Alex The Red Robert Parez aka El Rojo

El Rojo is very grateful for all of the help he received from everybody at Iota's Open Mic on January 7th, 2009, thank you so much!!Alex the Red Robert Parez Monday, January 21st, 2008 at Galaxy Hut "Likely armed with only a guitar and his voice, Alex the Red Robert Parez is playing Galaxy Hut. His interpretation of Americana is sort of a loungey take, and his voice is reminiscent of Johnny Cash, though often sung with Jello Biafra's inflection. And fans of Bruce Springsteen should definitely take note, "because I've been listening to him a lot lately," he said before closing a recent set at the Red and the Black with a couple of Boss covers. John Bolten is also on the bill."Article by Matthew StableyLong story short:I started writin' music when I first learned how to read music back in Middle School (6th/7th grade) learnin' to play Saxophone. I also wrote lots of poetry and short stories as well as dabbling in drawing. Then I wrote and recorded two hours worth of rockin' metal guitar tunes (some acoustic as well) in High School. Played in a band with some friends. Went to college (Virginia Tech), got a degree in Music Performance (on a different instrument than the ones I play now, this was on Classical and Jazz Tenor Saxophone, which I don't play anymore, also some flute, piccolo and clarinet). Wrote lots of music, played in lots of bands, went to Graduate School, briefly, for Studio Jazz Writing at the University of Miami in Florida. Dropped out after a couple months, moved back home and kept writing (almost exclusively for Jazz Big Band). Got a couple of scores published while learning lots of cover songs and started singin' and strummin' the old guitar again. Got heavily into Johnny Cash several years ago amidst all of this, never thought I could learn to sing and play his tunes, but found out that I can, and I do, along with several songs of my own and some other covers by various artists, such as Bruce Springsteen, Nick Cave, Tom Petty and Neil Young to name a few.Oh yeah, and of course I'm tryin' to write some more originals other than the four I recorded right quick in the studio (which is in my studio apartment, ha) and maybe put together a little EP and eventually an album or somethin', we'll see how it goes and I'll keep y'all informed.- Alex "The Red" Robert Parez - October/November 2006oh yeah, and as of right now, I have figured out 110 Johnny Cash songs over the past six months, and thusly have aged 50 years in that short amount of time.