Under 21 with Guardian

There’s Texas, and then there’sWest Texas. You can leave it behind, but you can’t let it go.

Nobody knows that better than the West Texas Exiles. Love of music and a restlessness to escape their hometowns brought them together in Austin. With the release of their debut EP, Volume I, they showcased the talents of their three singer / songwriters: Marco Gutierrez, Daniel Davis, Colin Gilmore accompanied by masterful performances by bassist Eric Harrison and drummer Trinidad Leal. Fans showed their love at a sold out 2023 EP release at the legendary Saxon Pub in Austin.

With influences from The Flatlanders and Buddy Holly to Vampire Weekend and Jason Isbell they are reinvigorating the music scene with a modern interpretation of the lone star vernacular. Collaboration is one of their passions and strengths: recording songs with Bowling for Soup’s Jaret Ray Reddick and The Voice finalist NOIVAS, direct tour support for Dave Alvin and backing Jimmie Dale Gilmore in 2023.

The Exiles have exponentially grown from their inception a little over a year ago, playing SXSW as official artists and Willie Nelson’s Luck reunion and garnering local, national, and international radio play – including Sirius XM. Plaudits like the 2022 International Songwriting Competition (Americana category) spotlight their rhythmic and lyrically honest sound. The West Texas Exiles’ sound truly evokes the ghosts of southwest Americana. But this band of outsiders isn’t just waltzing across Texas, they’re searching for newer horizons— "while I still got my boots on my feet."

https://www.westtexasexiles.com/