Presenting The Original Mexican Bob! Gritty country music, down and dirty, perfectly unpolished and honestly on'ry. Influenced by country legends like Johnny Cash, Hank Williams, Billy Joe Shaver, Steve Earle and Townes Van Zandt, the Austin quartet also draws on the rock 'n' roll bombast of The Clash, The Who and The Replacements. The group is led by singer-songwriter Robert J. Banta, who moved from rural Kentucky to Austin in 2005.

Before leaving the farm young Banta shared the stage with the likes of BR549, Hank 3, Cracker, and Junior Brown. He performed with an all-or-nothing style, singing and playing every note like it would be his last. Farmboys, fratboys, rednecks, bikers, and hippies packed tiny bars throughout the bluegrass state to hear what the local weekly called "a country locomotive."

Restless is restless and Banta wanted something else. He wanted to be in the city of his heroes: Austin, TX. He wanted to play at the Armadillo World Headquarters. He only missed playing the venue by 25 years.

Three years later The Original Mexican Bob is tearing it up on stages throughout the Texas Hill Country. They have a self-titled EP and full length album in the works. The band has a weekly residency in downtown Austin, playing with "The Live Music Capital of the World's" best young country bands.

"Country music, real country, isn't dead. It's waiting for its renaissance and it's going to happen. The pop-country-pretty-boys and the fake outlaws, that'll be dead as disco."

In 2009 Bob made his first trip overseas, performing at the Mirande Country Music Festival in Mirande, France.

The Original Mexican Bob is Robert J. Banta on rhythm guitar.  Aaron Mason on Lead Guitar.  Josh Williams on Bass.  Steve Andrews on Drums.