LEAGUE CITY — After a 22-year break from releasing recorded music, Texas country musician Dustin Sanchez is back in the studio with new songs and preparing to perform at the Tex-Red Music Festival.
Sanchez, who grew up in the Clear Lake area, said he continued writing music during his time away from recording while working with other artists as a bandleader and road manager.
Eventually, he decided it was time to return to the studio and record new material.
“I took 22 years off, but I worked with other artists and the band leader, road manager and all that,” Sanchez said. “I just thought we had some good stuff.”
His recent releases include “A Little Honky Tonk Never Hurt Nobody,” which he wrote earlier this year, and “One For Me,” the title track of his new EP. He also recorded “Next,” a song written by other songwriters.
Sanchez said he wrote the first two songs within a short period of each other, an experience he described as unusual when it comes to writing songs he feels strongly about.
Sanchez’s musical roots trace back to the Texas country scene, which he said has its own distinct identity compared with Nashville’s music industry.
“Texas music is … it’s its own breed, really,” Sanchez said.
Earlier in his career, Sanchez released the record It’s About Time, which received airplay in Texas and overseas. He said seeing his music reach audiences again has been encouraging as he begins this new chapter.
Sanchez is scheduled to participate in the Song Swap at the Tex-Red Music Festival, where performers take turns playing songs and sharing original material with the audience.
The festival’s Saturday lineup includes Sandy June, Paul Overstreet, Sundance Head and headliner Aaron Watson.
Sanchez said he hopes audiences enjoy the music and recognize the time and dedication performers have put into their work.
“It’s a start at the — we’re at the beginning, you know, again,” Sanchez said. “But it’s just something I had to do. I had to try and see if we could do it again.”
Sanchez’s music is available through major streaming platforms, including Spotify, Pandora and Apple Music. More information is available at DustinSanchezMusic.com.
