Texicana. From left: Chris J. Norwood, Chris Pitts, Dev Wulf, Guillermo Murillo and Kelly Huffman. Photo courtesy of Emmalou Gagnon.
Americana rock band Texicana started in our neighborhood when a few friends asked “what if.”
Sitting at a Lakewood Landing round table April 11, 2019, a few guys decided to turn that hypothetical into reality. Chris J. Norwood, Dev Wulf, Guillermo Murillo, Chris Pitts and Kelly Huffman formed a band.
It’s not very creative, Wulf knows, but they called it Texicana because they are an Americana rock band from Texas.
When they first started out, they were writing a new song almost every week. Their first show was at the Sundown at Granada in August 2019.
They’ve shared the stage with Grace Potter, Devon Gilfillian, Black Joe Lewis and Grady Spencer and the Work. Texicana released their first EP, “No Good Reason,” at the start of the pandemic in March 2020.
Then the gigs they had lined up started getting canceled, and the band didn’t know if or when they would play again. They really didn’t do anything as a band, but they didn’t stop making music individually.
“It’s cool to know that we have something to look forward to,” Wulf says.
They kept writing and creating, and when the world started to reopen late last summer, they took advantage, booking studio time to start recording. Though they originally planned it to be a full album, life happened, and they pivoted to keeping it as an EP.
Wulf described the EP, “Little Bit of Trouble,” as a road trip record. “Wild & Free” was inspired by the story of Norwood’s mom, who left her home in Minnesota after she graduated high school. “Lost in the Moonlight” is about falling in love, hopping in the car and going on a long night drive, no destination in mind. “Just Between Us” is a heartbreak song.
The release party will be Oct. 15, the same day the record becomes available on streaming platforms. Along with King Clam and The Lash Outs, Texicana will be playing at Double Wide, located at 3510 Commerce St. Doors open at 9 p.m., and the show starts at 10 p.m. Tickets are available here.
“We’re a band that’s all about community,” Wulf says.
