Joe "King" Carrasco

For more than 25 years, Dumas native Joe Teusch has lived his life as Joe "King" Carrasco, the perpetual center of a good-time Mexican-rock party. As a proud West Texan, he combines the best elements of garage and surf rock and followed directly in the wake of Sam the Sham and the Pharoahs, the pioneering Texas garage band who introduced Mexican elements like Farfisa organ into mainstream rock on '60s hits like "Wooly Bully," and San Antonio hit machine the Sir Douglas Quintet. After a string of mildly successful albums, Carrasco dubbed his music "Nuevo Wavo" and was signed by cutting-edge European label Stiff Records, which released Joe King Carrasco and the Crowns in 1981. That brought Carrasco to the attention of MCA, which released Synapse Gap (1982) and Party Weekend (1983). But sales didn't stack up, and by 1985 Carrasco was back on small labels like Blue Rose and Rior. He never achieved the mainstream success he probably deserved, but Carrasco's sunny vibe and songs like "Donna, Do You Wanna," "Cool Casa Rockin'" and "Pachuco Hop" have made him a club favorite wherever he goes — including his new home, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.