Four Rio Grande Valley educators have turned their passion for music into something more.

The group formed a band during the pandemic and now, after five years, the band has gained over 68,000 followers on social media and continues to make a name for themselves.

Vinyl Spin is this week's made in the 956.

A sweet melody of sounds. From the guitar to the keys, the drums and the base.

A group of teachers from the Valley are spending a lot of their time doing what they most love, playing music and performing for the public.

"People have been very, very, you know, kind to us, they've supported the band, we're really just absolutely having fun out there," band co-owner Manny Rodriguez said.

By day, Manny is the director of fine arts at Valley View Independent School District.

At night, you can catch him cruising through the Valley with his band, Vinyl Spin, playing all types of music.

Manny says the region has a lot to do with the music they play.

"It's a special place. We love living in the RGV. It's such a great culture, of just different music, so there's just not rock and roll, there's conjunto, there's banda, tejano, there's a mix of everything," Manny said.

FOR MORE MADE IN THE 956 STORIES, CLICK HERE.

The band started back in 2020 and has even played outside the Valley.

Manny says it's important to take the Valley's culture everywhere they go.

"We want to bring that whole mix of cultures that's around the RGV to our performances," Manny said.

Manny's wife, Annie, is a band director at Mission Junior High. She now understands why her students go through stage fright.

"I think it's given me a whole new vision of what the kids go through, when we put them on that stage, and they've done all this work for months to prepare for one performance," Annie said. "There's been a lot of lessons I try to instill in my kids, that I guess I really didn't understand until I was in their shoes."

The couple say it's about showing their kids that realizing your dream is possible at any age.

"What a great way for your students to, you know, see their teachers and say, 'wow, not only are teaching by day, but they're out there doing what they love to do'," Manny said.

Band members Isaac Sanchez and Tony Garcia say the chemistry they have as a band resonates when they're out there playing.

"So that chemistry that we have, with just our personalities and the things that we know, we're able to being it to the table and do what we do," Isaac said.

Isaac is a choir director at J.D. Salinas Middle School in La Joya and Tony is a mariachi director at Valley View High School.

The reason the band has been going strong for years is because of their background in education.

"Just like our classroom, the band works a certain way, the choir, works a certain way, the mariachi works a certain way. We bring all that discipline and all that structure into this band," Tony said.

The band is also a safe space for them to blow off some steam from their daily lives.

"We're very good at supporting each other and giving each other advice and all that you know," Isaac said.

From private events, to retirement communities, to theme parks and bars, the band has several events throughout the Valley and state.

The band was recognized as the Rock-N-Roll Band of the Year at the 2025 RGV Valley Star Awards.

"We've had a lot of fun, and we like to blend it all together," Manny said.

Vinyl Spin is made in the 956.