Augie Meyers
His signature Vox Continental organ sound was the secret ingredient in the Tex-Mex rock of the Sir Douglas Quintet and the Texas Tornados.
Born 1940 (age 86)·American musician·Birthday: May 31·The Silent Generation
Biography
Augie Meyers was a cornerstone of the San Antonio sound, a keyboardist whose buzzing, percussive Vox organ became instantly recognizable. As a founding member of the Sir Douglas Quintet, he helped architect a revolutionary blend of garage rock, country, and conjunto that produced 1965's 'She's About a Mover.' His playing wasn't flashy; it was rhythmic, driving, and essential. Decades later, he helped form the supergroup Texas Tornados with Doug Sahm, Freddy Fender, and Flaco Jiménez, bringing that same authentic Tex-Mex groove to a new generation and a Grammy award. Meyers was a musician's musician, a steady creative force whose work in the studio and on stage provided the gritty, soulful glue for some of American roots music's most vital recordings.
The Silent Generation
1928–1945
Born between the Depression and the end of WWII. Too young to fight, old enough to remember. They became the conformist middle managers of the 1950s — and the civil rights leaders who quietly dismantled Jim Crow.
Augie was born in 1940, placing them squarely in The Silent Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Augie Was Born
The biggest hits of 1940
#1 Movie
Fantasia
Best Picture
Rebecca
Augie's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1940Born
The Blitz: Germany bombs London
Gas: $0.18/galHome: $2,938Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"I'll Never Smile Again" — Tommy DorseyBest Picture: Rebecca
1945Started school
WWII ends; atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $4,600Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Sentimental Journey" — Les Brown & Doris DayBest Picture: The Lost Weekend
1953Became a teenager
DNA structure discovered by Watson and Crick
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,750Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Song from Moulin Rouge" — Percy FaithBest Picture: From Here to Eternity
1956Could drive
Elvis Presley appears on The Ed Sullivan Show
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $10,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Heartbreak Hotel" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: Around the World in 80 Days
1958Could vote
NASA founded
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Volare" — Domenico ModugnoBest Picture: Gigi
1961Turned 21
Yuri Gagarin becomes the first human in space
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,500Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Tossin' and Turnin'" — Bobby LewisBest Picture: West Side Story
1970Turned 30
First Earth Day; The Beatles break up
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $17,000Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Bridge over Troubled Water" — Simon & GarfunkelBest Picture: Patton
1980Turned 40
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1990Turned 50
Hubble Space Telescope launched; Germany reunifies
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.80/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Hold On" — Wilson PhillipsBest Picture: Dances with Wolves
2000Turned 60
Y2K passes without incident; contested Bush-Gore election
Gas: $1.51/galHome: $119,600Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Breathe" — Faith HillBest Picture: Gladiator
2010Turned 70
Deepwater Horizon oil spill; iPad launched
Gas: $2.79/galHome: $147,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Tik Tok" — KeshaBest Picture: The King's Speech
2020Turned 80
COVID-19 pandemic shuts down the world
Gas: $2.17/galHome: $248,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Blinding Lights" — The WeekndBest Picture: Nomadland
2026Age 86 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Co-founded the influential Sir Douglas Quintet, pioneering the 'Tex-Mex' rock sound.
- As a member of the Texas Tornados, won a Grammy Award for Best Mexican-American Performance in 1990.
- His distinctive Vox Continental organ playing is featured on countless classic recordings, including the hit 'She's About a Mover.'
- Maintained a long career as a sought-after session and touring musician for artists like Bob Dylan and John Hammond.
Did You Know?
“That Vox Continental sound? It's all in the attack, like a harpsichord with a snarl.”
