New releases: Week of Aug. 31
Oklahoma-Texas band Cross Canadian Ragweed released its seventh studio album, “Happiness and All the Other Things,” on Monday (rather than on the typical Tuesday release schedule).
I’ve been listening to my copy of the album nonstop for the past day or so, and I have yet to find a song on it that I don’t love. From the heartfelt ballad “My Chances” to the rollicking road song “51 Pieces,” the red dirt rockers deliver the goods with “Happiness.”
My favorite songs are probably the evocative “Pretty Lady,” which I can’t wait to hear played live, and “Bluebonnets,” a loving tribute to childhood with an intro from frontman Cody Canada’s little boy Dierks (yes, he was named for Canada’s pal and fellow country singer-songwriter Dierks Bentley).
“I feel like every record we make is a little more thought-out. You know, used to, we would be so excited to make a record, we would just get in there and bang it out and then get back on the road. And now, we have the luxury of saying we’re gonna take off a month and gonna spend the entire month recording. Whether it’s a week of preparation, at least we’re still taking off and getting ready for a record. Because you know, we would practice songs live and then go into the studio and do it and then get back out on the road and do it live and it had changed. Completely changed. And now, we’ll write one and we’ll get to know it and do it the way it needs to be done,” Canada told me in a phone interview earlier this summer.
“And the material, the subject matter, definitely, you can tell I’m getting older. You can tell that the topics are a little more serious. I think every band that starts off has songs about how weary you are on the road. You don’t really know, it just seems first nature to write a song about being on the road because that’s all you know. And the older you get, the more things around you start affecting your writing.”
The band, which was founded in Yukon and nutured in Stillwater, is celebrating its 15th anniversary on Oct. 1. A 15th anniversary deluxe limited edition of “Happiness” is available; it includes a commemorative retrospective poster, three live bonus tracks (”Angel Flying Too Close To The Ground,” “Train To Birmingham,” “Soul Agent”), two hidden tracks (”Carmelita,” “Poopeye”) and a live video download (”Confident”).
Hear Ragweed play some of their new songs and old favorites Thursday at the second annual Cross Canadian Ragweed Border Jam at First Council Casino, 12875 N Highway 77. The show also will feature Stoney LaRue & The Arsenals and other red dirt bands. For more information, call (877) 725-2670 or go online to www.ticketstorm.com.
Here are more CDs, DVDs and books out this week, from Amazon.com, VideoETA.com and BarnesandNoble.com:
CDs
Reverend Horton Heat, “Laughin’ and Cryin’ with Reverend Horton Heat.”
Sam Baker, “Cotton.”
Simple Minds, “Graffiti Soul.”
Robin Guthrie, “Carousel.”
Andrew W.K., “55 Cadillac.”
Casey Donahew, “Casey Donahew Band.”
DVDs
Bring It On: Fight to the Finish
Brothers & Sisters: The Complete Third Season
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation – Ninth Season
Desperate Housewives: The Complete Fifth Season
Earth
Heroes: Season 3
Rescue Me: Season 5, Volume One
Rob Dyrdek’s Fantasy Factory: Season One
Sin Nombre
State of Play
Sugar
Supernatural: The Complete Fourth Season
Terry Fator: Live From Las Vegas
Two and a Half Men: The Complete Sixth Season
Books
“Catching Fire (Hunger Games Series No. 2)” by Suzanne Collins.
“Clean Food: A Seasonal Guide to Eating Close to the Source with More Than 200 Recipes for a Healthy and Sustainable You” by Terry Walters.
“The Death of Bunny Munro” by Nick Cave.
“The Death of Conservatism” by Sam Tanenhaus.
“Evil at Heart” by Chelsea Cain.
“A Gate at the Stairs” by Lorrie Moore.
“Green: The Beginning and the End (Circle Series No. 0)” by Ted Dekker.
“Homer & Langley” by E.L. Doctorow.
“Spartan Gold” by Clive Cussler.
