Kacey Musgraves selects Mariachi Brothers previously detained by ICE, to open in Texas

Kacey Musgraves has announced that three mariachi musicians, the Gámez-Cuéllar brothers, will open a series of her upcoming shows in Texas.

The performances are scheduled to take place from May 3 to May 5 at Gruene Hall in New Braunfels as part of her Middle of Nowhere tour.

The family had entered the United States through an asylum claim in 2023 after leaving Mexico and had been living in McAllen, Texas. They were detained during a scheduled court check-in in February before being released in early March.

Antonio and Caleb are members of their high school’s mariachi band, Mariachi Oro, which has received awards in Texas. Antonio has also been recognised as a leading mariachi trumpet player in the state. Their younger sibling Joshua is also involved in mariachi performance.

Musgraves shared the line-up announcement on Instagram ahead of ticket sales, which begin on April 29. The concerts form part of a wider tour supporting her upcoming album, Middle of Nowhere, set for release on May 1.

In a previous interview, Musgraves spoke about her intention to highlight Mexican musical traditions in her work. “In this modern time that we’re in, I really want to go an extra mile to really show the Mexican culture that I really deeply appreciate it, that I see it, and that it matters,” she said.

“Ultimately, in ways that I wasn’t even aware of, [has] influenced me as a person, who I am and the music that I make today.”