“Left My Heart In Texas,” Cuban Roots & Country Music Without Borders | Sammy Arriaga
Country artist Sammy Arriaga joined Heart of the Gulch host Tony Mendoza during CMA Fest 2026 to talk about Left My Heart In Texas, Seven Roses Vol. 3, his growing connection with Texas Country fans and creating music that brings his Cuban-American heritage into country music.
After performances across the Lone Star State and a milestone headlining show at John T. Floore’s Country Store, Sammy is finding an audience that connects with both where country music has been—and where he believes it can go next.
Cuban-American country artist Sammy Arriaga during his Heart of the Gulch interview at CMA Fest 2026 in Nashville, Tennessee.
Finding a Home in Texas Country
Texas has become an important part of Sammy Arriaga’s story.
After headlining the legendary John T. Floore’s Country Store near San Antonio, Sammy reflects on seeing Texas fans show up for his music and realizing just how strongly his sound connects with the state.
Now he's heading back to Floore’s alongside the Randy Rogers Band, another major moment in his growing relationship with Texas Country.
For Sammy, those shows represent more than another tour stop. They're proof that an artist with Cuban roots and a different story can still find a home within the traditions of country music.
The Story Behind Left My Heart In Texas
That connection helped inspire Left My Heart In Texas.
Sammy discusses the project, its artwork and the creative decisions that allowed him to bring more of himself into the music.
Part of that meant introducing sounds connected to his heritage—including accordion and Latin influences—without abandoning the country foundation underneath it.
Instead of choosing between cultures, Sammy is increasingly interested in letting both exist in the same song.
Cuban-American Roots Meet Country Music
Sammy grew up in a Cuban-American family, and that heritage continues to become a bigger part of his artistry.
During the conversation, he and Tony discuss the similarities that can exist between Latino culture and country music: family, storytelling, tradition, working-class roots and music that's often passed between generations.
For Sammy, authenticity has become non-negotiable.
Rather than fitting himself into someone else's definition of what a Nashville country artist should look or sound like, he's creating music that reflects the entirety of who he is.
Tony Mendoza, host of Heart of the Gulch, interviews Sammy Arriaga about Texas Country, Floore’s Country Store, Randy Rogers Band, Latino representation and creating country music without borders.
Country Music in Spanish
That mission becomes even clearer with Seven Roses Vol. 3.
Sammy discusses recording country music in Spanish and Spanglish and the opportunity to introduce familiar country sounds to listeners in another language.
The conversation also explores Spanish interpretations of music associated with some of country's biggest modern artists, including Morgan Wallen, Jelly Roll and Luke Combs.
It's not about replacing the originals.
It's about demonstrating that the emotion behind a country song can cross language barriers.
Why Latino Fans Connect With Country Music
One of the biggest questions in the conversation is also one of the simplest:
Why do so many Latinos love country music?
For Sammy and Tony, the connection isn't difficult to understand.
Country and Latino communities share deep ties to family, faith, hard work, rural life, tradition and storytelling. The instruments or language might change, but many of the stories underneath them aren't very different at all.
As more Latino artists enter the genre, those similarities are becoming increasingly visible.
And Sammy wants to be part of that bridge.
Sammy Arriaga joins Heart of the Gulch to discuss Left My Heart In Texas, Seven Roses Vol. 3, Texas Country and bringing his Cuban and Latin influences into country music.
Taking Country Music Beyond Nashville
His ambitions extend well beyond Nashville and Texas.
Sammy discusses opportunities to bring his music to Mexico, Europe and South America, introducing audiences around the world to a version of country music that doesn't necessarily stop at the U.S. border.
That international vision fits naturally with what he's already building through bilingual music.
Country music may have distinctly American roots, but Sammy believes the stories inside it can connect almost anywhere.
Family, Entrepreneurship and the Cuban-American Dream
Behind the music is also a story about family and entrepreneurship.
Sammy reflects on his Cuban-American upbringing and the work ethic that shaped how he approaches his career today.
Being an independent-minded artist means thinking beyond songs. It's also about understanding the business, taking chances and creating opportunities rather than waiting for someone else to provide them.
From a Cuban-American family to Nashville, Texas and potentially stages around the world, Sammy Arriaga's career increasingly reflects all of those influences at once.
He isn't trying to choose between Latin music and country music.
He's finding the space where both belong.
And in the process, he's helping show that country music doesn't need borders to tell a great story.
Watch Sammy Arriaga on Heart of the Gulch
Watch the full Sammy Arriaga interview from CMA Fest 2026 as he joins Tony Mendoza to discuss Left My Heart In Texas, Seven Roses Vol. 3, Floore’s Country Store, Randy Rogers Band, Cuban-American culture, Spanish country music and taking his music around the world.
Interview Chapters
0:00 — Sammy Arriaga Interview at CMA Fest 2026
0:32 — Floore’s Country Store, Texas Country Music & Randy Rogers Band
1:18 — Sammy Arriaga’s Left My Heart In Texas Success Story
2:08 — Cuban-American Country Music: Blending Cultures Through Sound
4:58 — Left My Heart In Texas Album Artwork
6:40 — Seven Roses Vol. 3: Country Music in Spanish & Spanglish
7:20 — Translating Morgan Wallen, Jelly Roll & Luke Combs Into Spanish
9:45 — Why Latinos Love Country Music
12:37 — Authenticity, Identity & Breaking Nashville Stereotypes
13:52 — Sammy Arriaga’s Most Underrated Song
15:08 — New Music, Unreleased Songs & What’s Next
16:25 — Taking Country Music to Mexico, Europe & South America
17:48 — Family, Entrepreneurship & The Cuban-American Dream
20:21 — CMA Fest 2026, Texas Tour Dates & Final Thoughts
Tony Mendoza is the Nashville-based host and creator of Heart of the Gulch, featuring conversations with country artists, songwriters and personalities from Nashville and beyond.
