When I learned of the passing of Augie Meyers earlier this month, I was reminded that I had this 4 track EP sitting on my shelves. Meyers, as a founding member of the legendary San Antonio group the Sir Douglas Quintet, helped invent Tex-Mex roots rock music back in the 1960's. The Krayolas were heavily influenced by SDQ, so this collaboration more than makes sense, it was practically predestined.
With a few clicks, I quickly found an article about the release from the San Antonio alt-weekly, the Current: Fox Force Five. But since the leader of The Krayolas, Hector Saldana, is a friend o' the blog, I simply reached out to him for his memories of Augie Meyers and the story of how this EP came about. So I'll shut up now as we go directly to the source for more info:
Augie Meyers was as pure a musician as they come. He was known for his sound on the Vox Continental combo organ, but he was also excellent and very musical on the accordion, could play rhythm and lead guitar and was downright elegant on the piano. He was also a really good singer.Thanks, Hector. As for the music on this 10 minute CD, check it out for yourselves as the other tracks are quite good as well; I particularly enjoy Rescue Roses. Samples here: https://thekrayolas.com/music/little-fox/
Augie was a fan of the Krayolas since our teenage years. He had a show or segment on KEXL-FM radio in San Antonio where he spun local records and I remember going over there with our bassist and organ player Barry Smith with our 45 “All I Do Is Try”/”Sometime” – and he played it, which was a big deal. In the mid-1970s, the Krayolas always included “She’s About a Mover” and “Mendocino” in our sets.
“Little Fox” was completely out of the blue. Augie had listened to “Best Riffs Only” – the compilation of our old 45s – and really liked it and the cover artwork. I ran into him, and he told me he had heard it and that he had a demo of a song from the Sir Douglas Quintet days that was never released called “Little Fox.” He said he would play on it and gave me a cassette of a song that didn’t have the word “fox” in it, didn’t have a chorus, had horns and was kind of long. When I mentioned this to Augie after listening to it, he just said, “Make it sound like the Krayolas.” I arranged it. I turned the horn melody into the Rickenbacker 12-string riff, shortened it and wrote a chorus with “Little Fox.”
Augie is the one that took us to Blue Cat Studios. We recorded it live and listened to Take 1, which sounded great but I thought it could be shorter, so I cut a verse and we did it again. It sounded great. I remember during the first playback, I told my brother that I was going to say, “Take it, Augie!” before the organ solo just like Doug Sahm. We laughed. I almost lost my nerve during the take, but I went for it. It’s a cherished memory. We cut a handful of other songs that I had written for the Krayolas. “Little Fox” was originally in English. I asked my mom to write an additional set of Spanish lyrics for it, and that made it perfect.
Augie had so much fun, too. He said we should make an album. That’s how “La Conquistadora” album1 came about. He played Vox organ, accordion and piano during the sessions. We also made a Christmas video with Augie to my arrangement of the Rudolph song -- “Tex-Mex Rudolph.” Augie played accordion and Vox organ on it. Of course, “Catherine” and “Alex” were soon played on Little Steven’s Underground Garage on SiriusXM channel 21 – and we ended up playing showcases together at SXSW – including the only time Little Steven Van Zandt broadcast from SXSW. Augie came up for a couple of numbers on that one, including the Kinks “Who’ll Be the Next in Line” and “Little Fox.” At our first SXSW, the crowd went nuts when the Krayolas and Augie Meyers tore into the Dave Clark Five’s “Any Way You Want It.”
One of my favorite memories is Augie playing Vox organ with us at my birthday party at a club called The Cove.2 We did a lot of fun gigs and recording sessions together. I visited with Augie quite a few times near the end of his life, and I cherish those visits, too. We talked about his childhood and music and the many musicians he loved. On one of my last visits, I played him a mix of the Krayolas newest Christmas song, “Maria Believes in Christmas Again.” He had hoped to play Vox organ on it but it just couldn’t happen. But as he listened to it he was telling me what he would overdub on it when he felt better.
I was there for his last public gigs and helped him on and off the stage. I cherish that so much. We all loved the guy. He remained humble, down to earth and always with a joke at the ready. It’s a huge loss for San Antonio. He was one of the greatest musicians Texas ever produced.
A song I wrote that Augie played Vox organ on called "Exit Salida" is currently in Top 100 Most Played Songs ranking on SiriusXM Outlaw Country. They stated playing it in rotation last week in tribute to Augie. The Krayolas and Augie again.
1La Conquistadora is also on my shelves and will appear here in the future. Check this space.
2The Cove is the one of my favorite eateries and the only combination organic restaurant/bar/car wash/laundromat/live music venue that I'm aware of.
Personal Memory Associated with this CD: None, but I sure wish I could have been at that SXSW show.
Previously revisited for the blog:
Happy Go Lucky (2022)
Savage Young Krayolas (2020)
Best Riffs Only (2007)
