The nucleus of the modern rock sextet Vallejo is the three brothers A.J. Vallejo (vocals, lead guitar), Alejandro Vallejo (drums), and Omar Vallejo (bass). Raised in El Campo, TX and Birmingham, AL, they formed the Vallejo Brothers in 1990, later adding guitarist Bruce Castleberry and changing the band name to Vallejo. Moving to Austin, TX in 1995, they signed to TVT Records, which released Shining Sun in 1996 and Beautiful Life in 1998. Meanwhile, the band expanded to included percussionist James "Diego" Simmons and guitarist Heath Clark.