“One of the ways I learned to deal with my anger is through music. When I rap, I put everything into it. Whatever I’m going through, whatever I’m feeling, I try to express it in my lyrics.

“For the longest time, my mom didn’t like it. I would talk about her in some of my music. How she wasn’t there for me during parts of my life. I would talk about how I never saw my real dad. Or when my grandma gets sick. My mom always hated that I would put any part of the family business into my music.

“But it’s how I express myself. It’s what keeps me from wanting to kill myself. It’s what keeps me off the streets. It’s what keeps me from starting random fights for nothing. It’s what helps me keep my anger in check.

“My mom didn’t believe in my music. But one day, she finally took a chance to sit down and listen to my songs. Sometimes I talk about myself, and what I need to change. Like I’m sorry for never finishing school. I’m sorry for causing so much pain in your life. And when she finally said, hey, I like this, I like your song, it brought me so much joy. It brought tears to my eyes. She told me, you’re actually good. Keep doing it. Keep grinding.

“The lyrics and the message behind my music are the most important thing for me. My music, and what I’ve experienced in life, have inspired me to be better. I want to make up for who I was. Like every bad thing I did in the past.

“I want to spread peace. I want to spread love. I want to spread manners and respect. I want to tell people that there’s more to life than being out there fighting and being so angry, wanting to shoot something or kill somebody. That’s not the way out, you know? You’re either going to end up behind bars or end up dead. Eventually, you’ll get caught. Because what happens in the dark comes to the light, always.”

— Carlos “C-Los” Caldera Jr.

When performing, he goes by C-Los Da Boss. Google the name to find some of his music.

Related:

• Not knowing his dad leads to anger issues

The post He expresses himself through his music appeared first on The Baytown Project.

“I came back to the states in January 2020 as tour manager for an all-girl math rock band from Osaka, Japan, named Paranoid Void. Although it was short-lived, it was one of the most fulfilling tours I’ve been on. So many people turned out in Texas and California.

“But by early February, we all realized that because of COVID-19, we were not going to be able to continue the tour. So I came back to Baytown to be with my family, and the band returned to Japan.

“For quite a while after that, I lost touch with a lot of people. Then shortly after the George Floyd incident, I saw the most wonderfully resonating thing on Facebook. The girls posted this video saying that they wanted to help raise money for Black Lives Matter. In the video, you could see the anguish on their faces. Through their words it was like they were saying, ‘We went to the U.S.A.. We met so many people. We love them. We know they love us. We recognize that you are struggling right now. And we want to help.’

“I have never seen an instance like that, where cultural exchange is helping work toward a solution. Right then and there, my life’s work, my dream, was validated. It didn’t matter how much money I made on that tour, which wasn’t much. It’s a matter of what was accomplished.

“For the girls, it wasn’t a political debate or anything like that. It was so simple. It was just them saying, ‘We want to help you.’”

— David Isaac

Prior to COVID-19, David spent the better part of seven years in Japan as a tour manager, booking agent and promoter for various musicians through his company, Dead Foxx. In the post-pandemic world, he hopes to bring more bands from Japan to Baytown.

Through the sale of band T-shirts, Paranoid Void members Yuki (bass), Meguri (guitar) and Mipow (drums) helped raise $455 for a Black Lives Matter support fund.

Related:

• David Isaac: His world is a mix of music and politics

The post Japanese band supports Black Lives Matter appeared first on The Baytown Project.

“When I create music, it’s really about how I’m feeling on that particular day. I could be mad, sad or excited. I could have something on my chest, and I just need to vent.

“There’s a song on my third album called ‘Alone.’ The concept is about depression and how it can take over your state of mind. Through the years, I’ve had friends that have passed away due to depression or some other tragic event. At the start of the song I sing, ‘Man, this place is all I know. But why do I feel so alone?’ Then I realize if depression has taken my friends, does that mean I’m next? Later on in the song I say, ‘I try to find myself by the end of the night. So maybe that’s why my dreams are black and white.’ In dreams, that symbolizes there is something missing from your life that is part of you — the color, or in this case, loved ones.

“Overall, when people hear my songs, I want them to be able to relate in some way. A lot of people said ‘Alone’ reminded them of a loved one they lost as well.”

— Blaine Tate

Blaine recently released his album, “Misfit,” which is available on Spotify, Apple Music and other streaming platforms. The video for “Alone” was filmed mostly in Baytown. You can find more of his videos on YouTube.

Related:

• Rap artist coming into his own

The post He creates music to match his mood appeared first on The Baytown Project.

“My dad was a drummer for a band in the early ’90s called The Allisons, and then later for Carl Hayn and the Holdouts. From a young age, I was sitting in recording sessions and practice sessions in his garage. He always wanted me to play the drums. I was more interested in the singing side of things, but I couldn’t really sing.

