Triumphant Pride: The Boys From Oklahoma Come to Waco

photo by Todd Purifoy

There’s a famous quote from the finale of The Office where Ed Helms’ character Andy says, “I wish there was a way to know you're in the good old days before you've actually left them.”  That captures a lot of human experiences, but it certainly encapsulates this entire Cross Canadian Ragweed ride we’ve been on the last four months. We take—and took—for granted that our favorite bands will always stay together and live forever. We’ve learned the hard way that sometimes they burn out, sometimes they fade away and sometimes they head to the great gig in the sky earlier than we were prepared for.

When something happens that you thought you’d never see again, it can be overwhelmingly emotional. Ragweed getting back together is something none of us thought would ever happen. Josh Crutchmer has an entire book written about it (and this latest reunion string). 2025 has been special in this regard: the mini reunion at Mile 0 Fest in January, the April shows in Stillwater, the Texas show in Waco last night. All three have been unique experiences.

After the April shows, the 40,000-people-times-four permagrin led me to write an article explaining how the overarching theme and vibe I witnessed at Boone Pickens was joy. That’s it. It was just a happy experience—from the beer vendors and parking attendants to the bands on stage.

This Waco experience was different, but just as cool. I’m hoping that by the time we get to the end of this page, I’ve landed on a one-word description.

I detailed in the lead-up to last night how, as a Waco native, it was giving me a sense of pride and anxiousness that an event this size was coming to our little town. All week long I was hoping we could pull it off. Could we handle it? How would Baylor deal with selling alcohol and allowing a one-day festival named after a song about pot smoking? What would the crowd be like?

As I sit here with my cup of coffee, a blinking cursor, and the echoes of last night’s music still ringing in my ears, the answers all came to me. It was a massive success on all fronts. Similar to Stillwater, but in a different way. Oklahoma and Texas. Red Dirt and Texas Music. Family.

The first artist to ever step foot on a stage in McLane Stadium was BJ Barham’s American Aquarium from Raleigh, North Carolina. They started with “Casualties”:

We ain't ever gonna make it, like I thought we would So why can't we just pack it up And say we did the best we could? I used to be a decent man, then life just took its toll Now I'm just a casualty of rock and roll

Despite the 5 p.m. peak heat and a still-arriving crowd, the AA boys brought the redlined energy they always do. Barham prowled the stage like a caged tiger set free but still tethered to something—in this case, his guitar. Just an absolute killer of a set. It set the tone. Grateful. Rowdy. Energetic. Barham dropping an f-bomb and an mf-bomb during his set confirmed for me that history was indeed being made. Baylor used to not even allow students to dance on campus as recently as the late ’90s. Here folks were, beers in hand, marijuana-inspired merch and songs everywhere, and American Aquarium going for it on the very first song. I expected no less from the band.

Chip Gaines was the next person seen onstage. He was there to introduce hometown hero Wade Bowen. Wade has done more for music in Waco than any other act of his level. For over two decades, he hosted his Bowen Fest, which brought acts as wide-ranging as Cheap Trick and an upstart Lainey Wilson to town. Wade’s transition into presiding Texas Music elder statesman “Uncle Wade” has been vital to the growth of artists you know about—and some that will never tell you what he did for them. He deserved this moment, and the show wouldn’t have been the same without him. Bass player Caleb Jones, another Waco native, also got to proudly display his 254 hand gesture on the biggest stage it’s ever been on—while actually in the 254. Bowen’s triumphant set crescendoed with an extended “Nothin’ But Texas” jam featuring his 17-year-old son, Brock Bowen, taking on co-lead vocals. Bowen, much like his brother-in-law Cody Canada (who we’ll get to shortly), has always focused on his family. His older son Bruce used to be a fixture at Wade shows, performing The Beatles’ “Yesterday,” and now little brother Brock is ripping through one of Dad’s hits at a show his uncle is headlining, while the entire family beamed with pride. A true moment. Hell Yeah Boy, indeed.

When Shane Smith and Bennett Brown started beating around as an acoustic duo, intertwining folk fiddle and Texas songwriting, I don’t know if they could have ever foreseen the level their music would take them. With the rest of the Saints in the fold, they’ve risen to arena headliner and, on this night, stadium filler. As the Saints ripped through a standard set, the sun began to set and the whole stadium was finally bathed in shade. The energy that American Aquarium dialed up earlier was pushed just a tad farther by Smith. Shoulders bouncing, smile beaming, boots stomping. “All I See Is You” remains an undefeated singalong. When it’s done in conjunction with several dozen thousand folks—and a Tanner Usrey cameo on the second verse—it causes goosebumps. I can attest firsthand.

