Meet the Band
Roberto Rivas Jr
Roberto is a master fiddle player whose bow carries decades of passion, precision, and deep cultural soul. His musical roots stretch back to the guitar, but it was the violin that stole his heart—and launched a remarkable career in mariachi music that has taken him to stages across the nation and beyond. As a seasoned mariachi musician and bandleader, Roberto has performed alongside icons like Pepe Aguilar, Lucha Villa, Grammy-winners Bacilos, Mariachi Los Camperos, and the legendary Vicente Fernández. Whether lighting up grand arenas or intimate halls, his playing blends fire and finesse, always grounded in tradition and elevated by emotion. Roberto isn’t just a performer—he’s a visionary. As the founder and director of Mariachi Estrella de El Paso, he didn’t just lead the band; he built it. From curating the repertoire to handling bookings and business strategy, his leadership turned the ensemble into a respected force in the El Paso community. His ability to balance heritage with creativity has become a hallmark of his style. Now, with his roots firmly planted and his musical branches stretching into new genres, Roberto brings his rich classical and folkloric background to the country music scene. His fiddle adds a unique spark—equal parts heartland and heritage—infusing every note with the stories of the borderlands and the spirit of a true musical craftsman.
Sean Ashby
Sean is a lifelong music lover who’s been playing and singing for over a decade, drawn to the raw honesty and storytelling at the heart of country music. From the high lonesome sound of the fiddle to the warm shimmer of pedal steel, if it’s got that twang, he’s all in. Rooted in tradition but not afraid to wander, Sean’s music blends the grit of outlaw country with the soul of a modern-day troubadour - songs built to make you feel something, whether you’re out on the highway or just sitting still with your thoughts..
Mykal Estrella Garcia
Mykal is a multi-instrumentalist hailing from the windswept deserts of West Texas. He first discovered the power of rhythm and rhyme sitting beside his chain-smoking grandmother, who filled the dusty air with the sounds of acoustic folk music. It wasn’t long before Mykal picked up her old guitar—and a few of her bad habits. Over the years, Mykal carved out a professional path as an electric guitarist, touring with various acts in the Praise & Worship genre. But no matter how far he traveled, the pull of his roots never faded. He’s endlessly fascinated by all things acoustic, drawn to the rawness and vulnerability that comes with playing unplugged. For Mykal, each performance is a return to that humble, broken West Texas home—just him and grandma’s old six-string, telling stories the way they were meant to be told.
Jeff Bruner
Jeff has been chasing low-end tones and high musical adventures his entire life. A bassist to the core, his journey began not with a bass, but with a banjo and fiddle handed down from his great-grandfather—a square dance caller out of the Indiana farmlands. That gift sparked a lifelong love affair with music, rooted in the sounds of country and bluegrass and destined to stretch far beyond. The moment of ignition came while watching Bonnie and Clyde, when the fiery banjo lines of Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs lit a creative fuse. Suddenly, it all clicked: bluegrass could be cinematic. Music could move pictures—and people. In school, Jeff picked up the guitar to jam with friends, but his ears were always tuned to the bottom. The bass called out to him. After a bit of convincing, his parents bought him his first bass guitar—and with that, the groove took hold. That groove carried him all the way to the University of California, where he earned a degree in Music Composition and learned to fuse Appalachian grit with orchestral finesse. Jeff went on to make his mark in the professional world, working as a composer, arranger, and producer in New York, Cincinnati, and Los Angeles. His music scored commercials, broadcast television, and films, earning him an Emmy and several Clio Awards along the way. But no matter how far he traveled, his roots were never far behind. Now, Jeff is back to where it all began: the upright thump, the electric punch, the soul of the song. He’s returned to live performance and the earthy, joyful sounds of country, bluegrass, and all the genre-bending spaces in between. For Jeff, it’s not just music—it’s a full-circle moment, decades in the making.