Giovannie and the Hired Guns are making their presence known.
The Stephenville, Texas outfit led by frontman Giovannie Yanez quickly amassed a solid fanbase on the Texas country/rock scene following their inception in 2015. Seven years later, though, they’re making waves on the national rock scene.
The Guns’ 2021 single “Ramon Ayala” has officially reached the top spot on Billboard’s Rock and Alternative Airplay chart. They are the first band in over four years to have their first charted single eventually reach number one, and with over ten million Spotify streams and significant play on rock radios across the country, “Ramon Ayala” is the band’s biggest hit to date.
Released almost exactly a year ago, on July 23, 2021, “Ramon Ayala” was the soundtrack of the summer for many fans of the Texas country/grunge scene.
The track is named after the legendary Mexican Norteño artist Ramon Ayala, whose music was often played throughout Yanez’ childhood. The hard driving, angst-filled single with clever lyricism and a catchy chorus also has a pretty hilarious music video that accompanies it.
It’s safe to say that Giovannie and the Hired Guns have come quite a long way since Yanez started the band while working the counter at a pawn shop in Stephenville. The Guns’ released their first full album in 2017 titled Bad Habits and their sophomore record Giovannie and the Hired Guns in 2020. With each release, they have increased their fan base and received more of the recognition they deserve.
Following “Ramon Ayala,” the band released another single “I Don’t Mind” back in April and announced their third album, the highly anticipated forthcoming Tejano Punk Boys would be released sometime in July. To my knowledge, a specific date has not been announced.
While I haven’t had the pleasure of experiencing a show myself, the Guns’ have developed a reputation over the years for high energy live shows, and they are currently out promoting the album across the country. With several festivals on the agenda, including Lollapalooza in Chicago at the end of this month, and dozens of headlining shows, you won’t want to miss this tour. Catch them now while the venues are smaller, because chances are that won’t be the case for long.
With a Billboard #1 single and Tejano Punk Boys to be released imminently, Giovannie and the Hired Guns have found their sound, hit their stride, and made their presence known on the national rock scene.
“I Don’t Mind”