Today we’d like to introduce you to Jaime Guevara.
Hi Jaime , thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
EZ Band’s story really started with family and a love for music. Before EZ Band became what it is today, we went through a few different names and different versions of the group while trying to figure out exactly who we were musically. At some point, I started doing covers of songs from other genres and turning them into Norteño just for fun. Eventually, we realized those were the songs people were really connecting with, and that helped shape the direction of the band.
A big part of the band has always been the family connection. My dad, my brother and I have been making music together for years, and as the group grew, we brought in more musicians who became like family as well. What started as something much smaller slowly developed into a full live show with accordion and bajosexto, electric guitar, percussion and the energy of a rock concert, while still keeping the sound and culture we grew up with.
Social media played a huge role in helping people discover us. Videos of our covers started reaching audiences outside of Houston, and little by little we began seeing people show up to shows who had found us online. That eventually led to us traveling more, playing bigger venues, festivals and some opportunities we never imagined when we first started.
We’re still growing and figuring out what the next chapter looks like, but the goal has stayed pretty simple: make music that feels authentic to us, represent where we come from and create a show where people from different musical backgrounds can all have a good time together.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It definitely hasn’t always been a smooth road. One of the biggest challenges has simply been keeping a band going for this many years. There have been lineup changes, financial struggles, long drives, late nights and plenty of times when I questioned whether all the work I was putting into it was actually going to lead somewhere.
For a long time, I was also trying to figure out where I fit. What I do doesn’t really fall perfectly into one genre. I love Norteño music, but I also grew up listening to rock, rap, alternative, pop and all kinds of other music. In the beginning, doing those songs in a Norteño style was really just something I enjoyed doing. There wasn’t really a blueprint for it, so I had to trust myself and keep going even when I didn’t know if people would understand what I was trying to do.
To be honest, at first they didn’t. It took a while before the music was accepted. In fact, other bands made fun of what I was doing for a while, but now a few of them are doing the same thing.
There are also a lot of challenges people don’t see behind the scenes. Traveling with a full band, buying and maintaining equipment, promoting shows and trying to grow while still handling everyday life can be a lot. As an independent band, a lot of that falls on me. I’ve had to learn almost every part of the business as I’ve gone along.
But I think those struggles have made me appreciate where I am now even more. Every time I travel somewhere new and see people singing along, or meet someone who tells me they discovered EZ Band through one of our videos, it reminds me why I kept going.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I’m a musician, producer, manager, owner and the person behind EZ Band. A lot of what I do happens both onstage and behind the scenes. I sing, play bajosexto, arrange, produce and mix our music, make and edit our videos, and handle just about every part of running the band, including booking, promotion, production, travel, merch, planning the live shows and the day-to-day business side of everything.
What I’ve become most known for is taking songs from completely different genres and reimagining them in a Norteño style. I’ve done everything from rock and alternative to pop, rap and songs people would probably never expect to hear with accordion and bajosexto. I never really started doing it with the intention of creating a new lane for myself. I was just having fun making the music I liked sound like the music I grew up around, and eventually that became what people connected with the most.
What I’m most proud of is seeing something that started as an idea I was experimenting with turn into something people recognize as EZ Band’s sound. There was a time when people didn’t really understand it, and some even made fun of it, so seeing audiences now come to shows specifically because they want to hear these songs done our way means a lot to me.
I think what sets me apart is that I’m not afraid to mix things that traditionally might not be put together. I don’t really think about whether a song is supposed to be Norteño. If I hear something in it that I think can work, I’ll figure out a way to make it my own while still respecting the original song. I think that combination of the music I grew up with and all the other genres I love is what ultimately created the sound people now associate with EZ Band.
What do you like best about our city? What do you like least?
What I like most about Dallas is the people. Every time I’ve performed there, the crowds have shown us a lot of love and brought great energy to the shows. Dallas also has a really diverse music scene, which I appreciate because I’ve never liked putting music into one specific box. There are so many different cultures, styles of music and great places to eat, so I always enjoy coming back.
If I had to pick something I like least, it would probably be the traffic. I’m from Houston, so I’m definitely used to traffic, but Dallas can still give us a run for our money sometimes. Other than that, I’ve always had a really good experience in the city and I’m grateful for the support Dallas has shown me and EZ Band.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://ezbandofficial.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ezbandofficial
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ezbandofficial/
- Twitter: https://x.com/ezbandofficial
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@EZBANDOFFICIAL
