Here. Now.
As a lifelong Texan, I grew up with great reverence of Austin music culture, vividly passed down to me by my parents, who were residents here throughout the 70’s and 80’s before settling out in the Hill Country. I was raised on stories of Willie’s inaugural 4th of July picnic and the blistering sun that attended, Van Morrison’s refusal to play Austin following the closing of the Armadillo and the loss of his beloved enchiladas, and Doug Sahm at the Soap Creek Saloon, no further explanation necessary. I learned about death at the age of four when they explained the passing of Stevie Ray Vaughan (my little brother and I would dress up as the Vaughan Brothers years later for Halloween) and to this day, I continue to happen across gig posters my father designed – next time you’re at the Hotel San Jose, check the lobby posters.
My journey started before I had even graduated high school, filming archival video of Austin bands such as The Gourds, Fastball, and Carolyn Wonderland. Journalism and filmmaking were at my core, but everything revolved around music. By 18, I was working for a music publicist in Austin, assisting Los Lonely Boys’ team as they steamed towards Grammy success, and I was hooked. Coupled with a job at Gruene Hall in New Braunfels, I found myself exposed first-hand to live music day in and day out, and started helping local bands find gigs, book radio appearances, tackle social media, and build up press kits. At any given time, I was balancing a wide spectrum of artists; booking everything from open mics to mid-range theaters. Eventually, a grant from the Texas Arts Commission led to a collaboration with the City of San Marcos on a concert series that grew into a bi-annual event that we maintained for several healthy years. Concurrently, a stint booking for a brand new venue in New Braunfels, the Phoenix Saloon, pitted myself against my beloved Gruene Hall, whom we defeated for ‘Best Live Music’ in a 2011 readers’ poll. Following that success, I shifted back to the band-side of operations, spending two years touring with Del Castillo, former ‘Austin Band of the Year’.
I feel so fortunate to be able to work with so many talented musicians and artists day in and day out and do all I can to help them fulfill their wishes and needs and make their own mark.