“Spire” by Richard North Patterson.
“Viola in Reel Life” by Adriana Trigiani.
-BAM
Cross Canadian Ragweed to play Nashville’s Americana festival
Red dirt band Cross Canadian Ragweed is on the lineup to perform at this year’s Americana Music Festival Sept. 16-19 in Nashville, Tenn., according to CMT.com.
The Oklahoma-Texas country-rockers will release a new album, “Happiness and All the Other Things,” Sept. 1 on Universal South Records.
The group is opening select shows this summer for the Rebels of Rock tour with Kid Rock and Lynyrd Skynyrd. Ragweed also is planning its annual Red Dirt Roundup for Sept. 6 in Fort Worth, Texas, and it’s yearly Cross Canadian Ragweed Family Jam for Sept. 26 at Oklahoma City’s Zoo Amphitheatre.
The Americana Music Festival also will feature Asleep at the Wheel, the Band of Heathens, Radney Foster, the Greencards, Will Hoge, Jim Lauderdale, Buddy Miller, Reckless Kelly, Charlie Robison, Marty Stuart, J.D. Souther and more.
-BAM
Jason Boland, Red River Mudcats record Bob Childers song
Red River Mudcats
From left, Jason Boland and the late Bob Childers
Texas-Oklahoma red dirt band Red River Mudcats worked Harrah singer Jason Boland on their new single, Texas Eagle.”
Released on Cimsound Records, “Texas Eagle” was written by the late Bob Childers, the Oklahoma singer-songwriter considered the father of red dirt music.
The single, featuring the guest vocals of Boland, a star on the red dirt scene, will be included on the Red River Mudcats’ forthcoming self-titled album, according to a news release.
The Red River Mudcats are comprised of Texas singer-songwriter Liz Calendar and a group of Oklahoma musicians including guitarist/songwriter/producer Jeffrey Parker, drummer Dixie Weathers, and bassist Bobby Ryan Lester. The band specializes in Americana roots-rock with dashes of Southern-fried country rock, red dirt and Texas blues rock.
Parker has a deep, longstanding connection to the Oklahoma red dirt music scene. In the ‘90s, he owned and operated Cimarron Sound Lab in Stillwater. During this period, Parker played on, engineered and/or produced seminal records by many of the singer-songwriters who were at the forefront of the red dirt movement, including Childers, Bill Erickson, Mike McClure and Tom Skinner.
And he played a key role in the development of some of the biggest stars in the genre, including co-producing and producing the first Cross Canadian Ragweed albums, “Carney” and “Live And Loud.”
Parker also was involved with Boland’s early career.
“Jason took guitar lessons from me when I worked at Daddy O’s Music. Later on, I co-engineered the Bob Childer’s track ‘Change In The Weather’ for his ‘Pearl Snaps’ album that Lloyd Maines produced. So, it is really cool to get to work with him again on another Childer’s song – all these years later! Both of us feel truly blessed to have known and worked with him,’” Parker said in the release.
For more about the band, go to www.cimsound.com/mudcats.
-BAM
Photo gallery: Country Fever 2009 Day One
Jackson Taylor performs Thursday at Country Fever 2009. (Photos by David McDaniel/The Oklahoman)
The Oklahoman photographer David McDaniel captured these great images of the first day of Country Fever 2009 on Thursday in Pryor.
Again, I recommend that red dirt/Texas music fans make the drive to Pryor to catch some of the amazing bands playing this event. Cross Canadian Ragweed, Jerry Jeff Walker, Jason Boland & the Stragglers, Reckless Kelly and Eli Young Band and more are still on the lineup.
For more information, go to www.feverfest.com.
Wade Bowen answers questions during a pre-show press conference.
Fans dance as Jackson Taylor performs Thursday at Country Fever.
Jackson Taylor and his band perform. The Country Fever stage is huge.
Shane Wright of Clearwater, Fla., screams his approval during Jackson Taylor performance at the Country Fever Music Festival near Pryor.
