Today we’d like to introduce you to Jesse Armijo.
Hi Jesse, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today.
I fell in love with guitar the first time I played my dad’s. My dad got me guitar lessons. As soon as he saw me playing his guitar, he asked me, who taught you how to play chords? I replied what chords are? I must have been 16; I’m 37 now. My guitar teacher Albert Rodriguez was my guitar teacher after my dad. I’ve never had so much fun learning an instrument felt powerful, and I didn’t want it to stop. Sidenote, his daughter was running up to be a little Selena in the movie Selena. Before all that, I was an intern for a DJ showing me the ropes on how to set up lights and sound. I wanted to know how to play music for a living. I asked everyone I had seen live,” what else do you do for a living” and they all replied, “this is it.” I couldn’t believe it. But for the most part, it was true. It was hard to want to take the risk, but I had to know if I could do it. I rather fail at it than have never tried. I realized quickly that failing was part of it.
I struggled in and out of jobs in Austin for 3 years. Things were changing in the local scene, venues were closing down, and high rises were rising. My opportunity to showcase my stuff was closing. I was in a band called Armijo. Before I moved to Austin, I knew I needed my material, so I wrote about eight songs in eight weeks. Moving to Austin, I put this band together with our former band. I told the members to make it their own. I decided to let the members do their own thing. We were headlining every gig only problem was no one knew us. None of us were from Austin. We couldn’t get enough traction. All our favorite venues were closing down.
So I planned on moving back for a second time. Before I moved home, I wanted to play the new Gibson guitar at the guitar center before I went back home. I was roaming the store and going into the acoustic room, enjoying the aroma of freshly painted acoustics and jamming out On guitars I couldn’t afford. The next day I returned to my day job working at an Italian restaurant called Craigos. I have the most understanding boss/owner any Musician could dream of having. I quickly moved up and became manager. As I worked my normal day shift, this gentleman named Joe Vega walked in the doors and was about to order and said, “Didn’t I see you play guitar at the guitar center?”
I replied yes, I think so, lol” he then asked me, “ Do you have any recordings that I can hear, so I quickly sent him to my SoundCloud. I shared my stuff; he loved it and told me to come down to The Blind Pig Pub to sit in for a song. I replied I am working. I had to ask off two weeks in advance; this went on for a month, and I couldn’t leave my boss hanging. So I talked with my boss, explained the situation, and told him this audition would help me get my foot in the door. He replied,” the next time he calls you, let me know, and I’ll work your shift.” So the next time Joe called me, he told me to play on a Thursday. The next day he said it went well. I didn’t hear from him for two weeks, and then he asked me to play Saturday. After that gig, a month passed, and he asked me if I’d like a residency at the legendary Blind Pig pub on six streets. I said yes. Now I have to let my boss know I’m no longer available on Thursdays and Saturdays. It quickly turned into something where I had a regular schedule of playing all over 6th street 5 to 6 times a week and turned out to be 15 to 25 shows a month. The most I’ve done was 12 shows in one week for SXSW.
So after 15 years of playing and struggling to adapt to the economic changes, and with Covid hitting. I lost about 90% of my income. God took care of everything, every desire, every need during that time. All my finances were taken care of, and I was blessed enough to buy two guitars during Covid. I created a website that allowed me to interact while social distancing. From this website, you can take a look at what songs I can play and make a request from the website, and it would go straight to my phone. Most bars couldn’t be open because they weren’t a restaurant, so every bar made chili, and if it weren’t for that, a handful of musicians and I would’ve been out of a job. The website allowed me to create income from residuals from a music store. My friend Grace Degado helped me Design quite often as a musician since we are a dime a dozen up there in Austin. I often asked what kind of equipment I used, so now I direct them to my website, which shows everything I use. If you like what you saw, you could buy it, and I would receive residuals from that. You can also on the website tip me Venmo PayPal and cash app. The city of Austin also has a program called The musician disaster relief plan and gave out grants during Covid; this is how awesome Austin is. They provide health insurance for full-time musicians. It’s called harm health alliance for Austin musicians.
The one thing I thought I would miss from writing music is being creative, but as I became a one-person band, I learned that I could easily rewrite songs and do it my way with a looper. I also learned if you want to make it in the business, you have to put yourself where the business is; you can’t sit around and wait for someone else to do it for you. When I first bought my first RC 30 Boss Loop Station, I could use my DJ experience to mix songs, which worked for me. Just Here and there, adding my twist to songs like electric feel, wicked games, Redbone, Marvin Gaye, and whole Lotta love, I’ve learned that if you Can play a song the way it’s written, then go for it, but if you’re struggling to make it your own. This style of play caught the eye of talent scouts for a Fox show called the four. They scouted me on six streets.
