instrumental track, which landed at the top of the Billboard charts in 1958. The song won the trophy for Best Rhythm & Blues performance at the first Grammy Awards, and, in addition to *Pee-Wee's Big Adventure*, it's been featured in films such as *Breakfast at Tiffany's* (1961), *American Graffiti* (1973), and *The Sandlot* (1993).**

If he had done nothing else, Burgess had already left a significant mark on pop culture history. But there was more to come.

Born Dec. 3, 1934, in Los Angeles, according to an obituary published by Anglin Funeral Home Inc. in Dover, Tenn., Burgess took his stepfather's last name and added a second "s" to come up with his stage name, beginning in 1959. He worked as a deejay and solo artist until the Champs were formed.

Burgess pictured with The Champs circa 1958.

Michael Ochs Archives/Getty

With a rotating list of members, the group had additional hits, such as "Too Much Tequila," "El Rancho Rock," and "Limbo Dance," but Burgess decided to end the group in 1965.

After that, he continued to work in music, managing "the publishing affairs of Hank Williams Jr." and releasing the 2020 album *Tequila Party*, which features a variation of his biggest track.

Burgess was preceded in death by his parents; stepfather; his wife since 1959, Deon Adair Rabb; and a daughter, Charmaine, according to the obituary. He is survived by his son, David.**

Original Article on Source

Source: "EW Movies"

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Source: Movies

Published: November 15, 2025 at 12:38AM on Source: MARIO MAG

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