-BAM
Country Fever 2009 rocks with red dirt music
Robert Earl Keen
I made my first pilgrimage to the Catch the Fever festival grounds north of Pryor Thursday to catch the first day of the 2009 Country Fever Music Festival.
I was planning to provide blog updates from the event Thursday, but was stymied by problems the venue was having with its wi-fi. I was hard-pressed to get my story for The Oklahoman and NewsOK e-mailed on (or close to, I should say) the deadline, and I only accomplished that thanks to the help of a kindly radio personality who had DSL in her booth. (I didn’t catch her name, but I thank her.)
Computer issues notwithstanding, I had a great time at Country Fever. Sure, it was uncomfortably hot and windy during the afternoon hours, but it was worth it to see some great bands. Plus, since my cowboy hat wouldn’t stay on, I had the perfect excuse to buy a cute Wade Bowen cap. Hey, I didn’t want to sunburn, right?
Over the past couple of years, I’ve rekindled my love for red dirt/Texas music. I was at Oklahoma State University in the mid-’90s, around the time when Cross Canadian Ragweed and The Great Divide were building their audiences in Stillwater. I didn’t listen to any country music at all, including red dirt, for a few years, but eventually found my way back.
So, I was excited Thursday to see live several terrific red dirt bands, since Country Fever this year has converted from the mainstream country sound to the “too rock for country, too country for rock” red dirt sound.
Jackson Taylor opened the main stage with his ornery brand of new outlaw country. I only got to see a few songs of No Justice’s set – I had to dash over to a press conference with Taylor, who was an absolute trip to interview – but they were doing Stillwater proud while I was watching. They were really entertaining to talk to in their pre-show news conference, and I kept bumping into various band members throughout the night, which was fun.
Because of those pesky computer problems, I only got to witness a few fleeting moments of Wade Bowen’s show, but he sounded fantastic from the backstage area and was super-nice in his pre-show press conference. I could feel the energy his music was building even through the clouds of deadline-induced tension in my head.
Speaking of amazing energy, Norman-based Mama Sweet and Tahlequah-based Turnpike Troubadors created music that was just too big to be contained in the tent covering the Red Dirt/Texas side stage (the one with the mechanical bull in it). Their rootsy rocking just blasted out of the tent and drew me in, even after Robert Earl Keen left the stage and I was just dead on my feet after a long day.
And speaking of REK, it was my first chance to see the legendary Texas singer-songwriter perform live and, wow, what an incredible performer. To me, his mellow sound was an odd way to end a big full-day lineup of hard-driving alt-country bands – I prefer a big blast of adrenalizing music to carry me through for the drive home – but I can’t complain about the quality of the performance. He sounded incredible strumming his guitar and crooning out his evocative songs, and he had a first-rate band backing him up. I loved singing along with “Dreadful Selfish Crime” and “Corpus Christi Bay” and couldn’t stop grinning when Keen took “Front Porch Song” off on its trademark wild tangents, including several Texas A&M jokes.
Naturally, he finished the set just before midnight with his signature “Road Goes on Forever,” which got even more of the crowd (which seemed disappointingly light to me) dancing, singing and stomping along. REK and the band came back for a single-song encore, an impressive rendition of Cream’s “Crossroads.”
I would have loved to stay in Pryor for the entire four-day Country Fever, which still has Stoney LaRue, Cross Canadian Ragweed and Eli Young Band on the lineup. But after staying the night in Tulsa with family, duty called me back to Oklahoma City.
But I recommend red dirt fans catch Country Fever this weekend. Thursday’s show was definitely worth the drive.
-BAM
Weekend Warmup
Stoney LaRue
- PRYOR – Catch Stoney LaRue, Cross Canadian Ragweed, Jerry Jeff Walker, Eli Young Band, Randy Rogers Band and more tonight-Sunday at the 2009 Country Fever Music Festival, four miles north of Pryor at the Catch the Fever festival grounds. Information: www.feverfest.com.
