Triumphant Joy in Stillwater: Experiencing the Ragweed Reunion

“If I had to walk every mile…on my knees!”

photo by Todd Purifoy

It’s quite a haul from my house to Stillwater, Oklahoma.  Not to mention the expense of the tickets, accommodations and travel. But, I’d have walked the 350 miles on my knees to sleep on the concrete outside the OnCue at Duck and Hall of Fame to experience what those of us lucky enough to be in attendance the past few days took in. 

The overwhelming vibe was pure joy.   

What unfolded this past weekend wasn't just a concert, it was a homecoming, a revival, and a testament to the enduring power of brotherhood, homegrown music and the human experience. From the moment the first notes rolled out and that familiar roar erupted from the crowd, a palpable wave of joyful exuberance washed over the chair laden field and stands of Boone Pickens Stadium. It was a wave of emotion.  Triumphant joy.

All of the little man running toward an unwavering finish line to snag tickets.  The sneak peek at Mile 0 that angered some folks. The journey of not knowing if this would ever really happen. It all culminated in the most positive celebration of a band and music scene that I can recall.  We had part of the Galleywinter crew there 3 of the 4 nights.  Each performance was varied, but carried the same satisfaction.

photo by Todd Purifoy

Cody Canada, the ultimate rock star in our Red Dirt universe, has been carrying the torch for these timeless anthems for over a decade now. After a short pause, he’s been playing these songs with the Departed and Plato for years now.  But, seeing them in front of 45,000+ is a different beast.  There's an undeniable magic, a certain alchemy, that happens when those four original pieces – Cody, Plato, Grady, and Rags – lock into a groove. Hearing these iconic songs played by the men who created them for the first time in 15 years? A surreal, and overwhelming experience. Truly special. A reminder of the raw energy and undeniable chemistry that made Ragweed a force to be reckoned with in the first place.

But this wasn’t just a Ragweed reunion, it was a celebration of the entire Red Dirt (and by proxy, Texas) music family. The steady stream of surprise guests that graced the stage throughout the week elevated the event from a concert to a communal experience. Wade Bowen, Tanner Usrey, Shelby Stone, Graycie York, Wyatt Flores, Kaitlin Butts, Willy & Cody Braun, Dierks Bentley, and Parker McCollum each took their turn, adding their unique flavor to the show, while amplifying the true feeling of camaraderie and celebratory admiration. Each guest bowed down and paid homage to a band that had kicked down doors with such a force that the artists in their wake never knew those doors existed.

I was not in attendance on the first night as my Galleywinter brother Cody Starr took the first shift.  Between his reports and those from other friends, I definitely had an idea of what to expect as I sauntered into Boone Pickens for the Saturday show.  Yet, nothing could have prepared me for what I was going to have wash over me.  The production value.  The organization.  The atmosphere was perfect.  I won’t recount each set list and moment here.  There’s plenty of that on our social channels if that’s what you’re looking for.  But, I do want to highlight the performance of “On a Cloud”.  The one I saw was introduced by Josh Crutchmer and featured Kyle Nix on the fiddle. A tribute video to those lives we’ve lost from this scene over the past few years rolled behind them.  Including the OSU basketball 10 and Randy Ragsdale’s son.  Tears were flowing for me before the first chorus hit. Then, to see some of your friends' images on a massive screen projected in front of thousands as Cody Canada sings about seeing them on a cloud, it was almost too much to bear…in a good way. Chad Sullins, Allan Goodman, Brandon Jenkins, Tommy Alverson, Kylie Rae and so on.  But, they didn’t just stop there.  They included crew guys and behind the scenes folks.  

The one that literally took my breath away was seeing an image of my old friend Kirby Standley on the screen.  Kirby was Roger Creager’s road manager who passed away twenty years ago after a sudden illness.  His death shattered many of us in those ensuing months after May 26, 2005. But as those sorts of things go, we eventually all moved on.  I still think of Kirby from time to time, but it had been a while since he or a memory involving him had run through my mind.  He was my friend before he was in the music business.  He was definitely not something or someone I thought I would encounter in Stillwater, Oklahoma on a windswept football field in 2025 at a Ragweed show. But, I bring all that up to shine a light on the heart that the Canadas and the entire crew putting this show on have.  They left no stone unturned.  They thought of everything and everyone. This show was about where we’ve been and where we’re all going.   A celebration of the past and an influential eye to the future.  

This reunion show wasn't just a four night and gone deal. It was a seed planted in fertile ground tilled way back when by Bob Childes and Tom Skinner. A torch carried by the likes of Mike McClure and Robert Earl Keen.  A baton shared by Pat Green and Randy Rogers.  A bonfire kept aflame by the likes of Parker McCollum and Turnpike Troubadours.  A future that lies in the capably influenced hands of Kaitlin Butts and Wyatt Flores.  

The glue holding all of it together for now is Cody Canada.  I’ve sometimes referred to him as a younger, Red Dirt version of Willie Nelson.  A pied piper of good times and good people.  His heart is on his sleeve and in his songs.  While all of the guys in the band are unique and important in their own ways, it’s Cody that everyone gravitates to.  A rock star with a hippie servant’s heart.  Talented yet humble.  Welcoming yet critical. The best of the best.  He is the barometer of the vibe.  The smile on his face from the moment Taylor Swift’s “We Are Never Getting Back Together” walked them on for the first show to the moment the last note rung into the early Monday morning Stillwater sky, Canada basked in it all.  He felt as satisfied and happy as the 183,000 fans that had come to see the show had.

photo by Todd Purifoy

The ripple effects of this gathering will be felt for years to come. It was a reminder of the power of connection, the enduring appeal of authentic music, and the strength of the Red Dirt family.  It will undoubtedly inspire younger artists.  It should reignite the passion of longtime fans.  And it will have wild, unbridled positive consequences we can’t even yet comprehend.  

All of the trials, tribulations, heartache, hard conversations, hurt feelings and stifled relationships that happened to get us to the other side were worth it.  They usually are.  Pain leads to growth.  Growth leads to happiness.  A hippie love punk taught me that.  I hope he taught you that too. The music was good.  A testament to the enduring spirit of the songs.  Joyous echoes that will resonate for a good long while. 

As cool as all the music was, the life aspect was better.