Austin Music Hall of Fame inductee
Lifetime Achievement Award from the Academy of Texas Music
Known as the King of Tex-Mex Rock and Roll, Joe King Carrasco is an internationally acclaimed musician whose unique sound blends Tex-Mex rock, Latin rhythms, reggae, blues, cumbia and surf music.
Born in Dumas, Texas, Joe began playing in garage bands at the age of 13. Inspired by the Mexican music he discovered during his early visits to Mexico, he developed a distinctive sound bridging Texas rock and roll with Latin rhythms.
In the late 1970s, Joe formed El Molino, playing alongside musicians who would later become associated with the legendary Texas Tornados. Throughout his career, he has performed with renowned Tex-Mex musicians, including Augie Meyers. His song Tell Me was recorded by the Texas Tornados and sung by Freddy Fender.
Joe remains a passionate torchbearer for the classic San Antonio style of Tex-Mex music, preserving a distinctive sound deeply rooted in the city's musical heritage.
In 1979, he formed Joe King Carrasco and the Crowns, gaining international recognition with their hit Party Weekend. The band became one of the first American groups signed to the legendary British independent label Stiff Records. Joe and the Crowns subsequently toured extensively across the UK and Europe as part of the celebrated Sons of Stiff Tour, alongside British bands including The Equators. This tour also helped inspire Joe’s later exploration of reggae.
Joe was among the early artists featured on MTV when the channel launched. His hit Party Weekend was reworked as Party Christmas, helping introduce his energetic Tex-Mex sound to audiences worldwide. His career also includes a performance on Saturday Night Live and coverage in Rolling Stone.
During his career, Joe has also toured alongside some of the most influential names in rock and roll, including The Police, Talking Heads and rock-and-roll legend Little Richard. Sharing the stage with such iconic artists further established his reputation as a dynamic performer with a distinctive sound and an electrifying live presence.
Renowned for his explosive, high-energy live performances, Joe brings infectious rhythms, irrepressible stage presence and a party atmosphere to audiences around the world. His concerts combine rock-and-roll excitement with Latin flair, creating unforgettable celebrations of music and cultural connection.
With more than 24 albums to his credit, Joe has toured throughout the United States, Europe, Latin America, Asia and beyond. His music has featured in films including Breathless and Tin Cup, while his song Pachucco Hop became an international hit through the French band Mano Negra.
Joe is also a filmmaker. In 2006, he wrote, produced, directed and starred in his film Rancho No Tengo, demonstrating his creativity beyond music.
His albums Mariachi Blues and Beer Bars & Guitars showcase his enduring musical creativity, blending Mexican influences, blues and rock and roll while capturing the distinctive spirit and energy that have defined his career.
His achievements include a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Academy of Texas Music and induction into the Austin Music Hall of Fame, both as a solo artist and with the Crowns.
When he is not touring internationally, Joe lives in Mexico, where music and community remain central to his life. He is part-owner of Nacho Daddy, a bar and restaurant in Puerto Vallarta where he has performed regularly, keeping the party spirit of Tex-Mex rock and roll alive.
Beyond music, Joe is deeply committed to humanitarian causes. In 2011, he founded Viva Perros, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping homeless, abused and neglected dogs.
In 2025 and 2026, Joe travelled to Ukraine on three separate occasions, bringing his music and message of hope to people affected by the war. He performed in concert venues, rehabilitation centres, hospitals and music schools, as well as for medics preparing to deploy to the front lines.
Working with Mission Aid for Ukraine, Joe has helped support humanitarian efforts for war victims, including fundraising and the delivery of essential supplies and frontline rescue vehicles. He also works with the British organisation Hopefull.org.uk to support Ukrainian dog shelters by helping provide food and medicine and contributing towards veterinary bills.
Still touring, recording and writing new music, Joe King Carrasco continues to spread his message of peace, love and cultural connection through the universal language of rock and roll.
