While most college students spend summer break decompressing, vacationing or taking summer classes, Garrett Talamantes took a different route. He and his guitar hit the road, touring Central and South Texas, bringing his blend of classic and modern country music to venues from New Braunfels to the Texas Coast, and places in between.
Talamantes, a first-generation Aggie who will be a sophomore this fall at Texas A&M University, is a singer-songwriter who is making a name for himself, one gig at a time. And he’s doing it with the support of his family and the Aggie community.
“My favorite part of doing what I do and entertaining people is looking around at the crowd and seeing people’s smiles. Seeing people having a good time, seeing people laughing. Ever since I got started, I was always taught — it doesn’t matter if there’s a million people in the room or if there’s one person in the room. You always give the same show. And so I always try, no matter how many people are in the venue, how many people are paying attention to me,” he said.
Talamantes is following in the footsteps of famous singer-songwriters like Lyle Lovett ‘79 and Robert Earl Keen ‘78, who got their start in Aggieland. This past spring, Talamantes played before an audience during Texas A&M’s takeover at the annual South by Southwest Festival in Austin and also released his first EP of original music.
Not bad for a man from the small South Texas town of Carrizo Springs.
Making His Way to Aggieland
His path to Texas A&M was paved by connections with both fellow musicians and rodeo athletes. He always knew he wanted to continue rodeo while pursuing higher education, and his involvement in rodeo from an early age surrounded him in a sea of former Aggies. As an up-and-coming musician, Talamantes was also acquainted with other artists, like fellow hometown Aggie Max Stalling ‘91, who had great things to say about the university and the profound impact Texas A&M has had on his life. “Max was giving me advice after one of my shows when he said, ‘All of this is great, but this makes it all sweeter,’ as he pointed to his Aggie Ring.
“Coming to Texas A&M was kind of a decision that I made after really getting to know people who came from Texas A&M, especially through music. I had the privilege, the blessing of meeting some old Ags through music, and the bond that they had with each other and how highly they spoke about this university was very intriguing to me.”
Photos by Laura McKenzie/Texas A&M University Division of Marketing & Communications
When Talamantes made it to Texas A&M, he knew he had made the right decision and quickly found a community of Aggies who shared his interests. He became involved with Aggie student groups such as the Texas A&M Rodeo Team and Aggieland Mariachi, where he serves as both a vocalist and guitar player. He can also be found performing his own music at various Texas A&M events, such as Ring Day and Aggie Gameday. These opportunities have allowed him to expand his platform, make invaluable connections and gain experience doing what he loves.
“There are so many different opportunities presented just here in College Station, especially for somebody who does the things that I do, entertainment and music-wise,” he said. “The university is always looking to help out other Aggies and make the world a better place. And they’ve been doing a great job of it.”
Chords and Cowboys
As if being a budding singer-songwriter isn’t enough work, Talamantes also makes rounds on the rodeo circuit, where he competes in team roping and calf roping events with the Texas A&M Aggie Rodeo Team. In addition, he will also serve as vice president of the Rodeo Team for the upcoming year, one of the leadership goals he set for himself after serving terms as president of both the Texas Junior High and Texas High School Rodeo Associations.
Talamantes has grown up with both music and rodeo playing a big part in his life, and they have helped shape him into the person he is today. Music has shown him the value of finding joy in making others happy, and rodeo has taught him the importance of family, loyalty and discipline.
Photos by Laura McKenzie/Texas A&M University Division of Marketing & Communications
“In rodeo, you meet so many different personalities, and so many people are just willing to stop what they’re doing and help you out. That taught me to be more loving, more caring for others, and to always be looking out for my buddies. Rodeo, I’ll say it time and time again, rodeo’s just like a big family. We all get to that arena and we’re all there to help each other.”
The rodeo experience has also allowed Talamantes to meet people from many walks of life, teaching him to appreciate belonging to a community with many different perspectives and backgrounds. Now, he has teammates from multiple countries and a wide variety of degree paths, all united by a love for rodeo.
As a performer, he’s also had lots of opportunities to meet new people. “It’s like I’m making brand new friends every time I get up on stage,” he said. But he’s found that the satisfaction he gets from playing music doesn’t come from gaining popularity or having a certain number of listens on Spotify. Instead, he finds joy in making a deeper impact on people through his music, seeing when they connect emotionally with one of his songs.
Photos by Laura McKenzie/Texas A&M University Division of Marketing & Communications
“When someone tells you that your song reminds them of something and makes them feel a certain way, that just hits home,” he said. “Most, if not all, of my songs are about real-life experiences and come from my own experience in my life. And so from the writing perspective, that’s what’s most meaningful to me.”
Having this mindset has allowed him to let go of the pressure to be the center of attention during his performances. Instead, whether he’s in the spotlight or the background, he’s happy as long as his audience is enjoying themselves.
More Than an Education
Heading back to class this fall, Talamantes, who is majoring in agribusiness in the Department of Agricultural Economics and is a member of the Agricultural Economics Honors Program, looks forward to continuing to pursue his passion for music and rodeo.
Photos by Laura McKenzie/Texas A&M University Division of Marketing & Communications
He’s come a long way in just a few years, reveling in the support of his fellow Aggies and the university he loves. He remembers a moment back in 2022 — while still in the process of picking a college — that stuck with him and showed him what being an Aggie really means.
He was performing at a fundraiser in New Braunfels put on by a group of Aggies for Uvalde after the 2022 school shooting and was deeply inspired by the character they showed and their willingness to help others. He knew he wanted to attend a school that not only promoted selfless service but lived it.
“Aggies are always looking to serve. And so they put on a benefit for Uvalde after the tragedy. They asked me to play there, and I got to meet them and see what they were like and what kind of people they were. And I just fell in love with the kindness and the leadership that they showed, putting the time and effort into making this benefit to raise money for people who were in desperate need. So, that experience really shaped and molded my decision to come to A&M.” Those acquaintances have become friends who now feel like family. Coincidentally, they all turned out to be committee members of the San Antonio Stockshow and Rodeo, which further validated his decision to attend Texas A&M and his passion to serve others.
As Talamantes continues both his academic and musical careers, he strives to live by the Aggie Core Values and be a force for good, just like the Aggies who inspired him to get to where he is today. His story is a testament to the fact that success is not just about what you achieve for yourself, but about how you positively impact those around you.
