Artist Spotlight: Dustin Welch

Dustin Welch will perform at Ray Wylie Hubbard's Grit 'n Groove Festival on April 6, 2013 at Whitewater Amphitheater in New Braunfels, TX. Click here for more details.

Dustin comes from a powerhouse musical family. Father Kevin Welch is one of Texas' most highly respected and decorated songwriters, and his sister Savannah is a member of the all female angelic quartet of sirens The Trishas. Dustin was exposed to many amazing singers, songwriters and instrumentalists as a child. He was also fed an eclectic mix of music on tape and in life and that had influenced him to seek out his own style rather than copy one.

Dustin was focused on music from an early age, he was even learning and playing mandolin as early as 5 years old and learned guitar and banjo along the way. At 15 he was playing at a music festival at a hippie commune in Tennessee called The Farm. While there he had a dream, or he explained it as more of a vision of music. He remembered instrumentations and a very unique musical style that would end up influencing his own composing and songwriting. Years later after writing the song "Sparrows", he realized this song had become the embodiment of the music from his vision.

After spending time in Nashville then later becoming a member of west coast punk rock band Scotch Greens; Dustin relocated to Austin in 2008 and shortly after got a job running sound at Momos. Dustin later picked up a Monday night residency at Momos and began to further develop his own unique sound and style while working on writing more songs. Dustin's first full length album Whisky Priest was released in March of 2009 and was called "one of the most compelling albums to come out of Texas in the past year" by Lone Star Music Magazine.

Dustin frequently co-writes with friends such as Micky Braun, John Fulbright, The Trishas, childhood friends Justin Earl and Carrie Anne Hearst and his father Kevin Welch among many more. Another round of originals ended up being compiled into his latest full-length album Tijuana Bible that was released on February 12 of this year. The first song I heard on radio from this particular album was "Across The Rubicon". This big, 60's hippie anthem style song is one Dustin had written with big vocals and harmonies with The Trishas in mind, but after it didn't make the final cut on their album High Wide and Handsome, Dustin ended up recording it himself and it made it onto Tijuana Bible and the Americana airwaves!

Dustin and his wife Kayla live in a home south of Austin with their dogs and a cat. Kayla used to produce rodeos for a living, and has now redirected those skills as a valuable member of the team at WileyWorld Entertainment as Ray Wylie Hubbard's tour manager. Come to Grit N Groove Fest and hear Dustin's unique style for yourself!

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