What was Bruno Mars's family band called when he was a child?

Bruno Mars’s family band was called the Love Notes.

Born Peter Gene Hernandez in Honolulu, Mars grew up in a highly musical family. His father, Peter Hernandez, performed with the Love Notes, a group associated with doo-wop and oldies styles. Mars began appearing with the family act at about age four, gaining early experience in live performance long before his solo career.

The group performed frequently in Hawaii, including at the Sheraton Waikiki. Young Mars became especially known for impersonating Elvis Presley, a role that helped make him a local novelty performer and introduced him to audiences while he was still a child.

The Love Notes are easy to confuse with the School Boys, another group connected to Mars’s youth. The School Boys were formed later with classmates at Roosevelt High School. The Smeezingtons, meanwhile, were Mars’s adult songwriting and production trio with Philip Lawrence and Ari Levine, while the Hooligans became his touring band.