TESTIMONIALS
"Bruce Springsteen lists him as one of the four best rock artists in the world. Michael Jackson has sung on his albums. He even had a No. 1 hit in Nicaragua." THE PHOENIX NEW TIMES
"The conjunto spirit wraps it all up, Carrasco’s lighting fires on the mountain." NEW YORK VILLAGE VOICE
"As soon as he starts keening the ay yi yi of the Mexican battle cry, little doubt remains that here is a genuine soldier in Pancho Villa’s army, reborn, by a smirk of nature, into a gringo’s body." TORONTO’S NOW MAGAZINE
"Joe King Carrasco is one wild and crazy guy - an original party animal - and his band The Crowns is hotter than a jar of jalapeno peppers." DC METROLAND
"Carrasco and his band ‘The Crowns’ have been steadily earning the attention of the rock press in both the U.S. and England." ROLLING STONE MAGAZINE
"Carrasco led his group through two 75-minute sets that were hot as jalapeno peppers, doffing his trademark cape and crown during 96 Tears and marching one of his cordless guitar solos all the way out the door to the middle of Washington Street." THE BUFFALO NEWS
"This ‘Mexican wild man in a gringo’s body’ has the reputation of working audiences into a frenzied dance party - while on stage Carrasco is outdoing them with every step." KANSAS CITY STAR
"Every night is a party weekend when the irrepressible Joe King Carrasco is in charge of the festivities. There’s no question about it - he’s still a wild and crazy guy." BOSTON GLOBE
"Carrasco had the waitresses dancing on the bar and leading mambo trains through the club. He perched on railings, ripped out guitar solos, crowned dancers with his famous sparkling crown and he delivered one of the spiciest, hottest rock and roll shows anyone is likely to see around here this year." THE ALBANY TIMES UNION
"Carrasco plays a smorgasbord of Latin verve - polkas, cumbias, calypso and salsa, oh and don’t worry folks, if the crowd is willing, encores last as long as the main act." THE SANTA FE NEW MEXICAN
"Tex - Mex Jalapeno rock and roll with a vision to convert the masses." LAS CRUCES SUN NEWS
"If there’s one thing he’s known for - from Texas to New York - it’s delivering a Texas sized party no matter what the circumstances." PERFORMANCE MAGAZINE
"Carrasco, the unchallenged King of Tex-Mex, is in his element in front of a wild and crazy crowd, preferably a cerveza soaked gathering on the beach." AUSTIN AMERICAN STATESMAN
"A funky cross between party rock and Mexican tunes, and its goal is to keep your feet moving." MIAMI NEWS
"Hold on to your crowns! It was a wild and crazy time as the King and his court rocked the Skipperdome with mighty Texas rock’n’roll." TAMPA TRIBUNE
"Carrasco’s version of 96 Tears shows that he and his band are honor graduates of the James Brown School of Show Bidness." ASPEN CHRONICLE
"An exuberant call to accordion arms, aimed right at the feet, as in ‘I theeenk he wants us to dance senor’." NEW MUSICAL EXPRESS
"A band that has a reputation for delivering a Texas-sized party everywhere they play." THE MACOMB JOURNAL
"Pure Jalapeno Radio. Brings to mind dimly-lit stucco-walled cantinas with flies, sweat and dust the main motif." NEWPORT DAILY NEWS
"Tales of Tequila and Revolution." PARIS MATCH
"A Jalapeno stuffed enchilada feast, straight from the hip, salsa grit. The Gulf of Mexico sound has never been hotter." THE PUEBLO JOURNAL
"Play it again Zeus, the Greek gods are with Joe King Carrasco." THE HOUSTON POST
AWARDS AND CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
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2013 - Academy of Texas Music Entertainer of the Year award recipient
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2013 - Received the Historical Significance Award from the Academy of Texas Music
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2012 - Austin Music Hall of Fame inductee with his band The Crowns
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2012 - Received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Academy of Texas Music
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2003 - Austin Music Hall of Fame inductee as a solo artist
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1985 - Buddy Award recipient for "Best New Wave Artist"
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1979 - Buddy Award recipient for "Best Latin Artist"
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3 Albums and an Anthology CD released by MCA Records
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Music placed in the soundtrack of the movie "Breathless" with Richard Gere
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Music placed in the soundtrack of James Gardner's "Rockford Files" movies
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Music placed in the soundtrack of "Tin Cup", a movie starring Kevin Costner
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Song "Tell Me" released by The Texas Tornadoes on their "4 Aces" Album
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Song "Pachucco Hop" released by French group Mano Negra on their Platinum selling CD "Puta's Fever"
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Michael Jackson sang 5 part harmony on his song "Don't Let a Woman Make a Fool Out of You".
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Performed on Austin City Limits
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Musical guest on Saturday Night Live
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6 Videos in rotation on MTV
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Featured in Rolling Stone Magazine
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Playboy Magazine
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Creem Magazine
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...and dozens more major publications
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Song "It's a Party Christmas" featured on MTV for 4 decades
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Featured in radio and television P.S.A.'s supporting Mothers' Against Drunk Drivers and Keep Texas Clean campaigns