“When my cousin started introducing me to artists like Tupac, Master P and Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, I really liked it. Then in the early 2000s in Houston, you started seeing more Hispanic artists come out like Lucky Luciano and Baby Bash. I was maybe 13 when I thought, you know what, they look just like me. I think I could do this, too.

“At the lunch table at school, other people would be freestyling and just making music right there on the spot. Then I started doing it. And it got to a point where somebody said, ‘Hey, that’s pretty good. You should do something with that.’ So I bought a cheap, little microphone and interface, and I started making small freestyles or little songs.

“Looking back, I guess that’s where I got my start. Now I’ve put out four self-made albums and a bunch of music videos. I can see my progression as an artist, where you kind of find yourself, your sound, your style. I’m having fun with it. But I’m always looking to expand my fan base and reach a wider audience.”

— Blaine Tate

After pursuing a degree in audio engineering and music production at Lee College, Blaine worked at Dope House Records in Houston. Opportunities there helped launch his music career. His latest album, “Misfit,” was released in January. It’s available on Spotify, Apple Music and other streaming platforms.

The video for the new song, “Absolute,” was filmed in Baytown. It features Blaine’s cousin, Chris Martinez, also known as Cursedout. Chris is a vocalist for the band, Positive Disturbance.

Related:

• He creates music to match his mood

The post Rap artist coming into his own appeared first on The Baytown Project.

“Prior to the coronavirus interrupting all our lives, I would do my work with the recruitment and enrollment department at Lee College pretty much five days out of the week. And on Monday nights, I would race from work over to Deer Park to conduct the Deer Park Community Concert Band. That was life for me: work, band rehearsals and concerts. Besides that, I enjoyed spending time with family and friends, or just being a homebody.

“I’ve been a lifelong bachelor. I think it’s just the cards I’ve been dealt. I live in the lofts right across the street from the college. It’s a very cozy place. But during this period of having to work from home and not being able to go out and enjoy the things we’re used to doing, it can get depressing. At times, it’s been very difficult to be motivated. It’s definitely been an adjustment for me. It can make you feel like you’re in some kind of funk. Like you’re not moving forward.

“One of the things I turn to in a time like this is comedy. I love comedy because I love any opportunity to laugh. So I’ll watch comedy classics on TV or DVDs. I can’t get enough of it. And it’s really helped. I’m sad that I’m not able to get out and visit my family. I’m sad that we had to cancel the rest of our concert band season. But I’m looking forward to returning to a somewhat more normal life pretty soon. I’m ready. It may be challenging for many of us right now. But as they say, this, too, shall pass.”

— Tommy Juarez

The post He turns to comedy in times of need appeared first on The Baytown Project.

“I was obsessed with music and collecting records from an early age. For some reason, I gravitated toward music of the 60s and early 70s. My mother listened to The Beatles, The Moody Blues, Neil Diamond and some Rolling Stones. But all the rest of it, I got into myself. I used to sit for hours looking at album covers and reading everything on them. I tend to like music that emphasizes melody, and that was very much a thing at that time.

“I’ve always had original projects, writing my own stuff. I started playing solo cover shows in 2004, and I’ve been doing that ever since. I was doing it full-time, before the coronavirus hit.

“I actually have a really large database of songs in my head from that era. When I get requests, the songs I can’t play are few and far between. I was listening to and learning songs at the same time I was learning my colors and how to read and write. I have a very intact long-term memory. My short-term memory is terrible. I can’t remember what I did yesterday. But I can remember all these song lyrics.

“Often when I’m at a show and playing a song, it’s literally just coming out of my body while I’m thinking about what I have to do tomorrow or something. I get to the end of the song and I’ll be like, did I just do that? It’s like driving a car after a while. It’s on auto-pilot.”

— Ryan Guidry

In addition to solo shows Ryan plays in several groups, including Picture Book and The Brunson Theater. He also plays with The Fab 40, which recreates and performs classic albums with a full orchestra. Follow him on Facebook or at ryanguidry.com.

Related:

• Facebook Live provides outlet for singer

The post Covers singer relies on long-term memory appeared first on The Baytown Project.

“When I was in Austin, there was this country radio station right across the freeway from where I lived. I would call in and get through a lot, and I got to know the afternoon DJ. One time he said, ‘You want me to come pick you up in the Hot 93 van, and we’ll go to a club and pass out some CDs? You can be my helper.’ I said, ‘Hell, yeah, dude. That sounds awesome.’ After that, he told me about an open mic Friday at the station, where you bring in your acoustic guitar and sing a song that you’ve written. So I left the tape deck ready to record my performance, and then ran across the freeway with my 12-string. On the air I said to my friend back at our place, ‘Start taping, Kevin.’ The morning crew, Lisa and Ernie, got a chuckle out of that. When they asked if I was ready to sing, I got a little nervous because they said there were thousands of people listening. But I sang my song, and it went pretty well. It was called ‘On the Run.’ It’s an Old West kind of thing. It’s about a guy who says he was framed for shooting somebody, and he’s on the run. It’s based on a true story, an experience I had years ago. 

