CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas (AP) - Albeit not donning a three-piece suit and tie, you may recognize Miller High School’s new guitar teacher.
Jesse De Los Santos, 24, is a singer, songwriter and guitarist for the Corpus Christi band The Blind Owls.
The Corpus Christi Caller-Times reports the rock ’n’ roll band has made a name for itself by invoking the 60s in concertgoers across the country, from major cities in Texas, to California and Washington, among others.
They’re known for their high energy performances and resemblance - both sonically and in attire - to the 60s era of music and The Beatles, one of the group’s largest influences.
For De Los Santos, being a local celebrity has helped him connect with students.
Some recognized his face right away and others found out a few weeks into his first year teaching.
“Now every day I get asked a question about my band,” De Los Santos said. “I have a student … asking me about how to play one of my songs … I never saw myself being in that kind of situation.”
He didn’t always want to be a teacher. In high school, he just wanted to play guitar. And as an adult, he just wanted to make music.
So he did. And while doing so with The Blind Owls, he obtained music degrees from Del Mar College and Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi.
As a Blind Owl, he’s learned to be patient and has developed a keen ear for mistakes, as well as leadership skills; all strengths he believes make him a better teacher.
He’s also learned not to give up on music, which he hopes to pass on to his students.
It’s really easy to get discouraged from playing music, he said.
In the short term, it’s easier to stop playing a song when you mess up than fixing the mistake. In the long term, it’s easy for a band to stop playing shows if they find themselves struggling to find an audience.
De Los Santos said he encourages his students to take the hard route.
“There’s no reason to stop doing what you like to do, especially if you want to play your music,” he said.
“As long as you like your music. As long as you think you’re good enough to play, keep on. Never give up … I still haven’t.”
The Blind Owls has been together about five years. It’s made up of Corpus Christi natives Dylan Romel, 24; Carlos Garcia, 27; Joshua De Leon, 24 and De Los Santos.
After a short hiatus following the 2018 release of their EP “The Blind Owls Four” and a tour that included stops in Louisiana, Alabama, and Florida, the Blind Owls are working on new music with a new label, De Los Santos said.
They have their eyes set on another tour that could include New York next summer when school is out.
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Information from: Corpus Christi Caller-Times, http://www.caller.com
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