Mayor John Cook performed during the Music for Life Tour on Wednesday at Scholz Garten in Austin. (Brandi Grissom / El Paso Times)
AUSTIN -- In a dark blue pin-striped suit, crisp white dress shirt, snug red tie and shiny brown dress shoes, El Paso Mayor John Cook sure didn't look like any folk singer.

But he slung one knee over the other, braced his guitar and belted out a couple songs Wednesday night in Austin just as he has in five other cities across the state, playing with a variety of musicians promoting abolition of the death penalty in Texas.