Redeemed by Music: Louie TheSingers Mexican-Inspired Country Album Journey

Two weeks before the release of his debut MCA-released album "One for the Hometown," former convict and rising Nashville country crooner Louie TheSinger, a Fort Worth, Texas native, took time to immerse himself in Tennessee rodeo culture. The artist, whose real name is Luis Alfonso Palacios II, wore brown cowboy boots made with Amazonian fish leather while astride a horse at a 150-acre, 125-year-old ranch and rodeo arena in Lebanon, Tennessee. The property is being redeveloped to host Latin community-friendly rodeos and welcome youth from the Nashville suburbs with an interest in rodeo culture.

The property's owner, Ramiro Reyes, carefully watched Old Hickory, Tennessee-based caterers Tacos El Padrino, as they seasoned and grilled beef flanks, chicken breasts, and flat, green paddles of prickly pear cactus. The caterers were there specifically to herald the performer, whose renown in urban, suburban, and rural Latin communities nationwide is growing.

Whether it was the smell of the horses grazing, the sounds of the construction workers conversing in Spanish while bricklaying to finish construction of the rodeo arena, or Reyes cracking jokes as the smells of grilled traditional Mexican delicacies wafted through the cool breeze on a warm morning, the Texas star and performer rising to national renown was nostalgic.

Palacios' journey to becoming a national star was not an easy one. He was in prison on drug-related charges in May 2019 when he watched Becky G and Kane Brown present Cardi B with a Billboard Music Award for Top Hot100 Song for Cardi's Maroon 5 collaboration "Girls Like You." The moment was a wake-up call for Palacios, who had just lost his father the year before and was struggling with his own demons.

His new album follows his release from prison and his return to music was serendipitously aided by the COVID-19 pandemic. Between 2020 and 2023, he released roughly a dozen songs that brought a frank relatability inspired by both his Mexican-American roots and his experience with people who "drink and smoke too much but still can handle themselves and their responsibilities."

"Discovering my musical niche was like uncovering a superpower I always had," Palacios said. "When I have a microphone in my hand, I'm not calm about it. I'm trying to appear ten times larger than the guy currently sitting in front of you."

Palacios' musical roots run deep, with two generations of Mexican-American crossover superstars influencing his work. He counts among his direct influences the Kumbia Kings, who fused hip-hop, Latin cumbia, R&B, rock, and Tejano styles to achieve award-winning acclaim. Members of the Kumbia Kings include Frankie J, who covered Aventura's bachata hit "Obsesión" and achieved platinum-selling American pop-crossover success in 2005.

For "One for the Hometown," Palacios worked with renowned Nashville hit-making songwriters including Joe and Rob Ragosta, Austin Nivarel, Justin Ebach, and Jackson Nance. The moment underscores his ongoing growth as an artist, embracing the potential his storied roots provide.

"Discovering the intersections of where I share a country background with the people responsible for some of country music's most significant new hits opened all of our eyes to where my sound and style can fit in the growth that country's experiencing as a genre," he said. "Slowing down my workflow to learn how to create bilingual songs like 'Más Maria' and 'Quicker Way To Jesus,' let my heritage