| BIOGRAPHY
Escovedo
began performing in the first-wave punk rock group The Nuns, with Jennifer
Miro, and Jeff Olener, in San Francisco, California. After Escovedo's
departure, The Nuns recorded an album on Posh Boy Records, but had little
commercial success.
In the 1980s Escovedo moved to Austin, Texas, where he adapted a roots
rock/alternative country style in the bands Rank and File (with Chip
and Tony Kinman) and the True Believers (with his brother Javier and
Jon Dee Graham). However, it was with the release of his first solo
albums, Gravity in 1992 and Thirteen Years in 1994, that he found his
true voice. Although he has yet to crossover to a large mainstream audience,
Escovedo has a huge underground following, and many popular artists
cite him as a strong influence.
In 1998 No Depression magazine named him Artist of the Decade. Alejandro
was also involved in a side project that represents his hard rocking
tastes. Buick MacKane released an album in 1997 The Pawn Shop Years,
hearkening back to his musical roots from the 1970s.
In 1999, Escovedo contributed to the tribute album to Moby Grape's co-founder,
Skip Spence, who was critically ill with cancer. The album was intended
to raise funds to address Spence's medical bills. The album was titled,
More Oar: A Tribute to the Skip Spence Album. The title refers to the
title of Spence's only solo album, Oar (Columbia, 1969). On More Oar,
Escovedo contributes his version of Spence's "Diana". Critic
Rob Brunner commented, "The best contributions come from artists
who realize that Spence's work is as much about atmosphere as words
and chords. ...Alejandro Escovedo offers an appropriately bleary 'Diana',
Spence's darkest song." (Birdman, 1999), was produced by Bill Bentley,
a Warner Bros. Records executive and Austin-referenced music producer.
In 2003, after having lived with Hepatitis-C for many years, Escovedo
fell critically ill. In his long road to recovery, he faced increasing
medical bills. Without medical insurance, Escovedo could not pay his
substantial medical bills. Friends and admirers around the country organized
benefit shows to help the songwriter. This effort grew into the album
Por Vida: A Tribute to the Songs of Alejandro Escovedo, a two-disc set
whose proceeds benefit the Alejandro Escovedo Medical and Living Expense
Fund. Contributing musicians included Steve Earle, Jon Dee Graham, Lucinda
Williams, John Cale, Jennifer Warnes, Ian Hunter, The Jayhawks, and
Son Volt, as well as family members Pete Escovedo (with niece Sheila
E.), Javier Escovedo, and The Dragons (featuring youngest brother, Mario
Escovedo).
In 2005, Escovedo was declared to be free of the disease.[citation needed]
Alejandro Escovedo and admirer at an October 2010 concert
Also in 2005, Escovedo's song "Castanets" appeared on the
iPod playlist of George W. Bush.
Boxing Mirror came out on May 2, 2006 and included many of the songs
he had promoted with The Alejandro Escovedo String Quintet, including
Jon Dee Graham. Escovedo went on a short tour with the Quintet, which
included a date at Carnegie Hall's Zankel Hall in early December 2006.
In April, 2008, Escovedo changed managers and began being managed by
Jon Landau and Barbara Carr.
Escovedo released, Real Animal, produced by Tony Visconti, on June 24,
2008. All of the songs were co-written with Chuck Prophet.
In 2009, Escovedo was invited to contribute to a tribute album to the
late Doug Sahm. Escovedo contributed his version of "Too Little
Too Late" to Keep Your Soul: A Tribute to Doug Sahm (Vanguard Records).
In June, 2010, Escovedo released Street Songs of Love, also produced
by Visconti but released on a new label, featuring songs that were originally
presented during "Sessions On South Congress" at the Continental
Club in Austin, Texas with his band, The Sensitive Boys. After starting
out writing about nothing in particular, the record “ended up
being an album about love, the pursuit of a feeling that is forever
elusive, mysterious, and addictive,” said Escovedo.
A New York Times "critic's choice" review of Street Songs
of Love claimed that, "In another, less fragmented pop era, this
would be the album of thoughtful but radio-ready love songs to finally
get Mr. Escovedo the big national audience he deserves."
Nationally
syndicated radio shows such as Little Steven Van Zandt's Underground
Garage gave prominent attention to Escovedo and his album, continuing
to play the song "Silver Cloud" in particular well into the
following year.
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