The Sons of the Rio Grande formed as a trio in 1996 from veterans of the active Western music scene in the Rio Grande valley of central New Mexico. They shared a desire to build a strong acoustic band with a lean, vocal-oriented sound. The result is a stirring combination of tight trio harmony and lively instrumental work that evokes the original Sons of the Pioneers, but builds on that excellent tradition with material spanning a century of Western music, including several of the group’s original compositions.

The title track of their debut album, The Spirit & Beauty of the West, won them the New Mexico Music Industry Award for Best Folk Song of 2003 — one of several critical accolades the album has garnered. Having grown to a quartet with the addition of bassist Richard Twilley, the Sons of the Rio Grande have just released their eagerly awaited second album, The Westerner.

With the scenery and majesty displayed in the Rio New Mexico area, it is no wonder that the Sons of the Rio Grande are producing the style and flavor of the west.