Texas Border Business
Edinburg – The Edinburg Convention and Visitors Bureau, Edinburg Economic Development Corporation, City of Edinburg, and the Edinburg Chamber of Commerce proudly presents the 14th Annual Texas Cook’Em: High Steaks in Edinburg. On Saturday, July 6th, right after the spectacular fireworks display, Los Lonely Boys will kick off a free concert at H-E-B Park, located at 1616 S. Raul Longoria Rd., in Edinburg.
Lots of musicians compare their careers to roller-coaster rides, but Los Lonely Boys have had so many close-your-eyes-and-hang-on moments in the 14 years since they recorded their self-titled debut, they should buy an amusement park.
The story of how the Garza brothers – vocalist/guitarist Henry, bassist/vocalist and drummer/ vocalist Ringo – rode their bluesy “Texican rock” sound from San Angelo, Texas, to worldwide fame is one of rock’s great Cinderella tales. But the story of how they’ve persevered in the face of subsequent challenges is just as compelling. In 2013, they canceled 43 shows and paused work on their last album, Revelation, after Henry was seriously hurt when he fell from a stage in Los Angeles. A couple of years previously, vocal cord nodules had forced Jojo to stop singing for months. And in 2015, their mother passed away.
Their strong brotherly bond helped them through those rough spots – just as it did when they made the hard decision to step out from under their father’s musical leadership and form their own band after performing with him since childhood. The desire to follow their musical muse still drives them today, according to Jojo.
“There is no rest for those who are chosen to be musicians,” he says. “Ideas for songs are constant. We are being charged with what will be spread through our songs. We want to make music that brings people together.
“We’re all about having a good time, but we also make an effort to write about subjects that matter. Life, death, love, hate, compassion, transgression, light, darkness, truth; they’re what we’ve always been about. We’re not interested in songs about how you look and what kind of car you drive and how much money you have. We want to create music that’s about the love and energy and spirit we all carry. It comes from a bigger source than ourselves.”
That’s why they titled their 2014 release Revelation. Its songs were meant to serve as mirrors of sorts, reflecting aspects of our lives in ways that reveal new insights. “As musicians and artists,” Jojo says, “we’re here to connect with people.”
Released on their LonelyTone imprint under Austin-based indie label Playing in Traffic Records, Revelation maintains the infectiously melodic mix of bluesy rock ’n’ roll and rootsy soul that’s long endeared Los Lonely Boys to their fiercely loyal fans. Flawless harmonies and soaring solos remain trademarks, but in these songs, they explore rhythms from conjunto (“Blame It On Love”) to reggae (“Give A Little More”), along with rustic acoustic textures (“It’s Just My Heart Talkin’”) and baroque pop shadings (“There’s Always Tomorrow”).
“We’re always trying to broaden our horizons musically,” Jojo says. “We’re always looking for new ways to communicate, so we experimented with different sounds and production approaches.” For more on their bio, tour dates and more, visit LosLonelyBoys.com.
Throughout the day on Saturday at Texas Cook’Em, there will be LIVE MUSIC by Last Page, Time Machine, Draft, and Solitaire, vendors, a children’s fun zone, and of course the Texas State Championship BBQ Cook-Off! Last year over 120 teams battled it out for the RGV’s biggest BBQ purse of $30,000, and a year’s worth of bragging rights! This IBCA and SCA sanctioned cook off is a Steak Cookoff Association Championship and Kansas City Royal Championship Invitational event. Texas Cook’Em will feature Chicken, Pork Spare Ribs and the prestigious Rib-Eye Steak.
Sponsorships and team spots are still available for this fantastic, free-to-the-public, quality-of-life event! For more information, you can contact DeAnna Garza, Marketing and Special Events Director, at the Edinburg Chamber of Commerce at 956-383-4974, or email at marketing@edinburg.com.
