Roger Blevins Jr & Friends

Roger Blevins Jr. plays The 04 Center on Friday, July 31, under the bill Roger Blevins Jr & Friends. Most around here know him as Rog, a fixture of the Austin music scene for decades, and this is a night that puts him front and center.

If you've followed him for a while, you know him as the frontman of Mingo Fishtrap, the band he put together back in the early 1990s at the University of North Texas. The group grew out of a shared love for classic soul and funk, and over nearly thirty years, they put out several albums and played well over a thousand shows. Blevins has always been known for soulful songwriting and a stage presence that doesn't hold back, and he brings that same energy whether he's performing solo or with a full band. His sound pulls from Americana, blues, and rock, and he's just as comfortable leaning into any one of them as he is blending them together.

There's a bit more to this particular chapter of his career than just the music. In 2020, Blevins was diagnosed with tongue cancer, and in July 2024, he lost about 80% of his tongue. In the wake of that, he and his wife, Val, started The Tough Crowd Project, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that supports cancer patients and survivors. They launched 'Tough Crowd' in September 2025, and the project marks a new phase in his life and his work.

So when you see him on the bill as Roger Blevins Jr & Friends, it's a good reminder of where he's been and what he's continuing to do. The show is Friday, July 31, at The 04 Center, 2701 South Lamar Blvd, Austin, TX 78704.