- NORMAN – Hear country crooner Lee Ann Womack at 8 tonight at Riverwind Casino, 1544 W State Highway 9. Information: 322-6464 or www.riverwind.com.
- Do “The Loco-Motion” with Grand Funk Railroad at 8 p.m. Saturday at Frontier City, 11501 N I-35 Service Rd. Information: 478-2140 or www.frontiercity.com.
Kristin Chenoweth (Associated Press photo)
- BARTLESVILLE – Listen to Oklahoma Broadway star Kristin Chenoweth and Amici New York Orchestra perform the grand finale concert of the OK Mozart Festival at 8 p.m. Saturday at the Bartlesville Community Center, 300 SE Adams Blvd. Information: (918) 336-9800 or www.okmozart.com.
- Celebrate the state’s diverse cultural heritage at the Oklahoma Folklife Festival from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at the Oklahoma History Center, 2401 N Laird Ave. Information: 522-5207 or www.okhistory.org.
- Take Dad to the Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History, Oklahoma City Zoo or another attraction offering free admission for dads Sunday, which is Father’s Day. Information: www.wimgo.com, search for free Father’s Day.
- MOORE – See the Yellow Rose Dinner Theater stage special Father’s Day performances of “The Oklahoma Country Music Jamboree” today-Sunday. Dinner is at 6:30 p.m., with the pre-show at 7 and the show at 7:30 at the theater, 1005 SW Fourth. Information: 793-7779.
- MIAMI – Hear Darryl Worley at 8 tonight at Buffalo Run Casino,1000 Buffalo Run Blvd. Gates open at 7 p.m. Information: www.ticketstorm.com.
- Listen to Norman singer/songwriter/guitarist Travis Linville at 9 tonight at the Blue Door, 2805 N McKinley. The venue has a great lineup for this weekend, with Adam Carroll and Owen Temple at 9 p.m. Saturday and Caroline Aiken at 8 p.m. Sunday. Information: www.bluedoorokc.com.
- Hear Austin, Texas-based Americana artist Michael Fracasso at 7 p.m. Sunday at the Myriad Botanical Gardens in downtown Oklahoma City. The show is part of the Arts Council of Oklahoma City’s free Sunday Twilight Concert Series. Information: www.artscouncilokc.com.
- Take Dad for a train ride for Father’s Day Saturday at the Oklahoma Railway Museum, 3400 NE Grand Blvd. Hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday. Information: www.oklahomarailwaymuseum.org.
- Share tales of your father at the monthly OKC StorySlam at 7 tonight at Istvan Gallery, 1218 N Western. The theme of this month’s competitive storytelling event is “Daddy Dearest.” Information: 831-2874.
-BAM
Cross Canadian Ragweed’s Cody Canada talks Country Fever, new album
Cody Canada of Cross Canadian Ragweed (Associated Press photo)
From Friday’s Weekend Look section of The Oklahoman.
All grown-up but Ragweed still plays hard
PRYOR – Fifteen years ago, Cross Canadian Ragweed was a party band of four teenagers playing around Stillwater for rowdy Oklahoma State University students.
“We talk about it on the road … just us four dudes in the bus, like ‘Man, 15 years.’ I mean, most marriages don’t last that long, and it’s crazy to us. It’s not crazy to us that we’ve stuck together that long, it’s just crazy to us that it’s been that long,” lead singer/guitarist Cody Canada said in a recent phone interview from his adopted hometown of New Braunfels, Texas.
“‘Cause we’ve never, ever thought that this band wouldn’t be. We’re always gonna be doing something, but just to know that, you know, some of our kids are like 8 years old, that seems crazy to us.”
The passage of time has transformed Canada, rhythm guitarist Grady Cross, drummer Randy Ragsdale and bassist Jeremy Plato into family guys, mature musicians and mentors to other bands on the flourishing red dirt/Texas music scene.
