“Music has been a big part of my life, my entire life,” says Texas musician J. R. Castillo. While a lot of artists can say the same, the influence of music on Castillo’s life began years before he was born.

When Castillo’s father was a boy, he idolized his brother who was nine years older and in the Navy. Castillo’s uncle would come home on leave from the Navy and play guitar on the front porch, and Castillo’s father aspired to play just like his older brother. Tragically, his uncle lost his...