I knew Austin was the world’s music capital, and just an hour away from home, I couldn’t resist. I have to go check it out for myself. And what I’ve learned is Chances are there are people out there that are better than you, but I also learned there are some that aren’t as good as you who are doing it for a living. Privet events it’s where it’s at. Just being at the right place at the right time, but you have to make every effort to be at multiple places. Events I have played for a 12-year pitcher for the Red Sox Clay Buchholz birthday/ retirement party. American cancer society event titled fork cancer, opening for Ricky Duran from the voice. When he was on The Voice, I took over one of his residencies while he was out on 6th street.
I also did way back a Google corporate party. But now I’m all moved back to San Antonio, playing all over Texas, so it doesn’t matter where I live, and I’d rather be home near a church that I had the privilege of helping build from the ground up. In 30 days, my church family got together and built one of the coolest churches I’ve ever had the privilege of. To lead worship with an amazing staff, leadership, and pastors; is hands-down one of the best experiences I’ve ever had. This heavenly place is located in San Antonio, Texas, and it’s called Brazen Grace. We used to lead worship in a halfway house For ex-convicts to give them an understanding that their entitlement to Jesus has not changed based on their conviction but on what he had done on the cross for us. We also donated clothes so that they could have them for interviews. And if they allow us, we baptize them. This church stands by its name and teaches us how to be fearless
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle-free, but so far would you say the journey has been smooth?
Before Covid, businesses were failing because taxes went up two hundred percent since existence. These venues couldn’t afford to have local bands .they would have to have a headliner every night. And sure enough, many of my favorite venues either moved or closed down. The new high-rises in downtown Austin are mostly built near a venue or bar, and then complained that the music was too loud. So now there’s a city ordinance no music after 10 PM, but on the upside of things, you could be loud at your house rehearsing till 10 PM. During Covid, many of these venues lost their business. They had also received a relief plan from the city of Austin, which kept historical venues open. I’ve lost residencies because businesses couldn’t afford live music. At this point, this became the norm for me. I was no longer upset with losing a gig. It’s just what comes with this job. It can drain you emotionally when you can’t get a gig. You have to be mentally strong not to let it phase you And move on to the next thing. There’s no time to sit around and cry about what you don’t have anymore.
One of the hardest shows I had to play was when my father called me to come home before a gig. My Mom and dad were in the Dining room, and lying on the floor dead was my dog Tommy, who passed away from cancer. We talked about it and cried and concluded that we would return after the show and take him to the vet to be cremated. This was the longest three hours of my life of holding every tear and feeling I had for my beloved Tommy. I’ve always joked that I could use this in a standup routine. My punchline would’ve been, “couldn’t they wait till after the show to tell me? it’s not like he was gonna go anywhere”. Ultimately, I love my parents for telling me the most challenging news regardless If they wanted to or not. I understand it wasn’t easy for them.
Let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
So I am the One-Man band, Jesse James Armijo. I now use a head rush loop station like the Swiss Army knife of gigging. This pedal does everything. I create music by looping layers on an electric guitar with an acoustic guitar pickup. I start by looping the main rhythm riff. The next thing I do is slap the strings with my right hand. I mute the strings with my left to give a deep kick drum Boom sound. I then Muffle the strings with my left hand again while strumming with my right hand to give it a more percussion sound. I use my mouth to either beatbox or make a high hat sound. Now that I have the Foundation of the song laid out on a loop, I switch to electric guitar, sing and play rhythm and lead over the song once I’m done with that. The best way to explain it is, There’s a lot of multitasking And thinking with your feet.
What would you say has been one of the most important lessons you’ve learned?
Don’t give up; everything will work out. Do not be anxious for anything, but in every situation, by prayer and patience, with Thanksgiving, present your request to God Philippians 4:6
Pricing:
- Lights & P/A Performance for 3hr $1200 + Traveling miscellaneous expenses
- P/A performance for 3hr $875 Performance + Traveling miscellaneous expenses
- (Venue only)Performance for 3hr $375 vs. 10% of the bar
Contact Info:
- Website: Mijo512.com
- Instagram: Mijo512
- Facebook: Mijo512
- SoundCloud: https://on.soundcloud.com/xCGxRRumEYy3NLhD8
Image Credits
Clay Buchholz 12 year pitcher for the Major leagues Red Sox World Series champ And his wife Lindsay buchholz Pastor Zack Cherian of Brazen Grace fellowship and ZCIM Lindsey Melish worship leader at Brazen Grace American cancer society with Ricky Duran
