Kacey Musgraves Takes The Stage With The Mariachi Brothers Following Trio’s ICE Detainment

Before kicking off her “Middle Of Nowhere Tour” at major North American arenas, Kacey Musgraves booked three underplay shows at the 800-capacity Gruene Hall in New Braunfels Texas, featuring The Mariachi Brothers, who were detained by ICE for nearly two weeks earlier this year. 

Starting with a show on Sunday, the mini residency runs through May 5 at Gruene Hall, which was built in 1878 and is known as Texas’ oldest continually operating dance hall.  

A review from Texas Monthly of the May 3 show declared that “the highlight of the night—what Musgraves called “Texas at its best”—came when she invited her opening act, McAllen’s teenage trio the Mariachi Brothers, to join her onstage. … Toward the end of the show, Musgraves praised their talent and resilience before launching into a version of “Tú, Sólo Tú.” Though she reminded the audience that the standard is decades older than Selena’s 1995 version, she channeled the late great with deep, honeyed vocals and an almost wailing vibrato that embodied the desesperación the song describes. That voice, that song, with those musicians—it was indeed Texas at its best.”

The Austin American-Statesman points out that Musgraves has previously spoken to Apple Music’s Zane Lowe about how Mexican influence is “so woven into our Texas culture” and that it was important to her to highlight Tejano and mariachi influences on her new album, Middle Of Nowhere, which was released May 1 via Lost Highway. 

Musgraves has also spoken out against ICE, including a tweet in June 2025 declaring “If protesters can’t wear masks ICE shouldn’t be able to either.”

The Mariachi Brothers – featuring 18-year-old Antonio, 14-year-old Caleb and 12-year-old Joshua – made headlines in February after the brothers and their parents were detained during a routine immigration check-in with ICE.

Antonio and Caleb are members of the McAllen High School Mariachi Oro band, which has “visited the White House, performed at Carnegie Hall and won eight state championships, according to KSAT.”

KSAT reports the Gámez-Cuéllar family “had entered the country in May 2023 through the CBP One app, a President Joe Biden-era application process for asylum seekers … after fleeing violence in Mexico.” 

Rep. Monica De La Cruz, a Republican congresswoman who had invited The Mariachi Brothers to perform on Capitol Hill last year, was one of the supporters who called for the family’s release from ICE, calling them “valued members of the community,” according to MSN. 

The family was released from ICE detention in March and about two weeks later the brothers received an invitation from Musgraves to perform at Gruene Hall. 

“I’m super excited,” Antonio Gámez-Cuéllar told KSAT. “Me and Caleb, we already have gone to Carnegie Hall in New York City and the Capitol in Washington, D.C. But this is something else.”

Caleb Gámez-Cuélla added, “I feel so grateful for her and God for this opportunity that they have given me, given us, me and my brothers and my family.”

The Gruene Hall shows went on sale last week and quickly sold out. 

Following the gigs, Musgraves’ “Middle of Nowhere Tour” starts with an Aug. 21 show in Chicago at the United Center – which happens to be her 38th birthday – and closes with two nights at Seattle’s Climate Pledge Arena Oct. 26 and 27. The trek includes multiple nights at New York’s Madison Square Garden, Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena and Los Angeles’ Crypto.com Arena, among other stops.