Grupo Asalto’s Jordan Rodriguez Talks TMA Fan Fair, Band Origins, and New Album

Tejano fans heading to the Tejano Music Awards Fan Fair this weekend will have a chance to catch rising group Grupo Asalto as frontman and accordionist Jordan Rodriguez brings the band next to the Hot Tejano Stage at Hemisfair Park on Friday, March 13 at 7 p.m. for a meet and greet with fans.

During a recent interview with Bo Corona on The Bo Corona Show, Rodriguez spoke about the importance of performing at the annual fan-driven celebration of Tejano music for rising artists like fellow Asalto camp act Grupo Zodiacal.

“I told them, man, Fan Fair can make or break you,” Rodriguez said. “Everybody’s out here watching their favorite bands. People come to see the bigger artists, so it’s your time to really shine and put a name out for yourself. Even though you’re playing for free, it’s what you make out of it and what you get out of it that makes everything better.”

The Story Behind the Name “Asalto”

Before the band became known as Grupo Asalto, Rodriguez said the project originally went by the Jordan Rodriguez Band. But he felt strongly that the group needed a true band identity.

“I’ve always believed that when you have a band, you need a band name because it takes multiple elements to make the sound that you create on stage,” he explained.

The name came during a dramatic drive home from rehearsal with his cousin, who was playing with the band at the time. The pair drove straight into a severe thunderstorm filled with hail and tornado warnings.

“I told him maybe this is God giving us a sign—look up names based on what we’re going through,” Rodriguez recalled.

As hail pounded his truck, Rodriguez joked that it felt like the vehicle was being “assaulted” by the storm. His cousin looked up the Spanish translation.

“Asalto came up, and I was like, ‘That’s it right there.’ The next day I sent in for us to have the name and started getting logos created so we could brand ourselves. We’ve been rolling with it ever since.”

The Story Behind “Gracias A Ti”

One of the standout tracks from the group’s latest album, Con Amor O Sin Amor…Seguiremos, is the hit single “Gracias A Ti.” The song was written by Houston musician Armando Gracia, whom Rodriguez had admired for years.

Gracia previously performed with Alazzan and later crossed paths with Rodriguez during a show in Pasadena, Texas.

Rodriguez said he was stunned when Gracia approached him after soundcheck with an offer.

“He told me, ‘Bro, I got this song.’ I just froze because I couldn’t believe Armando was fixing to give us a song,” Rodriguez said.

Even though Gracia had already recorded the track, he insisted that Asalto record their own version.

“He said, ‘It sounds amazing, but it needs Asalto on it. It needs Asalto to play it like Asalto.’”

Rodriguez said that moment meant a lot to the band.

“To me that meant they hear something different in our sound—that we’re not just following the ordinary.”

The result has been one of the standout tracks from the band’s newest album, which Rodriguez says has brought the group new opportunities and a growing fanbase.

About Grupo Asalto

Formed in west Texas, Grupo Asalto is a rising Tejano group known for blending traditional accordion-driven sounds with modern influences. Led by vocalist and accordionist Jordan Rodriguez, the band has steadily built a reputation across Texas dancehalls and festivals with energetic live shows and a distinctive musical identity. Their latest album, Con Amor O Sin Amor…Seguiremos, continues to expand their reach in the Tejano scene, highlighted by the fan-favorite single “Gracias A Ti.”

Fans attending the Tejano Music Awards Fan Fair can catch Grupo Asalto live with a meet-and-greet appearance Friday evening at Hemisfair Park as the band continues to make its mark on the Tejano music landscape.

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