Freedom is about letting go - letting go of what hinders us from living with purpose and fulfillment. It's about realizing that at times we are the ones that have held ourselves back and accepting that even people we love dearly can keep us from what's best for us, and that walking away can be the key to making things better.

Unlock the Doors

Freedom

My grandparent’s house in Weslaco, Texas will always be “the old homeplace” to me. Although they and the house are gone, in the early morning hours between asleep and awake I still find myself wandering the backyard, listening to Grandpa tell stories while Grandma picks a sack of oranges to take along with me.

Reunion: Songs of Family and Home

Down at the Old Homeplace

Down At The Old Homeplace

When I would spend the night at Grandma’s when I was very little, she would tuck me in underneath a quilt she had made and lie beside me telling stories of her childhood in Missouri. Her voice was like a lullaby to me, and I would drift off to dream listening to her. Years later I found myself at her bedside lulling her to sleep. This song is a reflection on what a privilege it is when we can care for those who once cared for us.

Sleep (Grandma's Lullaby)

There is something sacred about sitting around a table with your family, especially when many generations are present. Reunion paints a picture of a moment such as this based on a memory of one of the last times we were together for a meal in my grandparent’s home.

Reunion

While Grandma’s Hands is a tribute to my own grandmother, it honors the hard work and determination of all grandmothers who give their all to their family and community. I can barely remember a time when my grandma’s hands were empty; she was perpetually busy.

Grandma's Hands

I Wonder is written from the perspective of a man who struggles with his memory. He worries how much of a burden he is becoming to those he loves and how they see him as part of their daily life. This song is also a reminder to those of us who are caregivers not to lose sight of who it is we are caring for.

I Wonder

This song was inspired by a picture of my grandmother holding the hand of a gentleman that she befriended in her final years in a nursing home. I was thankful that she had a friend to look after her, and a hand to hold on to.

A Hand To Hold On To

Bottle Half Empty

My Faded Love

My Faded Love (Alternate Version)

Underneath the Trees is a nostalgic homage to young love. It paints a picture of how different the experience is for those who are LGBTQ+ and are in circumstances where they feel the need to hide their feelings for one another due to family, society or where they live.

Underneath the Trees

Underneath The Trees

I wrote this tune in response to witnessing sensitive areas here in the Rio Grande Valley of South Texas (my home) either being developed or experiencing gentrification. It has been frustrating to watch as native plants are ripped out and replaced with non-native trees, shrubs, and plants which of course displaces wildlife, not to even mention the human toll that gentrification can cause. I am releasing this song during the Spring season and especially as Earth Day approaches as a reminder that our actions have direct consequences and we should be mindful of our choices even when it comes to a bit of landscaping.

Manicured Gentrified Lawn

My new single for Spring “Flowers on the Road" serves as a gentle reminder to cherish the small moments along our journey of self-discovery. In our quest to find our place in the world, we may come to realize that we belong exactly where we are.

Every Spring while growing up in the 80’s in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas, my family would load up picnic baskets and ice chests and head north towards Kingsville for our annual “flower tour.” The wildflowers along Highway 77 were absolutely spectacular in those days.There were endless fields of bluebonnets, winecups, primroses and countless other types of wildflowers on either side of the road and the middle “island.” We’d drive along, stopping at the more impressive swaths of color until we wound up at an old picnic area near Riviera where we would stop for lunch. 

This was the one rare occasion of the year when both sides of the family would gather together. The contrast between my mother’s family who had more of a simplistic Southern worldview and my father’s family who were Northern and more cerebral and intellectual was striking, yet everyone got along and found common ground in the beauty of the day. 

As I’ve grown older, it’s been hard to watch as progress and construction have taken most of these places and concrete has become more common than dirt along these old roads. Thankfully, there are still some patches that have yet to be paved over. It also amazes me how often I think of those Spring days and how the sight of a primrose takes me right back to the side of Highway 77, walking hand in hand with my ancestors.

Flowers on the Road

Flowers On The Road

In a world rife with conflict, injustice, and despair, "Trust the Trees" urges us to seek solace and wisdom in the silent teachings of the natural world, especially when the human realm consistently fails to present any lasting, meaningful solutions.

Trust the Trees

Trust The Trees

"I Can’t See the Moon'' was composed at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic and is ultimately a positive declaration of hope in the face of fear and uncertainty and speaks to the comfort nature can bring in difficult times.

I Can't See The Moon

Joel Brogon is a Folk/Americana Singer/Songwriter from South Texas.
At the heart of Brogon's artistry lies a profound commitment to narrative storytelling, weaving tales inspired by his own life experiences and those around him. Through his songs, he sheds light on a wide range of topics, from the beauty of nature to social justice issues like LGBTQ+ rights and environmental stewardship.

Joel Brogon

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