New releases and tours in Texas– we have some of the best of the month of June rounded up here for you in this month’s #TexasTunes.

#1 Matthew Scott Ragland

Matthew Scott Ragland is no stranger to the creative process, and has roots in Dallas. The tenured artist found his flow as the brains behind Nelo, an alternative rock band from the late 2000’s. With a newfound love and inspiration in his life, Ragland is back to music making. 

Ragland will release two singles leading up to the release of his new EP, Ghosts. Ragland shared the title track “Ghosts,” on May 27, which will be followed by “Can’t Get Over” shortly after on June 10. The full EP will be released on June 24. For the latest updates, connect with Ragland follow him on Spotify and Instagram.

#2 Joshua Dylan Balis

Folk-rock singer-songwriter Joshua Dylan Balis is bringing the heat with his “WE’RE ON FIRE” summer headlining tour. Josh is touring in support of his recently released critically-acclaimed debut LP “We’re On Fire.”

Josh kicked off this tour in his hometown of Dallas, Texas on May 27, with a special album release show featuring special guests and members of band Bastards of Soul Danny Balis and Chad Stockslager. The 15-city tour will continue with stops in Washington, D.C., New York, NY, Los Angeles, CA, and Denver, CO before making a second run through Dallas/Fort Worth, TX on June 22, and returning to Nashville, TN where Josh currently resides.

#3 Court Hoang

Indie folk-rock artist and composer Court Hoang, from Fort Worth, is releasing his album, “Get Right” on Friday, June 17. His new album focuses on the need to get our act together– as individuals, as communities, and as a species. He touches on the social unrest taking place in the United States and around the world, and felt the time was right to release these songs. 

He will be celebrating the release of his album with a show on Friday, June 17 at Margo Jones Theater in Dallas, which will have a performative element to it.

#4 Chris Knight 

After 23 years as a recording artist, singer-songwriter Chris Knight remains boldly empowered to make music that always delivers the unflinching truth. Knight will hit the sonic highlights of his career in concert June 23 at 7 p.m. at Lava Cantina in The Colony, TX. Tickets are $10- $45; all ages are welcome.

“If I don’t have something worth saying, I’m not opening my mouth. I haven’t suited everybody, but every time I get a new fan it tells me I’m doing something right. I think all my records have set a precedent, if only for me at the very least. I just want people to think the latest one stands up to everything else I’ve done,” Knight said.

#5 Accordion Kings & Queens  

On Saturday, June 4, Texas Folklife will host the 33rd annual Accordion Kings & Queens concert at Houston’s Miller Outdoor Theatre from 7-10 p.m. The show will simultaneously be live streamed via Facebook. The free live event features a lineup of the best in Texas accordion music genres, including Norteño, Zydeco, Cajun and more. 

Free tickets will be available on a first-come-first-served basis at the Miller Outdoor Theater website and box office the day before the performance at 10:00am. 

#6 PLATO III 

Growing up in Abilene, Plato III, aka Ryan Silva, has transformed the haunting specter of Abilene into reckoning and reconciliation through music. 

Throughout “The Devil Has Texas,” his new album out June 17th via Polyvinyl, Plato III fuses nimble bars with outlaw anthem guitars to guide us down the dusty streets and empty plains of his hometown. You can also hear the fusion of his influences throughout– from the conscious hip-hop of Black Star to indie rock icons Modest Mouse to lofi legend Daniel Johnston. 

Cover Photo courtesy Jefferson Santos, Unsplash

Gracie Watt is the Editorial Assistant at Texas Lifestyle Magazine and a graduate of St. Edward’s University in Austin, with a degree in Journalism. When she’s not writing, Watt enjoys singing, playing the guitar and doing volunteer work. @graciethatgirl