While San Antonio's music scene has often been eclipsed by that of a certain city north of us on Interstate 35, it's still been a launching pad for plenty of performers — some of whom even stuck around once they found success. All of these musicians who spent time in the Alamo City made significant contributions to their respective genres, from country and Tejano to hip-hop and heavy metal.
George Strait
Poteet-born Strait has stayed true to his SA roots during the course of a country music career that included more than 40 chart-topping singles. Although he retired from touring in 2012, the singer's distinctive Western swing-influenced is still popular on country radio, and he's a revered local celebrity.
Photo via Facebook / George Strait
Megan Thee Stallion
Although most associated with her home base of Houston, rapper and singer Megan Thee Stallion was born in San Antonio in 1995, and her lyrics and stage presence definitely boast an SA swagger. Her confidence and sensuality have made her a strong hip-hop contender and earned her a slot last year on Time magazine's inaugural Time 100 Next list.
Photo via Facebook / Megan Thee Stallion
Ally Brooke
Brooke, who got her start with the girl group Fifth Harmony, was born in San Antonio and attended Cornerstone Christian Elementary School before home schooling her way to a diploma. She launched a solo career in 2017 and last year racked up a third-place finish on the 28th season of Dancing with the Stars.
Photo via Instagram / AllyBrooke
Steve Earle
Although born in Virginia, this Americana heavyweight, political activist and actor on the HBO show Treme was raised in San Antonio. By the age of 19, though, he'd headed to Nashville, where his music career first came into bloom.
Courtesy Photo / Steve Earle
Butthole Surfers
The Butthole Surfers roiled the '80s rock underground with a dirty mix of psychedelia and post-punk noise. The band's core members, including singer Gibby Haynes and guitarist Paul Leary, met while attending Trinity University.
Courtesy Photo / Butthole Surfers
Austin Mahone
San Antonio-born pop star Austin Mahone still reps his hometown, even though he spends most of his time in elsewhere now. The hit singer attended Johnson HS for his freshman year and was homeschooled for the rest of his high school career.
Photo via Instagram / austinmahone
Girl in a Coma
San Antonio's all-female indie-rock trio Girl in a Coma made waves in the 2000s after being taken under the wing of rock legend Joan Jett. The group scored critical praise for a series of releases that mixed punk energy with melancholy vocals and a distinctively South Texas feel. After the band's breakup, the rhythm section went on to form the similarly feted Fea, while singer Nina Diaz pursued a solo career that took her to LA and then back to the Alamo City.
Photo by Daniela Riojas
Pat Green
"Wave on Wave" country singer Pat Green enjoyed serious chart success in the early 2000s before coming back to his Texas roots and working as an independent artist. His love for Texas shouldn't be a surprise: he was born in San Antonio, raised in Waco and attended Texas Tech.
Courtesy Photo / Pat Green
Shelly Lares
San Antonio-born Lares has been a key figure in Tejano music for more than three decades, having been nominated for Female Vocalist of the Year for thirteen consecutive years at the Tejano Music Awards. In addition to her Latin chart success, she attempted a move into country music in the '90s and recorded duets with Vince Gill.
Photo via Facebook / Shelly Lares
Augie Meyers
San Antonio-born Meyers' "Hey Baby, Que Paso" is pretty much the city's unofficial jukebox anthem. Beyond that, the Bulverde resident has found success as a founding member of '60s rockers the Sir Douglas Quintet and the Texas Tornadoes supergroup. Plus, his distinctive Vox organ sound has also graced recordings by Bob Dylan, Tom Waits and others.
Courtesy Photo / Augie Meyers
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Chris Perez
Selena may have hailed from Corpus Christi, but her husband and guitarist was puro San Anto. Perez was born in the Alamo City in 1969 and went to Jefferson High School. He was working at a library when he was 17 and decided to pursue music as a career.
Photo via Instagram / chrispereznow
Bobby Jarzombek
SA Southsider Bobby Jarzombek's drum skills have made him a hot commodity for a variety of metal acts. He's toured or recorded with Iced Earth, Riot and prog-metal heavyweights Fates Warning. What's more, he's been the go-to drummer for former Skid Row frontman Sebastian Bach and Judas Priest vocalist Rob Halford for their solo projects.
Photo via Facebook / Bobby Jarzombek
Patricia Vonne
Actress and singer Patricia Vonne was born in SA in 1969 and attended St. Anthony High before moving to New York. One of her big breaks came through being featured in her brother, Hollywood director Robert Rodriguez's films. She's since relocated to Austin.
