The stratosphere has been abuzz for a couple of weeks now with all things Cross Canadian Ragweed. It started with a cryptic update of the official Ragweed Facebook profile photo. Then it landed on Instagram. The photo updates have continued coming in a sporadic pattern. Seemingly not tipping their hands at anything in particular, all while being increasingly combed for clues.
For those of us of a certain age, Ragweed was a life affirming vital experience. For the younger generation, Ragweed has only been a figment of their wildest dreams. Living on in grainy YouTube videos, stories, Koe's song and the actual Ragweed records on all the streaming sites.
Twenty years ago Cross Canadian Ragweed carved themselves from a garage band of teenagers into one of the most finely shaped rock bands in America…or the world. What may seem like hyperbole to some can be factually backed up by several concert attendance records, critically acclaimed albums, a trailblazing tour through the major label deal system, gigs played in every corner of the world and most importantly the heavy influence the band has had on just about every band to come out of Texas and Oklahoma over the past twenty years.
The band built on the foundation laid by folks like Mike McClure and the Red Dirt Rangers among others to develop their own sound that was steeped in 90’s alternative rock just as much as it was the canon of Guy Clark. They were able to take the art of of traditional folk/country singer songwriting and pair it with rock guitars. In many ways, they not only reinvented what many knew as country music; they breathed life into the long stagnant sub genre of southern rock.
Due in large part to Ragweed’s musical acumen and rapidly growing fan base, the Texas/Red Dirt scene blossomed. They took the baton that Pat Green had ignited on the heels of The Great Divide and Robert Earl Keen, then proceeded to outpace just about everyone in the early 00's. Their music opened up venues that were previously shuttered, helped open music business companies that otherwise wouldn’t exist and they have been often imitated by many upstart bands who attempted to recreate the same rowdy country-rock assembled by Ragweed. In addition to the many copycats, Ragweed lent a crucial musical hand to many bands and bolstered the careers of Randy Rogers Band, Wade Bowen, and Stoney LaRue among others.
Webster’s defines “band” as a company of persons or, sometimes, animals or things, joined, acting, or functioning together. These four guys were a band in the truest sense of the word. They functioned together…onstage or offstage they were brothers in arms fighting for music they believed in and people they believed in…each other. Cody Canada was the consummate frontman who became as adept at whipping crowds into a frenzy as he did delivering heartfelt lyrics. Grady Cross was the yin to Cody’s yang, always balancing the twin guitar attack with a grounded approach that always supported the music first. Jeremy Plato redefined bass playing in a scene full of on-the-1 thumpers, as well as, delivering some of the most solid backing vocals in a touring band. The guy who kick-started the whole thing, in more ways than one, was Randy Ragsdale who seemed to be the glue that held things together as bottles flew and life interrupted their traveling party at times. When they broke up in 2010, Cody and Plato just kept going. The Departed started off as a power, blues based ensemble featuring Seth James on co-lead vocals and guitar. It was a powerhouse. Cody wouldn't play many of the Ragweed songs during this time. He couldn't. It was too raw. James exited to continue his own musical journey and Cody continued to refine what the Departed would be and sound like. With each successive record and show...it really just began to sound like Ragweed. At any given gig there would be more old Ragweed songs in the set than Departed ones. I once heard Cody say at a show, "I wrote those songs, those are MY songs...it just took me a long time to come to terms with that. And now, I'm happy as hell to play them for y'all."
So, if you've been missing Ragweed like Koe (and all the rest of us), it's been right in front of our faces the whole time. The last handful of times I saw Cody and Plato play with the Departed outfit it may as well have been 2002 in anywhere TX/OK. Rowdy, raucous, soulful, in the pocket.
That being said, anytime a band's original lineup reunites it brings a certain buzz, excitement an unrivaled experience. That's been proven throughout music history and most recently with the Turnpike experience. The difference being that Evan Felker didn't stick with RC and just keep playing shows without Nixy and Engleman for 15 years before coming back together.
When this latest profile photo changing buzz started I messaged Shannon Canada to ask if it was real. She confirmed it was not a hack and very real but that she could not share details yet. The speculation and groundswell continues to grow louder each day. So many theories are out there. Full blown reunion. Documentary. Tour. Album. A collaboration. Some combo of all that. And a few far flung guesses that are so far out there they're not worth repeating.
The thing is the story of Cross Canadian Ragweed still hasn’t found an ending yet. Whatever this chapter turns out to be, the four guys who are Cross Canadian Ragweed will forever continue to make an impact on the Texas/Red Dirt scene they helped to grow. Now, we just wait for them to turn the page and let us read it with them.
Until then, let's just keep jamming.