I don't always know the titles of the songs I sing...

Sometimes when we play a gig we decide "let's play that Calexio song." It's kind of a song where we have to have a full head of steam up, not a good resonator song so I usually have to be playing bass or maybe percussion depending on how we set up and Cathy sings it. 

At Jazz fest last May we saw the band Calexio. It was the second time seeing them for us. The first time was at SXSW some years ago and there is probably a blog post with photos but I can't find it. They are an Arizona based band with guitars, mariachi trumpets, steel guitar and more that stirs up a big old pot of Tex Mex southwestern indie conjunto stew. Other that what we call the "Calexio song" not many of their lyrics stick in my head but it makes for a nice soundscape kind of listening with so many influences going on.  

Steel guitar. Not the original multi guitar man in the band I think they said this guy was from Spain. 

Horns, marimbas and more. 

Plenty of cool guitars. 

So after a real nice set, this might have been the last band we saw of the jazz fest, they fire up the last tune and are joined on stage by Susan Cowsill. Susan is a resident of New Orleans these days and stays quite busy performing. You may remember her from the 60s family pop band the Cowsills. 

You guessed it. She came onstage to sing the song Cathy always sings, the "Calexio song." 

As a hurricane season side note Susan lost her brother, Barry also of the family band in the Katrina floods. 

As far as the "Calexio song" goes it's not even a Calexio song. It was written by Bryan MacLean of the band Love and performed with Arthur Lee on co vocals in 1970. It's really called "Alone Again Or." 

Here is the Calexio version: