By Joel Langton
The 830 Times
When it comes to music in Del Rio, it’s hard to convince many people there’s more coming out of here than William Beckmann, Radney Foster and Blondie Calderón, which is a pretty good track record for any community.
However, there’s more to the sound of Del Rio than these three greats!
Beckmann is growing into a major country music star, opening for George Strait April 9 and 11 while releasing new music and appearing on late-night television.
Foster has built a three-decade career as a singer-songwriter with more than a dozen albums bearing his name, countless production and writing credits for other artists and even a book of short fiction, For You To See The Stars, drawn in part from his Del Rio upbringing.
Then there’s Moises “Blondie” Calderón, who spent more than three decades as bandleader and pianist for Ray Price while mentoring local artists and turning Memo’s Restaurant into a major live-music stage, laying much of the foundation for today’s Del Rio music scene.
We’re barely scraping the surface. Another generation is producing music today, with artists releasing songs online and dropping EPs, though only so many can fit on these pages.
The artists included were those who responded first to our queries, had new projects in the work or had just released music and we didn’t want four acts in the same genre. So, the diversity of the music.
We highlight Nelson Acerbus and Junior Moreno. Acerbus spearheads a nationally touring metal band, and Junior “eM” runs a house-music-focused record label — not typical Del Rio sounds.
Dan White is a continual presence locally, though few know he has had songs on the Texas Top 50.
Juan Eduardo Mireles, aka “La Historia de un Juan,” is a former DRHS teacher now in the Austin area who makes music and has produced two festivals highlighting local artists.
Every artist mentioned has earned a full page and story — and they will. For now, this is a start.
All share one thing: music doesn’t pay the bills. They continue working regular jobs while pushing their music, chasing success but doing what they love regardless.
So dig in and learn about these four we’re presenting, with many more ready to introduce in the future. Email Joelalangton@gmail.com with who you want included next time.
Nelson Acerbus
Semper Acerbus is driven by founder Nelson Acerbus, who assembled the lineup and continues pushing the band forward. The group recently signed with Eclipse Records and released new material accompanied by a music video filmed in Del Rio.
The band features Nelson Acerbus on vocals, Jaime Vargas and Joe Dragich on guitars, Sammy Farhat on bass and Tyler Thomas on drums — a lineup formed in 2016.
They embrace their Del Rio roots, featuring city murals in their first major video and filming scenes at Gorzugi’s on Main Street. Nelson says they are the first Del Rio metal band to tour nationally or land a record deal, though that is difficult to verify. Their video featuring parts of Del Rio can be seen here .
When not touring with Semper Acerbus, he works on the road with Stryper as a stage manager and drum technician.
Junior Moreno
Junior “eM” is a Del Rio electronic music producer and promoter building a local scene through performance, recording and events. Through Abracadabra Records, active since 2012, he has released 16 compilations, seven EPs and more than 80 singles while bringing out-of-town DJs to the region.
He also works with Backstage Room Events and HouseHead Apparel, producing merchandise tied to releases and tours. He launched the Amistad Music Event around the October Amistad Parade, showcasing house, techno and trance music.
Much of the work operates out of “The Underground Del Rio,” a garage-based venue dedicated entirely to electronic music. Junior said balancing work, personal life and planning is challenging, but he continues growing the electronic music presence locally.
Moreno is kicking off the
Juan Eduardo Mireles
Juan Eduardo Mireles wears many hats — teacher, baseball coach, concert promoter and recording artist performing as “La Historia de un Juan.”
He wrote songs for years in his phone’s voice memo app before releasing his first single in July 2024. Since then, he organized the San Felipe Spring Jam and Fall Jam while continuing to record.
Now near Austin coaching high school baseball and planning another Del Rio festival, Mireles remains tied to the local music community.
“I’m working on my next project to define my sound with more Latin elements,” Mireles said. “I plan to release new music in summer 2026 and hopefully an EP in 2027.”
YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@lahistoriadeunjuan
Dan Wesley White
Dan Wesley White is a Del Rio singer-songwriter whose music career often takes a backseat to directing the Del Rio Mighty Ram Band. A
Texas-charted artist and Army veteran who performed in the Army Band, he blends traditional country with Tex-Mex, Texas swing and rock influences.
His songs include “22,” supporting veteran suicide awareness.
For Del Rio residents, White represents a musician rooted in the community while continuing to write, record and perform outside the classroom.
White has been nominated for a number of International Singer Songwriters Association awards, including Entertainer Male of the Year, Vocalist of the Year, Rising Star, Single of the Year and Emerging Artist.
The writer can be reached at JoelALangton@gmail.com .