But fans can still expect Ragweed to get “extremely loud” and raucous when the band unites with their alt-country pals this weekend for the seventh annual Country Fever Music Festival in Pryor. For the first time, Country Fever, which continues today-Sunday, features an all-red dirt lineup including Jerry Jeff Walker, Canada’s “partner in crime” Stoney LaRue, and Ragweed’s favorite record producer, Mike McClure.
Ragweed played the festival a few years ago with Shooter Jennings and Brooks & Dunn, “but this is the first year that we get to play it where it’s all just us.” And with so many red dirt renegades gathered, he expects a fun festival.
“The music doesn’t necessarily start and stop with the schedule. It starts when the bus rolls in and it stops when our buses roll out,” said Canada, whose band is headlining the Saturday slate.
“There’s definitely gonna be a lot of impromptu jamming. … That’s a given. That’s always gonna happen. We’ll probably have Stoney up there most of the time, and he’ll probably have me up there most of the time. I’m sure there’ll be a few new tunes penned that night.”
Canada, who recently turned 33, said age and maturity are evident in the subject matter he incorporates in his new songs and in the band’s approach to recording music.
“I feel like every record we make is a little more thought-out. You know, used to, we would be so excited to make a record we would just get in there and bang it out and then get back on the road. And now, we have the luxury of saying we’re gonna take off a month and gonna spend the entire month recording,” he said.
The band recently finished work on their new album, “Happiness and All the Other Things,” the follow-up to 2007’s “Mission California.” McClure again worked as their producer.
“Tom Petty always says once you make a record you’re proud of, kill the producer, but not in this case,” Canada said with a laugh. “Mike changes with every record, whether he wants to or not. … He knows us, he was at our very first gig, and he knows that every record needs to sound a little bit different from the last or you’re just repeating yourself.”
The new album is due out Sept. 1, and the frontman has been listening to the finished tracks on his iPod.
“I dig it,” he said. “You ask anybody, and their favorite record is their newest. Once again, I’m there. … I think that it’s a lot of sadness on there, but the vibe of it isn’t.”
The vibe around the red dirt music scene has been one of excitement, as Eli Young Band and others have gained chart success and even Academy of Country Music Awards nominations. Ragweed had a watch party at a bar the night Randy Rogers Band played “The Late Show with David Letterman.”
“I think most of those people that have came over to this side are tired of what they’ve been force-fed for years,” Canada said. “And I think they’re realizing that there is something good here. You know, it’s not just hype.” It’s just taken the time for us to slowly take over.”
Many red dirt musicians, including Mike Eli of Eli Young Band and Randy Rogers, credit Ragweed with paving the way for them.
“We’re kind of following in their footsteps a little bit, and they’ve kind of made a little path for us and hopefully dig a little bit deeper into that path so that more and more artists can make their way,” Eli said in a recent interview.
For Canada, one of his favorite activities is promoting new artists he digs, giving the boost his band got from Willie Nelson, the Red Dirt Rangers and others.
“We’ve had so many people that have done nothing but good for us and they expected nothing in return. You know, a lot of people ask what the red dirt and the Texas scene’s all about, and that’s what I always answer. We help each other,” he said.
“It makes me feel old people saying that we influenced them, but you know, we have been around since we were teenagers.”
Seventh annual Country Fever Music Festival
When: Continues today-Sunday.
Where: Catch the Fever festival grounds, four miles north of Pryor.
Tickets and information: (866) 310-2288 or www.feverfest.com.
Main stage schedule
Today
10:30 p.m.: Stoney LaRue. 8:15 p.m.: Randy Rogers Band. 6:30 p.m.: Jack Ingram. 4:45 p.m.: Mike McClure. 3 p.m.: Billy Joe Shaver. 1:30 p.m.: Brandon Jenkins.
Saturday
10:30 p.m.: Cross Canadian Ragweed. 8:15 p.m.: Jason Boland & the Stragglers. 6:30 p.m.: Reckless Kelly. 4:45 p.m.: Red Dirt Rangers. 3 p.m.: Ray Wylie Hubbard. 1:30 p.m.: Aaron Watson.
