July 22, 2023
July 2023: Jason Boland & The Stragglers with Cody Canada, Kody West, and the Red Dirt Rangers
Jason Boland & The Stragglers • Cody Canada & The Departed • Kody West • Red Dirt Rangers
This show, like all of our festival shows, is FREE! If you are looking for a little extra experience though – don’t forget to check out the additional passes and events this summer!
Jason Boland & the Stragglers
For the past 20 years, Jason Boland & the Stragglers have dazzled audiences all over as one of the leading ambassadors of the Oklahoma and Texas music movement. Millions of fans cheering him on, over 500,000 records sold independently and 10 albums later, Boland is a career musician whose legacy continues to grow. From his early days touring in cramped vans and playing in front of tiny bar crowds to the packed venues he performs in today, Boland’s uncompromising approach has grown his profile dramatically, especially in the past handful of years. Add to that the legions of musicians who are influenced by Boland, and his impact on the scene is undeniable.
Cody Canada & the Departed
Cody Canada & The Departed is a three-piece Americana roots-rock band out of Texas. Comprised of frontman Cody Canada, bassist Jeremy Plato, and drummer Eric Hansen, Canada and Plato–bandmates since the inception and through the dissolution of former rock band Cross Canadian Ragweed–join forces with drummer Hansen to round out The Departed. The result is poignant, thoughtfully crafted songs delivered with bold guitars, boomy bass lines and plenty of muscle. The new iteration of The Departed offers concert-goers a well-rounded sonic experience: the Red Dirt ghosts from Canada’s upbringing; the re-emergence of favored Cross Canadian Ragweed tunes; plus a revival of classic country gold from Plato-led vocals.
Kody West
Kody started playing music in the beginning of 2014, eager to take on as many acoustic gigs and songwriting competitions in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area that he could. Kody recorded his first full production EP later that year in Stephenville, Texas with producers Ben Hussey and Josh Serrato. The EP titled Higher Ground released January of 2016 with “Playing Cards” as the first strong, poignant single. Kody’s music has been described as a mix of Texas Country and Bluegrass with some good-for-the-soul grooves. Shortly after his EP release, Kody formed a full band in order to continue his commitment to travel across the country playing his tunes to the masses.
Red Dirt Rangers
Name a group that represents Red Dirt? You couldn’t do any better than the Red Dirt Rangers, who’ve been carrying the banner for Red Dirt music since the late 80s. Band members Ben Han, John Cooper, and Brad Piccolo comprise this 2017 Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame group. With their philosophy of “anything goes”, they’ve created their own form of Red Dirt. “We don’t want to be defined as a genre. We have our own genre. That’s Red Dirt. That’s everything.”
Lineup
Jason Boland & The Stragglers
Few names carry as much weight in red dirt as Jason Boland & The Stragglers. Out of Stillwater, Boland has spent more than two decades building a catalog of barroom anthems and hard-country truth-telling, from "Pearl Snaps" to "Somewhere Down in Texas." The Stragglers are road-tested and tight, and a Boland show is a red dirt institution unto itself.
Cody Canada & The Departed
Cody Canada is red dirt royalty. As the frontman of Cross Canadian Ragweed he helped define the sound for a generation, and with The Departed he has kept right on going, louder and looser and as honest as ever. A Yukon, Oklahoma kid who became one of the genre's most beloved bandleaders, Canada brings a catalog deep enough to fill a night twice over and a live show that still plays like the bar might fall down around it.
Kody West
Kody West came up out of the Denton, Texas scene with a voice built for big rooms and songs built for singing back. His brand of Texas country is anthemic and earnest, the kind that turns a crowd into a choir by the second chorus. A rising name with a fast-growing following, and a natural fit on a red dirt bill.
Red Dirt Rangers
For more than thirty years the Red Dirt Rangers have been keepers of the flame, as close to the roots of Oklahoma red dirt music as any band still playing. Tied to the legendary Stillwater scene and the songwriters who shaped it, the Rangers bring a deep catalog, an easy camaraderie, and the kind of road-worn joy that only comes from decades of doing this together.
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