The Last Bandoleros set to headline Texas Arts and Music Festival

Brothers Emilio Navaira IV and Diego Navaira, sons of the late Tejano music superstar Emilio Navaira, alongside long-time bandmate Jerry Fuentes, bring a depth to the genre that is unmistakably their own. So much so, they blur the line to becoming something else entirely. Something new.

Not only is the band remarkably talented, the members are innately likable. Its level of skill and creativity, combined with a total lack of pretense, demands one to take a second look and a good, long listen.

Growing up in San Antonio, music was second nature for the band members.

"Me and my brother were like 9 and 10," shared Diego Navaira regarding when they started playing instruments, though, as Jerry Fuentes noted, the brothers were on stage even earlier. "You can watch YouTube videos of their father on a big Tejano stage and see a little 9-year-old Diego and Emilio on stage with him. We’ve all been playing music our whole lives," Fuentes said.

Their unique, genre-bending sound is heavily shaped by their hometown.

"Where we grew up in San Antonio, it's the Tejano capital of the world. But George Strait isn't too far, and Steve Ray Vaughan in Austin ain't too far. San Antonio loves Morrissey and Van Halen, too! So I feel like naturally that's why [our sound] was different," explained Emilio Navaira IV.

What started with the guys just jamming together "for fun" quickly turned into a whirlwind career after connecting with manager Martin Kierszenbaum and signing with Warner Music Nashville. Since then, they’ve toured globally with Sting, collaborated with Shaggy, played alongside The Mavericks, and even scored a No. 1 country album on iTunes with their live record recorded at John T. Floore's Country Store in Helotes during the pandemic.

Now based out of Nashville, the trio is thrilled to bring their high-octane live set back to Texas.

"Our strong suit is that we're a live band," Fuentes said. "That energy comes off on stage. It feels like a party, and people want to dance

Fuentes expressed his excitement about the upcoming Texas Arts and Music Festival.

“It seems like a great festival in Texas, which is our home state. We get to come home for it. We can’t wait,” Fuentes said.

Diego Navaira added that playing for new audiences is always a thrill.

"Any chance we get to play in front of anyone, but especially people that may not know our music, is a chance to make a new fan,” he said.

Festival attendees are in for an extra treat, as the band is returning to the road after a hiatus to showcase fresh material.

"We've taken the last few years off and we've been working on a record, and we haven't really played live. So these Texas shows are going to be the first that we've actually gone out," said Emilio Navaira IV.

Fans can expect to hear their brand-new single, "Where I'm Going,” as part of the setlist.

The Texas Arts and Music Festival blasts off on Oct. 16, and wraps up on Oct 18.