Sunday
9 p.m.: Jerry Jeff Walker. 6:45 p.m.: Eli Young. 4:45 p.m.: Johnny Cooper. 3 p.m.: Ryan Bingham & the Dead Horses. 1:30 p.m.: Brandon Rhyder.
-BAM
Summery weather, hot red dirt bands heat up Pryor’s Country Fever
Wade Bowen
From Friday’s The Oklahoman.
Fever pitch is raised at Country Fever Music Festival
PRYOR – Intense summer weather and hot red dirt bands sent the mercury soaring Thursday, the first day of the Country Fever Music Festival.
“In case you can’t see us because of the heat waves, we’re No Justice,” quipped guitarist/lead vocalist Steve Rice as the Stillwater band took the stage.
After playing the opening set on the huge main stage, Texas singer-songwriter Jackson Taylor described the heat up there as “horrific hot, Africa hot.”
“When you see people out there in the heat, you know they’re hot too, and if they’re willing to stand out there in the heat to listen to you, we’re willing to play,” the wisecracking Taylor said in a rare serious moment at a post-performance press conference.
No Justice guitarist/vocalist Brandon Jackson pointed out that last year’s event had a different problem: “We were … in the nice rainstorm. We swam around backstage.”
The glaring sun and 90-degree-plus temperatures weren’t the only elements heating up the seventh annual Country Fever. Artists and fans warmly received the switch from a mainstream country approach to a full lineup of red dirt/Texas performers.
“Last year we had one day of all red dirt artists and from what I understand, it was one of the best nights they’ve had here at Country Fever,” Jackson said. “For them to decide to … devote it all to the red dirt/Texas music artists is just a great thing to show where this genre’s going.”
In the past, Country Fever brought in big names out of Nashville, like Trace Adkins, Carrie Underwood, Brooks & Dunn and Reba McEntire. This year the lineup includes Oklahoma/Texas artists such as Cross Canadian Ragweed, Stoney LaRue, Jerry Jeff Walker, and Thursday night’s headliner, Robert Earl Keen.
“It’s cool. A whole lot of them are my friends or people I like a whole lot,” said Alan Orebaugh, guitarist for Norman-based Mama Sweet, after playing one of the three side stages. “I think it’s cooler that they did this rather than have a bunch of Nashville acts.”
Weatherford residents Ryan Teply and Staci Eustace hauled their travel trailer on the three-hour drive and camped out Wednesday night so they could see the bands, mostly groups they have watched before. They said they prefer the red dirt bands to mainstream country artists who perform songs written for them by someone else.
“These songs, the stuff they’re singing about, it’s stuff you can relate to,” Teply said. “They sing about partying, relationship problems … like driving on the back roads just driving around and listening to music. I can relate to that.”
Bill and Linda Edlin of Bristow love both country and country-rock music, so they didn’t mind the switch to red dirt bands, who often are described as too rock for country and too country for rock. Bill Edlin said he was looking forward to watching icons Walker and Billy Joe Shaver perform.
“These guys are definitely giving their all … to put on a good show,” said Bill Edlin while watching Taylor perform his new brand of outlaw country. “Big names sometimes cut corners when they’re entertaining.”
Attending their first Country Fever, the Edlins said they traveled to Pryor for the party as well as the music. The couple and friends have been camped out at the Catch the Fever festival grounds since Sunday to get a head start on the festivities.
“I’m just looking forward to having a good time, hearing some new bands … new music I can listen to in the truck,” Linda Edlin said.
The red dirt artists at the event hope more people will be discovering their music. The red dirt/Texas music scene lately has been getting more attention from the country establishment; for instance, Eli Young Band, who will play Country Fever Sunday, performed Tuesday at the CMT Music Awards in Nashville.
