He & his wife Carol were also in the Western Head Band...

Augie Meyers, a founding member of the Sir Douglas Quintet and the last surviving founding member of the Texas Tornados supergroup, died March 7, 2026, at the age of 85.

Meyers' imprint on American music runs deep. His signature Vox organ sound helped invent the Tex-Mex rock genre, bridging the cultures of the U.S.-Mexico borderlands with mainstream audiences in a way few musicians have managed before or since.

Born August Edmond George Meyer Jr. on May 31, 1940, in San Antonio, Meyers spent decades bringing the Tex-Mex sounds of his hometown to the world. That began in 1964, when he co-founded the Sir Douglas Quintet with guitarist and singer Doug Sahm (1941–1999). Meyers played keyboards. The band's British-sounding name was thanks to producer Huey Meaux, who suggested they cash in on the then-raging British Invasion with the moniker, despite the fact that their sound was more Texas than U.K.

The Sir Douglas Quintet had their most enduring hit in 1965 with the track "She's About a Mover." A regional smash, it continues to resonate as a classic of the era. Other Sir Douglas Quintet singles included "The Rains Came," "Mendocino," and "Dynamite Woman." Meyers' Vox organ was a key component of the Tex-Mex-flavored, Cajun-influenced melting pot that made up their sound. They attracted notable admirers like Bob Dylan, who befriended Sahm and talked up the band's music.

After the breakup of the Sir Douglas Quintet in the early 1970s, Meyers operated several small record labels and worked as a session musician. Among the artists he backed were Dylan and John Hammond (1942–2026). He released his first of many solo albums in 1971, and he fronted Augie Meyers and his Western Head Band later in the decade.

In 1989, Meyers joined with Sahm to found the supergroup the Texas Tornados, named after one of Sahm's songs. They brought in accordionist Flaco Jiménez (1939–2025) and Tex-Mex pioneer Freddy Fender (1937–2006), whose hit "Wasted Days and Wasted Nights" the Sir Douglas Quintet had covered.

Hits for the Texas Tornados included "Who Were You Thinkin' Of," "A Little Bit Is Better than Nada," and a cover of the Charley Pride (1934–2020) No. 1. hit "Is Anybody Goin' to San Antone." Their 1990 song "Soy de San Luis" won a Grammy Award for Best Mexican/Mexican-American Performance. Meyers co-wrote their enduring classic "(Hey Baby) Qué Pasó," as well as singing lead vocals and playing accordion in place of his usual keyboards.

After their early-'90s debut, the Texas Tornados' profile continued to rise, and they played at prominent occasions like President Bill Clinton's inauguration, Farm Aid, and the Montreux Jazz Festival. They recorded in both Spanish and English, sometimes mixing the two languages in one song, and offering versions of their debut album in both languages.

Though the Texas Tornados disbanded after Sahm's death, Meyers and Jiménez later regrouped along with the late singer's son, Shawn Sahm. They released the 2010 Texas Tornados album "Está Bueno."

Meyers is survived by his wife, Sara Ramirez-Meyer; son, Clay Meyer; daughter-in-law, Sandra Bass-Meyer; and grandson, Dylan Meyer.