Hobo Cane (a.k.a. Javier Mendoza) was born in Virginia, spent time in Miami—where he wrote tunes for pop artists such as Enrique Iglesias, Juan David, Ricky Martin, Rosario and others—and landed in the St. Louis area for a time before settling in Middle Tennessee in 2014. This exposure to different places, languages and cultures, and a musical style that he describes as “too rock for pop, too pop for alternative, too Anglo for Latin and even sometimes too Latin for Anglo” helped inspire Mendoza’s “Hobo” stage moniker, paying tribute to the transient and migrant, to those who may not fit in exactly.

“I think my songs are influenced and enriched by that diversity,” Hobo Cane said.

Hobo Cane released his own debut album in 2016, and Lightning 100 has since recognized him as a Local Artist of the Week and as a Spotlight Artist. Catch him at the downtown Murfreesboro Puckett’s, 114 N. Church St., on Saturday, Aug. 18, or find more at hobocane.com.