Dusty G. & the Heartache

Out of the ashes of addiction, redemption, love, loss, and existential confusion comes the story of Dusty G. & The Heartache (DG&TH). In the far-off land of 2011 Dusty G., a singer/songwriter from San Antonio, made his way to Austin…to go to rehab to kick heroin. Persuaded by bandmates from the trio he was in at the time, Dusty packed up his guitar and went into recovery. The experiment worked and all was well for a couple of months. But in December 2011, Dusty would lose his best friend, bandmate, and musical collaborator to the heroin epidemic. To add to the insurmountable sorrow, the drummer of their trio who was battling cancer passed away six months after. Dusty stayed in Austin, but the deaths of his close friends/bandmates sent Dusty on long slow spiral that unfortunately defined him for many years to follow.

            The journey to grow was long and arduous. Dusty made ends meet by joining various cover bands and touring across Texas in the following years. He would play guitar and provide additional vocals for various original projects in-between gigging, while his own creations took the backseat. A self-inflicted tumultuous break-up would lead Dusty to begin writing songs again. At the mercy of shame and deliverance, he began to re-discover his sound. Getting together with long-time collaborators Alex Alcocer (drums/percussion) and Alex Lopez (bass) in 2014 was the beginning of the rebirth. They record the first demo of what will eventually become DG&TH.

            More waiting. More writing. In 2016, Dusty goes to community college for sound recording with the intent of completing their project. Dusty then recruits John Takanikos (keys/synth/piano) and they begin to record. It’s in this time where Dusty finds his muse and begins to create lush, ambitious, pop arrangements; songs in where he finds himself reflecting on the tragedies and missteps of his life in an eccentric, whimsical, almost fun, manner. A fitting name is decided on: “Dusty G. & The Heartache”. Across multiple studios over the next three years, they slowly piece together all the of the components; roping in cellos, violins, horns, backing vocalists, and more into a cohesive pop-rock format.

            Which brings us to today, 2019, or as Dusty calls it…30 years later. DG&TH are on the cusp of the long-overdue release of their EP almost five years in the making. Evoking the feels from a more McCartneyian time, DG&TH bring on Dr.Dog vibes, with the angst and quirkiness of young Weezer, and a touch of The Hush Sound with some Brian Wilson sprinkles on top. Blending textures and themes from the 1960’s with a modern edge and huge song arranging, they create a catchy, uniquely refreshing take on pop music that’s both original, yet familiar. Look for their debut EP “…30 Years Later” available everywhere 11/3/19!