“There was another time where one of my songs won an award on KILT in Houston. It was the Lone Star Band Search Contest. It was a song called ‘Bubba.’ The chorus goes, ‘Bubba was an everyday, red-blooded redneck, beer-drinking, wishful-thinking, All-American man.’ It’s a real fast boogie-woogie song. They called me a couple weeks later and said I won. I got a $1,000 gig playing at Traders Village. I paid myself $500 and split $500 with the other guys in the band. That was around the time Garth Brooks, Brooks and Dunn, and all of them started coming out, and country music changed. It wasn’t crying in your beer with a lot of pedal steel. It was more guitar, and it was rocking. I saw that style was getting popular. So I thought, I don’t care, I’ll sell out. I want to become famous. I’ve got to play ball with the record companies and do whatever the hell they want. I’d watched other guys try to get signed. But they wouldn’t play ball, and guess what? They’re probably as poor as I am right now.

“I never did realize that big dream. It’s been like 10 or 15 years since the band was active. We were supposed to do a reunion gig recently, but I couldn’t make it because I had to work. I’ve got to do something to pay the bills.”

— Holt Maggard

(Note: Holt Maggard died as the result of a traffic accident on June 18, 2021.)

Related:

• Singer still has that love for performing

The post Music memories keep the dream alive appeared first on The Baytown Project.

“We had these talent shows every year in Anahuac. When I was a junior in high school, I decided to enter with some of my friends. We performed ‘Free Bird’ by Lynyrd Skynyrd. I played the lead part and sang. I had my Sears electric guitar with these cool built-in effects like fuzz and distortion. And I had an amp stack. I wanted that big sound. We got a standing ovation, and we should have won. These little kids won instead. I guess they were too cute or something. But that experience really had an impact on me, seeing how it made people’s emotions react.

“Another time I made this girl cry when I played a real sad song that I wrote. That’s when I thought, wow, I’ve got some kind of power here. I like this. Music, I can do this.

“Ever since I was 10, when I started listening to Beatles records that my aunt had, I wanted to become a famous singer. I wanted to have a band that was legendary. I didn’t want to be a one-night wonder. I wanted the money and the respect and the fame. Our band, the Texas Hurricanes, did well for a long time. For 20 years we played gigs all over. We could do country, rock, just about any genre. One time someone asked if I could do rap. I said, yep. I could do ‘Wild Thing’ by Tone Loc. It’s not gangsta rap, but it’s still rap. We were pretty popular. People loved us. But we never made it real big. We never got that big recording contract.

“I haven’t lost that love for performing in front of people, though. These days, I do it from this mobile rig I built. I call it E.T. I’ll get off work and ride over to places like Walmart, Kroger or Lowe’s, and I’ll sing on Facebook Live. It’s not the big time, but it’s still fun. I still enjoy it. I do it out of that love for music.”

— Holt Maggard

(Note: Holt Maggard died as the result of a traffic accident on June 18, 2021.)

Related:

• Music memories keep the dream alive

The post Singer still has that love for performing appeared first on The Baytown Project.

“When I was 6, Mom took me and my brothers to this little Italian guy who played a ton of instruments. He said, ‘What instrument do you like?’ I said, ‘Oh, I want to play drums.’ Instantly, I was drawn to it. One of my brothers took guitar and the other one took trumpet. They didn’t stick with it, but I did.

“Eventually, I wanted to write my own songs. So I moved to piano and then guitar. That was somewhat out of necessity. The guitarist left our worship group at church and we couldn’t find a replacement. So I started learning guitar. And it just went on from there. I play drums, piano, guitar, a little bass, and I do vocals, too.

“Along with performing, I really enjoy mentoring and teaching. That’s one of my great joys, instilling a passion for music in others and seeing a young person really grow musically. When they have that aha moment, it’s very fulfilling.

“I also love to compose. It’s life-giving. It’s kind of like a fish in water thing. I’m in my element when I’m writing music. There’s this sense of peace and contentment. There’s also the spiritual element, connecting with my worship life. It’s a very powerful thing.”

— David Rofrano

In addition to running J & H Coffee House/Sno-Cone Express with his wife, Sally, David teaches music in an adjacent studio. Listen to some of his music and learn more about the David Joseph School of Musical Arts.

Related:

• Her mother’s memory lives on in coffee shop

The post Teacher instills passion for music in others appeared first on The Baytown Project.

“College was the place I began songwriting. I dreamed of moving to Nashville, and I worked toward that goal. One day, in 2002, I was offered a contract with a record label and seriously considered making the leap. But the next day, we discovered that my wife was pregnant. I chose not to pursue a career in music so that we could focus on our family.

The post Song tells story of what it’s like to move on in life appeared first on The Baytown Project.