“It’s just a sign that it’s (the music is) getting out to so many more people,” said Thursday night performer Wade Bowen. “I think it’s great for the whole scene, I think it’s great for all of us, I think it’s really helped me and helped people open up their eyes and come to my shows.”
Country Fever Music Festival
When: Today through Sunday, beginning at 1:30 p.m. each day.
Where: Catch the Fever festival grounds, four miles north of Pryor.
For information: (866) 310-2288 or www.feverfest.com.
-BAM
Country Fever 2009 starts today in Pryor
Robert Earl Keen will headline Country Fever tonight.
PRYOR – The seventh annual Country Fever Music Festival kicks off today at the Catch the Fever festival grounds, four miles north of Pryor.The festival runs through Sunday and will include a great slate of red dirt/Texas music bands and solo artists.
This year’s lineup includes Cross Canadian Ragweed, Robert Earl Keen, Stoney LaRue, Jerry Jeff Walker, Jack Ingram, Randy Rogers Band, Eli Young Band, Jason Boland & the Stragglers, Reckless Kelly and more. The event also will showcase similar up-and-coming artists and popular local bands such as Hosty Duo, Bart Crow and Shawna Russell.
Gates open at about 3 p.m. today, and I’ll be hitting the road later this morning to cover the first day of the festival. Look for my report on Pryor and my interview with Ragweed frontman Cody Canada Friday in The Oklahoman, on NewsOK and here at the blog. Provided I can get a decent wifi connection, I’ll also try to post a few observations and insights from the event today here at BAM’s Blog.
For tickets and information, call (866) 310-2288 or www.feverfest.com.
Country Fever 2009 main stage schedule
Today
10:30 p.m. Robert Earl Keen
8:15 p.m. Wade Bowen
6:30 p.m. No Justice
5 p.m. Jackson Taylor
Friday
10:30 p.m. Stoney LaRue
8:15 p.m. Randy Rogers Band
6:30 p.m. Jack Ingram
4:45 p.m. Mike McClure
3 p.m. Billy Joe Shaver
1:30 p.m. Brandon Jenkins
Saturday
10:30 p.m. Cross Canadian Ragweed
8:15 p.m. Jason Boland & the Stragglers
6:30 p.m. Reckless Kelly
4:45 p.m. Red Dirt Rangers
3 p.m. Ray Wylie Hubbard
1:30 p.m. Aaron Watson
Sunday
9 p.m. Jerry Jeff Walker
6:45 p.m. Eli Young
4:45 p.m. Johnny Cooper
3 p.m. Ryan Bingham & the Dead Horses
1:30 p.m. Brandon Rhyder
-BAM
Red dirt bands taking over at Pryor’s Country Fever 2009
Mike Eli of the Eli Young Band performs. (Associated Press photo)
A version of this story appears in Wednesday’s Life section of The Oklahoman.
Edgy red dirt sound of blazing guitars replaces traditional Nashville vibe at Pryor event
PRYOR – For the seventh year, fevered country fans will flock four miles north of Pryor to hear their favorite bands and singers.
But the 2009 Country Fever Festival, starting Thursday on the Catch the Fever festival grounds, isn’t piping in star power from the traditional Nashville mainstream.
Instead, festival organizers are planning a rowdy and raucous reunion of popular players from the red dirt/Texas music scene.
This year’s lineup includes Cross Canadian Ragweed, Robert Earl Keen, Stoney LaRue, Jerry Jeff Walker, Jack Ingram and more. The event also will showcase similar up-and-coming artists and popular local bands such as Hosty Duo, Bart Crow and Shawna Russell.
Past Country Fever stars have included Trace Adkins, Reba McEntire, Carrie Underwood, Blake Shelton, Brooks & Dunn and Big & Rich.
“Last year, we did one day of red dirt on Friday, and it was our biggest attendance we’ve had. And then the e-mails started flooding in that said ‘Why don’t you guys just do this all the time, for the whole entire four days?’ So, we said, yeah, we’re gonna do it,” said Mark Nuessle, president and general manager of Fever Fest Music Festivals.
