Brody Rivers Band: Composing His Own Path
- Beth Marie Cantu Ensign
- 9 minutes ago
- 3 min read
(This article was written by Beth Marie Cantu Ensign and was featured in the December 2025 issue of Explore Harlingen Magazine.)
For country artist Brody Rivers, music wasn’t a lifelong plan — it was something that found him when the world stood still.
When Rivers was in college at the University of Texas San Antonio (UTSA), he began serving in a local worship band. “When I finished college and came back home, COVID hit. That’s when I really got into music. I started learning guitar.”
What began as a creative outlet during quarantine soon turned into a passion, leading to the birth of the Brody Rivers Band in 2023, and a fast-rising music career rooted in small-town authenticity. Alongside Rivers, the band features David Rodriguez on bass, Steven “Steph” Flores on electric guitar, Jose Guerrero on drums, and Javier Alcala, a multi-instrumentalist who fills in on drums, electric, or bass whenever needed.
Born and raised in Rio Hondo, Texas, Rivers’ sound is rooted in the soul of rural South Texas. “Growing up in a small country town, everyone listened to country music,” he says. “That’s just the way of life down here.” His blend of mellow Texas country, nostalgic ’90s influences, and a modern candy-coating gives his music a familiar yet refreshing flavor — a sound he describes as “soft Texas country with a little grit.”
While artists like Cody Johnson, Randall King, and Tyler Childers have helped shape his sound, Rivers’ voice and storytelling rise from a place all his own. “It’s like a complete exaggeration,” he laughs, explaining how he takes real-life moments and gives them a little extra oomph to make them truly sing.
Rivers’ dedication to storytelling has already earned him national recognition. Rivers launched into the mainstream music scene in 2024 with a bold step onto the national stage, auditioning for American Idol on ABC and breaking into the show’s Top 100.
His 2025 single “Halfway to Heaven” was nominated for Song of the Year at the Josie Awards — hosted at the Grand Ole Opry. “Just having your name just even announced there is incredible,” he says.
Despite his success, Rivers is refreshingly down-to-earth. A self-taught musician and the only performer in his family (“except my mom, when she tries to sing but messes up all the lyrics,” he jokes), he’s also juggling life outside of music. Between long weekends of performances, he’s working on opening his own insurance agency and preparing for one of his biggest milestones yet — fatherhood. “I’ve got a baby boy on the way,” he says proudly. “That’s my number one [priority].”
And when the lights go down and guitars are packed away, Rivers finds peace in simple things. He enjoys woodworking, building Pinterest-inspired home projects for his fiancée, and carving out time for family. “Life’s good right now,” he says. “I just want to see which of these paths is going to provide for me for now.”
For young musicians in the Rio Grande Valley, Rivers lends one tiny piece of advice: consistency. “It’s what every other artist has been telling me,” he says. “It’s the truth.”
Whether it’s music, family, or the next great song, one thing’s for sure — Brody Rivers is composing his own path, one verse at a time.
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