The son of a Mexican immigrant and a Texas native, Alejandro Escovedo discovered and performed the sounds that morphed into the exciting styles of his life. A member of San Francisco punk rock group the Nuns, he later moved to New York City and joined Judy Nylon’s band in the late 1970s. Escovedo shifted musical styles after relocating to Austin, Texas, in the 1980s, and helped form one of the country’s first “cowpunk” bands, Rank and File. He then was the prime architect of the band True Believers, which included his brother Javier and Jon Dee Graham. That band was the turning point for Escovedo to record solo albums, resulting in more than 30 years of groups, tribute albums, original projects and experiments.
With his latest album, Echo Dancing, out March 29 via Yep Roc Records, Escovedo rewrites his own history by recording new versions of songs from his past and approaching them as challenges to express what the music means to him today. While completely reinventing and re-recording his previous work — with inspiration from Brian Eno, Judy Nylon and Suicide — Escovedo traces his one-of-a-kind musical journey from ‘70s New York punk to Austin’s “musical conscience and hometown hero” (NPR Alt Latino) to advocate for musicians’ mental health and immigrant causes. Throughout Echo Dancing, Escovedo revisits rarities from his ‘80s Austin groups Buick MacKane and True Believers, natural picks for a recent induction into the Austin City Limits Hall of Fame.
Escovedo and his musical contributions are currently highlighted in the museum’s major exhibition Western Edge: The Roots and Reverberations of Los Angeles Country-Rock, presented by City National Bank.
Tickets are on sale now!
