Good morning! In today’s episode of Cafecito y Croquetas, we sit down with returning friend of the fam, Orlando Mendez – aka the Cuban Cowboy ☕🥐🤠
We get deep into what it means to be second-generation Cuban-American, carrying the stories of our abuelos while living a very modern Miami life. Orlando shares how losing his grandparents and being part of the legendary Amparo Experience woke something up in him and ultimately inspired his breakout song “Motherland.”
From there, we dive into his unique journey from:
🎭 Acting in Miami & New York to having everything shut down during COVID
🎸 Picking up a dusty guitar in his room and teaching himself country music on YouTube
🎶 Falling in love with Darius Rucker, Tim McGraw & classic country in reverse (modern → Johnny Cash era)
🌊 Realizing his heart will always be in Miami, the Keys, and on the water
Orlando then breaks down his new project, the “Always Summer Six-Pack” EP, including:
How the idea hit him on a flight home from Nashville at one of his lowest points
A writing camp in the Florida Keys where they knocked out 4–5 songs in 48 hours
The story behind songs like:
“Modern Day Pirates”
“Beers Back Home”
“Saltwater Salvation”
“Hurt to Hit”
Why he wants his songs to become anthems in people’s lives, tied to real memories and moments
We also talk about:
🇨🇺 Owning the label Cuban-American instead of running from it
🌴 Why it’s “Always Summer” in Miami, in the Keys, and in your mindset
🍺 How brands like Johnny Cuba, Cow Bakery, Larona, John Bell Construction & more helped make this independent project possible
🎵 Jimmy Buffett, Margaritaville, and building a lifestyle around music
If you love Miami culture, Cuban roots, country music, storytelling, and Keys-on-a-boat vibes, this episode is for you.
👉 Always Summer Six-Pack EP drops December 5 – go run it up and show the Cuban Cowboy some love!
Don’t forget to like, comment & subscribe, sip your cafecito, eat your croqueticas, and we’ll see you on the next one.
#CafecitoYCroquetas #OrlandoMendez #CubanCowboy #AlwaysSummer #Motherland #Miami #305 #CubanAmerican #CountryMusic #FloridaKeys
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