Courtesy Photo / Patricia Vonne
Dave McClain
After cutting his teeth with legendary San Antonio metal band SA Slayer, drummer Dave McClain left the Alamo City. He landed in top-drawing Machine Head during the mid '90s and spent 23 years recording and touring with that band. He's since rejoined thrash band Sacred Reich, with whom he performed in the early '90s.
Facebook / Dave McClain
Sunny Ozuna
San Antonio treasure Ozuna was vocalist and chief songwriter for Sunny & the Sunglows — later Sunny & the Sunliners — a group formed at Burbank Vocational School in 1959. The band pioneered the brown-eyed soul sound that blended R&B and doo-wop with Tex-Mex influences, and it became one of the first Mexican-American outfits to appear on American Bandstand.
Courtesy Photo / Sunny Ozuna
Christopher Cross
Yacht rock singer-songwriter Christopher Cross was born in San Antonio and graduated from Alamo Heights High School. Cross' career didn't survive the MTV era, but his smooth late '70s and early '80s hits including "Sailing" and "Ride Like the Wind" were inescapable on top 40 radio.
Instagram / ItsMrCross
Holly Dunn
Born in San Antonio in 1957, Dunn broke into music during her high school years performing with the Freedom Folk Singers. After moving to Nashville in the '80s, her country career exploded to include numerous charting hits including "Daddy's Hands" and "You Really Had Me Going." She died of ovarian cancer in 2016.
Courtesy Photo / MTM Music Group
Tish Hinojosa
Folk and country performer Tish Hinojosa was born in San Antonio in 1955 to Mexican immigrant parents. Known for her original songs in both Spanish and English, she's twice broken into the Billboard country charts and even performed at the White House. After living in Germany, she now resides in Austin.
Courtesy Photo / Tish Hinojosa
Emilio Navaira
San Antonio-born Emilio Navaira was one of the key artists who popularized Tejano music in the '90s, earning both a Grammy and Latin Grammy along the way. Although Navaira died in 2016, two of his sons, Emilio IV and Diego, went into the family business, recording and touring with the rock band the Last Bandoleros.
Photo via Facebook / Emilio Navaira Official
Flaco Jiménez
The San Antonio-born accordion master began performing at the age of seven with his father, conjunto pioneer Santiago Jiménez Sr. Since then, he's carved out a lengthy career as a solo artist, a member of the Texas Tornadoes supergroup and as a sideman for artists including Bob Dylan, The Rolling Stones and Ry Cooder. His brother Santiago Jiménez Jr. is a respected conjunto artist in his own right.
Photo via Wikimedia Commons / Steve Terrell
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Ron Jarzombek
A member of influential technical metal band WatchTower, San Antonio native Jarzombek has won praise as one of the genre's most innovative guitarists. Although much of his attention has been on his own outfits, including Spastic Ink, Blotted Science and Terrestrial Exiled, he's also guested with other influential outfits. He's the brother of Bobby Jarzombek, who also appears on this list.
Photo via Facebook / Ron Jarzombek Official
Kevin Talley
San Antonio has a longtime rep as a heavy metal town, and drummer Kevin Talley is certainly keeping that flame alive. The 210 resident has held down drum duties for a sting of the genres most extreme bands, including Dying Fetus, Misery Index, Suffocation and Battlecross.
Photo via Wikimedia Commons / Jax 0677
Doug Sahm
San Antonio-born Sahm was a musical child prodigy who found early success with the '60s group Sir Douglas Quintet, formed with Augie Meyers. Sahm's blending of rock with blues, country, Tex-Mex, Western swing and even Cajun music earned him a cult following across the U.S. and Europe. He died in 1999, just as many were recognizing his vital influence on the burgeoning Americana scene.
Photo via Wikimedia Commons / Warner Brothers Records
Mike Nesmith
Before joining the TV-ready '60s pop group the Monkees, Mike Nesmith did basic training at San Antonio's Lackland AFB and attended San Antonio College. It was while at SAC that he and buddy John Kuehne won the college's talent show, cementing a musical partnership that eventually blossomed into the Monkees.
Photo via Wikimedia Commons / NBC Television
Moe Bandy
Bandy, a superstar of the '70s country scene, was born in Mississippi but landed in San Antonio at age 6 after a family move. After an early career as a bull rider in the Texas rodeo circuit, he ended up performing at honky tonks and scored a string of hits centered around drinking, cheating and other C&W standbys.
Photo via Wikimedia Commons / Ray Baker Management
George Strait
Poteet-born Strait has stayed true to his SA roots during the course of a country music career that included more than 40 chart-topping singles. Although he retired from touring in 2012, the singer's distinctive Western swing-influenced is still popular on country radio, and he's a revered local celebrity.
Photo via Facebook / George Strait
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