Up next were the first Boys from Oklahoma of the evening: Turnpike Troubadours. Much like Ragweed, they have their own redemption arc. Evan Felker is sounding and looking better than he ever has. Confident. Happy. Appointed. The rest of the band are as good as they’ve ever been, too. They figured out a long time ago how to take the country songs RC Edwards and Felker were writing and turn them into stadium anthems—back when they were still playing dive bars. The fact that they now only play stadiums and arenas seems like destiny. On a package show like this, it can sometimes be hard to fit everything in that the crowd expects. I don’t know that I’ve ever seen a band nail that quite as well as Turnpike did back in April—or tonight. The difference being that in April the songs from Price of Admission were brand new to everyone. Now they’re part of the Turnpike canon. Starting with “The Bird Hunters” and ending 20 songs later with “Long Hot Summer Day” was banger after banger in every sense. I witnessed tears, smiles, even a proposal during “On the Red River.” Felker just confidently guided 40,000 folks through it all—smile on his face, minimal banter. A friend of mine said, “He kind of looks like Oklahoma George Strait up there.” I knew what she meant, and she was right. Felker was a golden-era Hollywood matinee idol center stage in his starched shirt and jeans. Moving minimally and getting the maximum out of it all at once. Kyle Nix, Hank Early, and Kyle Engelman tore through their parts with the same fire they always do. And RC was there on the low end, controlling the vibe. RC even introduced the band. No emcee required when he can walk up to the mic and say, “Hi, we’re the Turnpike Troubadours,” and the fiddle immediately kicks in. Pure magic.

Then there was the main event: Cross Canadian Ragweed, back again. Their first time playing Texas in 16 years. An all-encompassing set of their own. Due to the April shows, surprises were to be expected—and surprises were delivered.

One of the things, early on in the late ’90s, that set Ragweed apart was Cody’s multiple influences: Haggard and Nirvana. Keen and Maiden. And, of course, The Great Divide and Pantera. Perhaps there was no other way to start the show than having the entirety of Pantera’s “Walk” play as the house lights went down. Then immediately launching into “Dimebag” as the first song. I can’t think of a better one. And then we were off to the races. We shared the entire setlist on our social feeds. Guest after guest. Jam after jam. Smile after smile. Roar after roar. Canada was clad in special edition Ragweed/Baylor Nikes and a grin that could be seen from space. Randy Ragsdale was, again just like April, displaying the power and intensity that only he can bring to a drum kit. Plato was as consistent as ever—nailing the harmony, holding down the low end, and generally being the best bass player on the planet. Grady Cross bouncing, strumming, and setting the vibe. Graycie York stayed from first note to last on backing vocals, adding layers to each song.

Shoutout to the crew, with Christopher McCoy running FOH and Ricky Torres, Peyton Glascoe, Slaid Cross, and Kyle Reed keeping gear switched out, special guests plugged in on time, and the whole train on the tracks.

The guests: Shane Smith sang “Alabama.” Wade Bowen sang “Constantly.” Jamie Lin Wilson sang “17.” Randy Rogers, celebrating a birthday, and Brady Black joined in with “This Time Around.” Of course there was the requisite title song singalong. Verses have been refined and redeveloped over the years. Randy Rogers provided one that name-checked Billy Joe Shaver and Sic ’Em Bears. Pat Green, Wade Bowen, Django Walker, Eric Middleton, Lance Roark on harp, and lots of pure joyful chaos ensued. The entire jam is on our YouTube page. It evoked the infamous Shadow Canyon version—with a 2025 Texas spin.

It was a big moment among moments. The crowd lighting up their phones in honor of JC Ragsdale during “Late Last Night” was heart-tugging. The last song of the night was a Django Walker-led rendition of “LA Freeway” that was super cool. The “Boys From Oklahoma” singalong was as silly and fun as it’s ever been. But the moment of the night was the one that immediately preceded that.

Robert Earl Keen strode onstage. Silver hair, silver glasses, that wry smile we’ve seen for 40 years. Cody Canada remarked, “We’ve had some cool people join us dating back to the Stillwater shows in April…people like Parker McCollum, Dierks Bentley…but nobody is cooler and nobody was more appropriate to have here at the Texas show than this man…y’all give it up for the one and only Robert Earl Keen!”

As usual, Canada couldn’t have been more right. And while it would have been obvious for REK and Ragweed to collaborate on something like “The Road Goes on Forever” or “Feelin’ Good Again,” they took an emotional route. They had Kyle Nix join them on fiddle and proceeded to launch into Charlie Robison’s “My Hometown,” complete with Charlie’s old video for the song playing on the jumbotrons. Keen was plugged in electric on a PRS, standing tall and looking strong. He even played a solo at one point. It was mind-blowing. The perfect capper to the night.

So yes, this show was joyous. This show was memorable. The one word—okay, two words—that keep coming to mind and heart this morning are proud and triumphant.

This music scene means so much to so many and remains a family despite the circle growing and aging. That’s a testament to the fans and to folks like Cody and Shannon Canada, who continue to do things the right way and involve themselves with people who have good hearts and not just good songs. At one point last night I was in a pack of fellow Waco boys that have made their bones in the Texas Music scene. Wade Bowen, Pat Green, Greg Henry and myself. I don't belong in that circle, but I was there. And we were just talking about how surreal that this happened in Waco of all places. But it felt right. The Heart of Texas was on display. The poignancy of Keen's covering "My Hometown" was not lost on us. We used to have to go to Houston, Austin, Dallas or Nashville to experience something like this. Well, tonight we saw y'all around our hometown. All those years of highways and detours and music venues that were really just dive bars with an electrical outlet in the corner had led all of us, 40,000 strong into a football stadium to sing along with songs that feel like home. For the four of us, Waco is home and that made it so much more special. Can't thank the Canadas enough for the vision.

They did it again. Baylor and Waco did it for the first time. And it was announced that the rest of us can do it all again in Stillwater, April 2026.

Joy. Pride. Triumph.