Oak Cliff’s The Beckleys Is a House Built on Homegrown Talent

No one would have imagined back in 2017, when Noel Cerda bought a fixer-upper on Beckley Avenue, that it would shelter and grow a new generation of musicians. He saw its flaws, but couldn’t know how pivotal the house would be to his brother, his friends and to their music. The songs inspired by the walls watching over the yard, guarding the classic Bel Air and 1951 Chevy Fleetline Deluxe, as pictured in their first self-titled EP, are adorned by murals of local music legends Stevie Ray Vaughan and Erykah Badu. Images of these idols are sandwiched in by portraits of Sharon Jones and Gregory Isaacs were painted by an artist who texted that he was going to bake cookies and never showed up to get paid.

The seeds were sown years ago in this tight-knit neighborhood in Oak Cliff when Noel’s brother, Eric Cerda and Alberto Rivera met in elementary school and took guitar lessons together. Acoustic at first, they later gravitated to the energy of the electric guitar. Rivera couldn’t see himself as a vocalist at the time, but the sentiment was there. Inspired by the lyrics and emotions of ranchero, soulful ballads and the music of his heritage, he understood that the themes of love and heartbreak transcend language, background and genre.

Young Rivera accompanied his grandfather in local competitions, singing in restaurants and clubs, sometimes turning his back to the audience while he summoned more confidence from their applause. Sometimes, he even competed against his grandpa. And even now, as his voice dances on the melodies commanding the eyes and ears, flickering in and out of the lights, he tunes into his now and his past.

Luis Rodriguez moved into the neighborhood and knew Cerda. Rodriguez loved the band Interpol and jumped to see them in Dallas. Between songs, Cerda pushed their demos on Rodriguez. Deep in the bliss-tangled crowd, Rodriguez finally accepted the pushy offer to play drums. They still needed a bassist. As the puzzle assembled itself, it just so happened that Rodriguez knew a bassist from high school, Anthony Najera.

A full enough sound, their influences and instincts told them, or maybe just Rivera told them, they needed a keyboardist. That was the one piece barren in their neighborhood. Yet, their influences: ‘80s indie rock, soul, new wave, progressive, Latin and Ibero-American rock demanded some keys.

No one had any leads, so they put out an ad on Craigslist. Admittedly, they were a bit scared of what or who they might find. A few questionable encounters later, and they got a response from a suburban, classically-trained pianist Mollie Ramsey Valenzuela. Cerda couldn’t help but wonder, what kind of person would drive in from the suburbs to play there? She might be the craziest one of them, or she might be just what they needed.

Valenzuela did wonder what she was getting herself into. After all, she was answering an ad on Craigslist. She had plenty of time to contemplate as she drove down from Lewisville to Oak Cliff, but could not resist her urge to play. She just wanted to play music, wherever or with whoever. She admits there were a few times when that may have gotten her into trouble, but laughs it off.

“My favorite memory of the Beckley house was the first time I went to audition. When I got there, Eric was hiding whatever happened there the night before, putting a can behind a chair, just trying to make sure it was nice for me,” Valenzuela says.

Cerda laughs it off. He was scared she would be intimidated seeing the house, but all she wanted was to play music, no matter where. They laughed together after feeling each other out.

“It’s like a puzzle,” Rivera says, “you have to find the right people who fit.” The lost puzzle piece was found. They were perfect for each other.

The group did everything in the house—partied, chilled, laughed and sang—but mostly, they played. Still without running water or electricity, they plugged in using a generator in the yard, making a gas run every few days to fuel it. Nameless, the band wrote, played and dreamed.

“It is the home of my birth as my real self,” said Rivera. “It gave me the life I have as an artist.”

Home represents so much more than where you live. Filled with recuerdos, Beckley Avenue is home. As The Beckleys bloomed, older brother, Noel, kept the house as-is to support his brother’s dream. Rodriguez’s favorite memory of the house is “literally every time we are here.” They needed a name that told listeners who they were. Beckley Avenue was part of their history. Cerda’s mother moved the family there from Michoacan, Mexico just down the street. It was rougher then, but the soulful character of the neighborhood was still present. They chose the name that takes you to that street with them, The Beckleys. In Rivera’s words, “music is spiritual, sometimes it writes itself.”

Released in 2019, the first EP is a magnum opus of five whimsical hits: “Here,” “Away,” “Us Two,” “Smile” and “Photographs.” With the Fleetline Deluxe on the cover in the foreground photobombed by the classic motel sign, it teems with dance-worthy sing-alongs. Take a deep breath because you will be singing “Away” at the top of your lungs.

They were rolling. Keyboardist Valenzuela had been on board barely a few weeks when they landed a gig at Trees. Then COVID-19 hit, sweeping the dreams of many into the deep. The Beckleys knew how to tread water. If they couldn’t play live, they could still write music.
In March 2022, The Beckleys released a wave of excitement with the EP entitled VIII, about the 8th House of Scorpio, the secretive and argumentative realm of conflict. The first song, “Amethyst,” reflects a bad relationship lingering in the face of doom. Following “Amethyst” is “Low Confidence,” the result of paranoia and self-doubt. The video for “Low Confidence” was filmed in the Beckley house. As the band plays pool, a woman conjures up the courage to sing on stage. Her face reflects Rivera’s lyrics and tone perfectly as he watches from his seat, voyeuristically smoking. Ending strong with “House of Scorpio,” the lyrics describe the hollow aftermath of heartbreak, missing the one who hurt you.

The stellar songwriting led The Beckleys, sometimes called Los Beckleys, to new destinations with additional singles, “Galaxy Eyes” and “Dreaming of You.” Of their catalog, Rivera and Valenzuela’s favorite song is “Tu Recuerdo.” Seasoned with neighborhood influences and sung in Spanish, Rivera’s crooning pulls you in for a hug you weren’t ready for but your heart desperately needs. It’s powerful, emotional and frankly, beautiful.

That same year, they did a short tour in California before taking the stage at Deep Ellum Art Co. with one of their favorite bands, Los Shadows. Their hearts were still aflutter from performing at iconic sites like the Santa Monica Pier and the Venice Beach Boardwalk in L.A. and Chicano Park in San Diego. A short time later, they jubilantly opened for Hello Seahorse! at Trees.

The Beckleys hit the road again for a Texas tour with Archer Oh, the Gradients Tour.

In 2024, they worked with Jose Cruz of L.A.-based bands Twin Seas and Inner Wave to produce a four-song EP called Paradiso. And they are not done yet. The Beckleys have immersed themselves in writing their full debut album. They snuck in one song in their set recently at Trees.

The house has also grown in purpose. Within its walls, in one of the bigger rooms, the band has a dedicated studio where they rehearse and record. Cerda says, “Little by little we keep upgrading it and it's all coming along very well.”
Najera has since stepped back to spend time with his growing family. In his place on bass, Cerda found two talented guys to fill in, Irving Cruz and Evan Reyes, while working at The Bomb Factory. Cruz was rehearsing with a band called Fawset when she asked him. But with a lot of projects, he couldn’t always be available, so Cerda invited his friend Reyes to fill in. Even though for now the bassist position is rotating, Reyes threw in to help write the first single for the album that is in process.

The band that wanted a name has kept it homegrown, making Beckley Avenue proud. It’s an open house, and all visitors are welcome. Los Beckleys with Alex O'aiza will perform on Friday, Aug. 29, at 7 p.m. at Tulips, 112 St Louis Ave, Fort Worth. Tickets are free.