Making the change to an all-red dirt slate may be a gamble, but he thinks it’s a smart bet. Great American Country cable network is going to film a 30-minute segment on the festival, as opposed to a 10-minute piece last year, and GAC’s Storme Warren, who grew up in Tulsa, will serve as the event’s emcee.
“We were a little concerned about changing … and they said that’s the most requested music they have,” Nuessle said. “He said it’s the big buzz in Nashville right now. … He’s excited about us switching because everybody’s got the traditional Nashville and he’s said no one’s doing anything different like we’re doing.”
With the Texas music scene’s dedicated fan base, he’s expecting 25,000 festival-goers a day during the four-day fest. The 2008 event averaged 18,000 attendees a day.
“They’ve all played at different places, but not this many of them have all played at one place together … and not on a stage this huge and this kind of sound system,” he said.
Although fans from all over the country have bought tickets, most Country Fever attendees come from a 300-mile circle in Oklahoma, Texas, Kansas, Missouri and Arkansas – and most of the artists come from the same five-state area.
“It’s a little bit too much country for rock and a little bit too much rock for country … so it’s an even younger, fun crowd,” Nuessle said. “It’s all about the party. They come in here and it’s just like one huge family. I mean, it’s just amazing.”
Mike Eli, frontman of the Eli Young Band, said the tight-knit musicians on the red dirt scene live for festival season, when they can all play together.
“A lot of us have kind of grown up together in this scene. … We’ve all known each other for so long, it’s just like one big family reunion. A messy one, at that, lots of drinking,” Eli said with a laugh during a recent phone interview.
Randy Rogers
Randy Rogers likened the event to a “redneck family reunion” with blazing guitars.
“It’s not your granddad’s country music that’s for sure. There’s a little bit more of an edge to it,” Rogers said in a recent phone interview.
That edgy red dirt sound has been making waves in Nashville this year, with Eli Young and Randy Rogers bands earning Academy of Country Music Awards nominations and playing late-night TV shows. Rogers said he is proud of the community’s “one-for-all mentality” and enjoys playing together at festivals.
“Bands and artists … wish that they could have what we all have, which is touring and playing music and a fan base and more than just a song, one song, a hit song or whatever. We have kind of a body of work, we’ve all made a bunch of records, we’ve all been touring,” he said. “I think the cream eventually rises to the top and hard work pays off.”
He credited the red dirt/Texas music scene’s stalwart fans with helping the bands find success.
“Definitely the biggest part of it (the success) is the fans of the music. So we’re gonna continue to stay true to our music and stay true to our fans, the one’s that have got us here. And we’re gonna just keep on truckin’. It’s still an uphill climb, you know, and that’s part of the fun,” Rogers said.
Going on
Seventh annual Country Fever Music Festival
When: Thursday-Sunday.
Where: Catch the Fever festival grounds, four miles north of Pryor.
Tickets and information: (866) 310-2288 or www.feverfest.com.
Main stage schedule
Thursday
10:30 p.m. Robert Earl Keen
8:15 p.m. Wade Bowen
6:30 p.m. No Justice
5 p.m. Jackson Taylor
Friday
10:30 p.m. Stoney LaRue
8:15 p.m. Randy Rogers Band
6:30 p.m. Jack Ingram
4:45 p.m. Mike McClure
3 p.m. Billy Joe Shaver
1:30 p.m. Brandon Jenkins
Saturday
10:30 p.m. Cross Canadian Ragweed
8:15 p.m. Jason Boland & the Stragglers
6:30 p.m. Reckless Kelly
4:45 p.m. Red Dirt Rangers
3 p.m. Ray Wylie Hubbard
1:30 p.m. Aaron Watson
Sunday
9 p.m. Jerry Jeff Walker
6:45 p.m. Eli Young
4:45 p.m. Johnny Cooper
3 p.m. Ryan Bingham & the Dead Horses
1:30 p.m. Brandon Rhyder
-BAM
