New Mexico Military Institute cadets perform with Roswell’s own “Johnny and the Crashers”
A dream comes true for the band members of Johnny and the Crashers on April 13 at 7 p.m. at the Pearson Auditorium on New Mexico Military Institute (NMMI) grounds when the NMMI horn section and cadet vocalists join them in a free concert.
The classic rock band “Johnny and the Crashers” is well known in Roswell for their performances at various venues, entertaining crowds during festivals, and the Eastern New Mexico State Fair going back decades ago. The Goddard High School graduate John Escobedo is one of the Crasher’s founding members, as are Jim Ostrander (bass and vocals) and Liam Griffin (lead vocals, chorus and harmony vocals). The newest member is Alan Paschall (lead guitar). The band has been performing since 2006.
Escobedo is the drummer, lead vocalist and manager of the band. Asked how the idea for a combined concert came to be, Escobedo, who is the special technology officer at NMMI, said that when he invited NMMI’s Band Director Wataru Niimori to hear the Crashers play at Peppers Grill and Bar last year, the idea was born. “He enjoyed listening to the band,” he said. “And I told him of my dream of wanting to have the Crashers play at NMMI for the cadets. Wataru said he thought that was a great idea. So it kind of built from there. It has developed into something very exciting. … And with the cadets, adding their talent, the horn section and the vocals — it has brought our songs, that we’ve been doing for so many years, a whole new life. We’re just (as) excited as can be, and I’m so excited and proud to be playing in (the) Pearson Auditorium. That’s been one of my dreams, ever since I was a kid and as a musician all my life.”
Asked about the challenges of working with a rock band, Niimori said that the cadets in the band…
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