Los Pacaminos featuring Paul Young

Los Pacaminos is a Tex-Mex band that was formed by pop star Paul Young in 1992 during a break in his music career. The band originally consisted of six members, including guitarist Jamie Moses, accordion/keyboard player Matt Irving, songwriter Drew Barfield, bassist Steve Greetham, and drummer Mark Pinder. They played their first gig at a local pub in Richmond in November of that year and continued to perform together, growing tighter as friends and musicians with each show.

Although the band was formed as a side project, they started writing their own songs and it became clear that this was not going to be a short-term venture. In 1997, pedal steel player Melvin Duffy was added to the lineup after a suggestion from Jamie, and he quickly became a permanent member of the band.

In 2002, Los Pacaminos released their first album, which was a collection of 12 original songs that drew inspiration from their Tex-Mex influences, including the Texas Tornados, The Sir Douglas Quintet, Flaco Jimenez, as well as Ry Cooder, Calexico, Roy Orbison, The Band and Chuck Berry. The album received positive reviews and helped to establish the band’s reputation as a force to be reckoned with in the Tex-Mex music scene.

Over the years, Los Pacaminos has faced some challenges, including the loss of founder member Matt Irving to cancer in 2015. However, the band continues to thrive and explore the music of the Southwest.