Phillip Hirales, a Bisbee native, began to play with local groups in Southern Arizona while attending high school. After graduation, he enrolled at Northern Arizona University (Arizona State College at that time) and performed in the college band, repertoire orchestra and with the Flagstaff Symphony.

He played with a Flagstaff-based Latin group called Los Adventureros who played extensively in all of northern Arizona and with the Pete Bugarin Orchestra from Phoenix. Upon graduation from NAU, he enlisted in the U.S. Army and performed with the U.S. 36^th Army Band at Ft. Huachuca. Upon discharge from the Army, he directed the Bisbee High School Band, and the Naco School Band.

In recent years, Phillip directed and performed with the Bisbee-based Continentals Band and also with Los Microbios Conjunto, an internationally popular Mexican group. Phillip Hirales plays trumpet, alto sax, flute, and keyboards, and continues to make people happy with his music.