Today we’d like to introduce you to Manny “Smiley” Velazquez
Hi Manny, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I grew up on a horse ranch in the southwestern town of Scottsdale, AZ from Puerto Rican parents. My grandfather played bohemian folkloric music and taught me how to play classical guitar.
My journey playing country music began in 2002 when I started recording at legend Glen Campbell’s home studio in downtown Phoenix.
Later, I spent several years in my ancestral home of Puerto Rico where I captured my Latin roots on my first album Trio Velazquez “Deep Midwest”. This took place after hurricane Maria until the pandemic lock down. I started playing in Austin, TX in 2020.
Recently I recorded a Texas made album, “Keep Smiling” thanks to a grant from the City of Austin Live Music Fund from the Economic Department of Development. The release event was last year on Fri, April 12th at the Puerto Rican Cultural Center in East Austin.
I toured the album in New Mexico, Arizona, and Puerto Rico the past year. And am currently playing around town and around Texas.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It hasn’t been a smooth road, but going through it and still being able to play music is what has made it so rewarding. To clear a path for future Puerto Rican country artists will be my legacy I believe.
After Hurricane Maria in 2017, my uncle’s home was in need of someone to come in and clean/ live in to pay the utilities and keep up the landscaping. In exchange my uncle allowed me to live there rent free. Plans were for my then wife and I to move there. Unfortunately, my wife decided not to join me and we divorced. The 2020 pandemic was another struggle to continue playing in Puerto Rico because they kept shutting down live music on the island. Many businesses were forced to close down. I suffered many financial issues during these years.
Texas was where I was able to play live music again thanks to my adopted big brother, Johnny McGowan. He opened his network for me to be able to travel to Austin and book shows from 2020-2022. Eventually I was able to move to Austin in May of 2022 after another bad breakup back east. Johnny scooped me up in Georgia when I was working a temp job as a contractor in a merchandising warehouse. From then on I was working full-time again with him and in my own music business endeavours, picking up gigs along the way with legend Alvin Crow, hero Bob Appel, and colleague Todd Deatherage.
Faced my greatest challenges in 2023 and 2024, both when my music career and family challenges faced head on. It was difficult navigating each commitment through the process. I lost family members, many friends, and business opportunities during these tumultuous and volatile years.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I’m the first Puerto Rican Country artist. In 2019 I recorded my first album in Puerto Rico at Highway Recordings in Arecibo. Trio Velazquez “Deep Midwest” which was a one-man-band fusion of Country, Bolero, and Blues.
I recorded my second album in Texas from 2023-2024, thanks to a grant from the City of Austin called Smiley Velazquez “Keep Smiling”. Most of my songs are written by the fabulous Johnny McGowan. We’ve been writing and playing together for ten years now.
You can find me playing live music in Austin, TX. I do my best to preserve classic country and honky tonk music along with showcasing amazing songwriters. I specialize in Glen Campbell material, from the beginning I always had an outstanding role model in him. It was important for him to have only the greatest songwriters in his catalogue and to sing the best songs. In that essence, I’m always trying to find the greatest songs to sing and play at my shows. I was given the nickname “Smiley” because I was so happy to be playing live music in Texas. It’s an honor to be playing with professionals day in and day out and to also give back to developing new artists and Puerto Rican musicians as well.
What matters most to you? Why?
What matters to me most is that I’m able to play music on the weekends and find a steady day job so I can take care of my toddler. My baby boy went through heart surgery at 4 months old and I’m now working as a single Dad to find a solid enough income to support him along the way while sustaining my music business that I’ve already invested my life into.
I’m eternally grateful to everyone in Texas and Puerto Rico, the music community, and my family that have helped and supported me along the way. Would not be here if it weren’t for this wonderful collective.
Would like to see a greater connection between Puerto Rico and Texas. Both places were at one time their own countries and because of this, they both share the same amount of pride in their culture and people. Puerto Rico and Texas will always have a special place in my heart.
Pricing:
- $200/hr live music performance
Contact Info:
- Website: https://SmileyVelazquez.com
- Instagram: @thesmileyvelazquez
- Facebook: MannyVelazquez
Image Credits
Trey Kincade
