Six years after their celebrated collaboration on Downey to Lubbock, Grammy winner Dave Alvin and Grammy nominee Jimmie Dale Gilmore are back with a new album, TexiCali, due out June 21, 2025, on Yep Roc Records. The record bridges the duo’s respective roots in California and Texas, weaving together a vibrant tapestry of American music.

The title TexiCali reflects Alvin’s repeated trips to Central Texas, where he recorded alongside Gilmore and their Austin-based band. Alvin’s vivid description of these journeys—spanning deserts, small towns, and iconic landmarks—captures the album’s panoramic spirit.

This sense of place imbues tracks like “Southwest Chief,” inspired by Alvin’s train tours across the American landscape, and “Down the 285,” a tribute to the late songwriter Josh White, evoking the nocturnal magic of a solitary highway.

Known for transcending genre boundaries, Alvin and Gilmore blend cosmic folk, R&B, blues, and reggae rhythms into TexiCali. Highlights include the bluesy “Blind Owl,” the hypnotic “Roll Around” by Butch Hancock, and their reggae-inflected rendition of “Broke Down Engine” by Blind Willie McTell.

The album also showcases their collaborative songwriting, with more than half of the tracks penned or co-written by the duo. Standout originals include Gilmore’s “Trying to Be Free,” written over 50 years ago, and Alvin’s evocative “Death of the Last Stripper,” co-written with Terry and Jo Harvey Allen.

Unlike their previous project, TexiCali was recorded primarily in Austin with their longtime touring band. Alvin and Gilmore credit drummer Lisa Pankratz, bassist Brad Fordham, guitarist Chris Miller, and keyboardist Bukka Allen for shaping the album’s cohesive yet eclectic sound.

“The band genuinely created a lot of what this record is,” says Gilmore. Alvin agrees: “After touring together, Jimmie and I became members of this band.”

The duo’s shared influences shine on TexiCali, particularly through their tributes to blues legends like Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee. Their rendition of McGhee’s “Betty and Dupree” harks back to their early acoustic duo tours and shared admiration for folk-blues traditions.

Will there be another collaboration after TexiCali? Alvin’s response is unequivocal: “Yeah!”

TexiCali promises to be a celebration of musical camaraderie and exploration, embodying the enduring friendship and artistry of Dave Alvin and Jimmie Dale Gilmore.