Walter Hyatt with Champ Hood ~ 1993

Born in 1950 in Spartanburg, South Carolina, Walter Hyatt was a songwriter and guitarist whose music could not be corralled into any one pen. This was always an aspect of his musical life, dating from his early listening as a child — digging into R&B and rock & roll, the latter style transforming into a maelstrom of styles all in itself in the '60s. Scholars on the subject of what makes for a good career tend to agree that Hyatt was just too eclectic to make a mark on the roots rock audience at large.


Hyatt projects had a huge influence on other musicians, and on a regional level the wonderful music of Uncle Walt's Band, with Champ Hood and David Ball, was a favorite of many a college music lover, in the days before the under-21 crowd were locked out of the honky tonks.

Although claimed as an Austin phenomenon, Uncle Walt's Band actually formed in Spartanburg, while they were still in high school. The band bounced worked between Nashville and Austin. The band appeared on Austin City Limits in 1980 (Walter appeared again as a solo artist in the 1990's) Uncle Walt called it quits to pursue solo careers in 1983.

Lyle Lovett was a fan of Uncle Walt's Band and in 1993, Lyle reach out to Hyatt and offered him opening-act slots for his tour. This was the same year Walter signed to do Alleyfest and rather than cancel, he flew in on a Sunday to appear on our stage.
Three years later Walter met an early and tragic death, however, in the crash of ValuJet flight 592 into the Florida Everglades swamp in 1996.

After Uncle Walt's Band broke up, Champ Hood had a new partnership with Austin's Jimmie Dale Gilmore and followed by some nine years working with songstress Toni Price (another Alleyfest Alumni). Lyle Lovett hired Hood for his own Large Band. The Threadgill's Troubadours was Hood's pet project in the '90s—finally, his own band after so many years as a collaborator and sideman. His son Warren Hood took up the fiddle and was himself performing on Austin City Limits in the latter part of that decade. Sadly like Walter, Champ died while still in his forties, sucumming to cancer at an early age.

Brave Combo, Nuclear Polka Band ~ 1993

Brave Combo are a polka/rock band based in Denton, Texas. Founded in 1979 by guitarist/keyboardist/accordionist Carl Finch, they have been a prominent fixture in the Texas music scene for more than twenty-five years. Their music, both originals and covers, incorporates a number of dance styles, mostly polka, but also rumba, cha-cha-cha, choro, samba, two-step, cumbia, charanga, merengue, etc.

As part of their perceived artistic mission to expand the musical tastes of their listeners, they have often played and recorded covers of well-known songs in a style radically different from the original versions. Examples include polka versions of Jimi Hendrix's "Purple Haze" and The Doors' "People are Strange", The Rolling Stones' "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" as a cha-cha, and "Sixteen Tons" as a cumbia. While their records may have a sense of humor, they are played straight and not usually considered joke or novelty records.

Joe "King" Carrasco ~ 1993 & 2002

One of the real "characters" to play at Alleyfest, Joe Carrasco was born in Dumas, Texas. His name Joe Teusch doesn't quite has the proper Tex-Mex ring so enter Joe "King" Carrasco. He founded the band "Joe 'King' Carrasco and El Molino" in Texas in the late 70s. The band appeared at the now-infamous Raul's club,a live music nightclub in Austin near the UT campus which specialized in punk rock music.

By 1979 he had formed the Crowns and was calling his music "nuevo wavo," playing especially in New York, where he appeared on stage in a cape and crown. He was signed to the U.K. Stiff label and Joe Boyd's Hannibal label in the U.S., and released Joe "King" Carrasco and the Crowns in 1980. By 1982 he had moved up to major label MCA for Synapse Gap, followed by Party Weekend (1983). ~ Wikipedia / Allmusic Guide

A true self promoter, get the full scoop on Joe's current goings on at his website: www.joekingcarrasco.com



Here's Joe on Joe:


Bonus: Here's Joe and El Moleno!