The Borderline Singers of Del Rio, Texas, came together in the early 1990s when a request was made by the Del Rio Lions Club to a group of local officials who happened to be musicians, to put together a musical review for a Lions Club event. The request resulted in the local District Attorney, Val Verde County Justice of the Peace, County Tax Assessor-Collector and a Certified Public Accountant forming a group to play and sing bluegrass and folk songs, tell jokes and a few tall tales. It was immediately clear that there was a paucity of talent among the players and so the moniker "Borderline Singers" was given to the group. However, the Lions Club event was so successful, and the members of the band had so much fun playing and singing, that they decided to continue providing music and entertainment for communities along the Texas-Mexico border, and helping with charity events and fund raisers, church services and other benefits and festivals. In time the BLSs were dubbed the Musical Ambassadors of Del Rio, and even though the players have now moved to places like Brackettville and Hondo, Texas, the group continues to play events. This acoustic string band plays mostly traditional bluegrass music, with some folk and Texas honky-tonk songs thrown in for good measure, and some members lighten the mood with jokes and stories. They have recorded three CD's and have played on the same stage with some of the best bluegrass bands in Texas and New Mexico. The BLS performances are never dull and never about pay (although, they do play for food), as the group relishes in the pure joy of playing music, and using their God-given talents to enrich the quality of life for the communities along the Texas-Mexico border.  

            Over the years the members of the Borderline Singers have changed as players retire and move away, and are replaced by newer faces. The group has included such wonderful people as Wayne Hyde, the Val Verde County Tax-Assessor, David Graff, CPA, retired Air Force members Pat McNamara and Bill Coleman, teachers Liz Miller and Susan Hildrith, U.S. Border Patrol Agent Mike McCarson, Prison Warden John Campbell, Bill Anderson, pianist and substitute gut-bass player Carol Lee, and Dr. Larry O'Brien.

          The group also has an official photographer in Dr. Emile Abbot (see stew with Doc Abbott in the photo gallery), and much of the photography on this web site was done by Dr. Abbott. We also thank Bill Sontag for his photography done at Shumla School.