Cross Canadian Ragweed
Encyclopedia
Cross Canadian Ragweed was an American
Red Dirt
/Texas Country
/Country rock
band. The name of the band came from the combination of three band members' names, Grady Cross (guitar), Cody Canada (guitar, vocals), and Randy Ragsdale (drums). Jeremy Plato's (bass) name was not involved in the band naming. In response to rumors of preceding bassist, Matt Wiedemann, contributing to the band name, Cory Johnson only stated that they weren't a band before Jeremy Plato, their current bassist. The band name alludes to Cody Canada's surname and to Canadian County, Oklahoma
(where the town of Yukon is located): none of the members are, in fact, of literal Canadian origin.
, they moved to the college town
of Stillwater, Oklahoma
, where acts like Mike McClure's The Great Divide
and singer-songwriter
Jimmy LaFave
had established enough of a local scene to earn Stillwater the nickname North Austin.
The group had already received significant college radio airplay
before it released its first album, Carney in 1998. They soon released Live and Loud at the Wormy Dog Saloon
in 1999 and Highway 377
in 2001, all on their own independent label Underground Sound.
In 2002 they released a self-titled album also known as "the purple album" due to its cover color, which is a tribute to the band's "little sister" who had recently died in an auto accident.
Their 2004 offering Soul Gravy
debuted at #4 on the Billboard Country charts. In October 2005, the band released their album Garage
featuring the single "Fightin' For," which became their first top 40 hit on the country charts, debuting at an impressive #45 and reaching #39, as well as "Dimebag," a tribute to Darrell Abbott. The band released a double live CD and DVD on October 31, 2006, Back to Tulsa - Live and Loud at Cain's Ballroom
. Cross Canadian Ragweed recorded Mission California
, their sixth studio album, at the end of March 2007. They spent 25 days in the studio; the first 5 cutting 15 tracks, the next 20 polishing each. It was recorded in San Diego, California
. Lee Ann Womack
laid down background vocals on 4 of the tracks to include the Chris Knight
cover "Cry Lonely." Mission California
was released on October 2, 2007. Ragweed's tenth album, Happiness and All the Other Things
was released on August 31, 2009, commemorating the band's 15th Anniversary. It includes 12 new studio tracks and 3 live tracks. Recorded in California, this album includes a track entitled "Blue Bonnets" which is dedicated to Cody's oldest son Dierks. Happiness and All the Other Things
was officially dedicated to the late Randall "Poodie" Locke (Willie Nelson
's long-time stage manager) who died on May 6, 2009.
In May 2010, Cross Canadian Ragweed announced a hiatus from touring. In a band press release, drummer Randy Ragsdale's explained, "Right now, I need to be at home for my family, particularly my son JC, who has autism. He's 10 years old now and still struggling in his development. I feel the only way I can help him is to be more hands on and close to home." Despite Ragsdale's insistence to supporting the band wanting to “get another drummer and press on," singer Cody Canada stated "We’ve always said from the start, we’re Ragweed as the four of us, or not Ragweed at all."
In September 2010, singer Cody Canada officially announced the band was calling it quits by announcing their "Last Call Show" in October, 2010 at Joe's Bar in Chicago, IL, stating "as far as that’s concerned, Oct 24 is the last one, the last gig.”
Since Cross Canadian Ragweed, singer Cody Canada and bassist Jeremy Plato formed Cody Canada & The Departed with fellow Yukon-native Dave Bowen (drums), Seth James (guitar), and Steve Littleton (keyboards), releasing their debut album in June, 2011.
Randy Ragsdale and Grady Cross both returned to Yukon, OK, where Ragsdale has since opened up a landscaping business and Cross purchased and operates the bar that was the very first venue Cross Canadian Ragweed performed in 1991.
and other stars of the Red Dirt
scene including Stoney Larue
, Micky & The Motorcars
, Reckless Kelly
, (Canada's brother-in-law) Wade Bowen
, No Justice
, Johnny Cooper, Seth James, and Brandon Rhyder
. Bentley referenced the band in his song "Free and Easy (Down the Road I Go)
", singing that "Ragweed's rockin' on the radio".
Minor League baseball
player Adam Boeve uses "Anywhere But Here" as his intro music. Minnesota Twins
catcher
, Ryan Doumit
, comes to bat to their song "Alabama".
"Cry Lonely" is a playable track in Rock Band Country Track Pack.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Red Dirt
Red Dirt (music)
Red Dirt Music is a music genre that gets its name from the color of soil found in Oklahoma. Although Stillwater, Oklahoma is considered to be the epicenter of Red Dirt music, there's a Texas Red Dirt sound as well. Outlaws Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson are associated with that distinctive...
/Texas Country
Texas Country
Texas country music is a rapidly growing sub-genre of American country music. Texas country is known for fusing traditionalist root sounds with the outspoken, care-free views of outlaw country...
/Country rock
Country rock
Country rock is sub-genre of popular music, formed from the fusion of rock with country. The term is generally used to refer to the wave of rock musicians who began to record country-flavored records in the late 1960s and early 1970s, beginning with Bob Dylan and The Byrds; reaching its greatest...
band. The name of the band came from the combination of three band members' names, Grady Cross (guitar), Cody Canada (guitar, vocals), and Randy Ragsdale (drums). Jeremy Plato's (bass) name was not involved in the band naming. In response to rumors of preceding bassist, Matt Wiedemann, contributing to the band name, Cory Johnson only stated that they weren't a band before Jeremy Plato, their current bassist. The band name alludes to Cody Canada's surname and to Canadian County, Oklahoma
Canadian County, Oklahoma
Canadian County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. As of 2010, the population was 115,541. Its county seat is El Reno. Canadian County is also part of the Oklahoma City Metropolitan Statistical Area. Canadian County is named for the Canadian River.-Geography:According to the U.S...
(where the town of Yukon is located): none of the members are, in fact, of literal Canadian origin.
History
After forming in Yukon, OklahomaYukon, Oklahoma
Yukon is a city in Canadian County, Oklahoma, United States and is part of the Oklahoma City Metropolitan Area. The population was 22,709 at the 2010 census....
, they moved to the college town
College town
A college town or university town is a community which is dominated by its university population...
of Stillwater, Oklahoma
Stillwater, Oklahoma
Stillwater is a city in north-central Oklahoma at the intersection of U.S. 177 and State Highway 51. It is the county seat of Payne County, Oklahoma, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 45,688. Stillwater is the principal city of the Stillwater Micropolitan Statistical...
, where acts like Mike McClure's The Great Divide
The Great Divide (band)
The Great Divide was an American Red Dirt/Texas Country music group, originally from Stillwater, Oklahoma. The Great Divide formed its own record label, publishing company and operating company, and began recording. The group's first two albums, Goin' For Broke and Break In The Storm, were...
and singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
Jimmy LaFave
Jimmy LaFave
Jimmy LaFave is an American singer-songwriter and folk musician born in Wills Point, Texas, a small farming community located near Dallas. At a young age, LaFave's family moved to the Dallas suburb of Mesquite, Texas where he attended junior high and high school. By the early teens LaFave was...
had established enough of a local scene to earn Stillwater the nickname North Austin.
The group had already received significant college radio airplay
Airplay (song)
Airplay is a term used in the radio broadcasting industry to state how frequently a song is being played on over-the-air radio stations. For example, a song which is being played several times every day would be classed as receiving a large amount of airplay...
before it released its first album, Carney in 1998. They soon released Live and Loud at the Wormy Dog Saloon
Live and Loud at the Wormy Dog Saloon
Live Loud At Wormy Dog Saloon is Cross Canadian Ragweed's second album. There is also a bootlegged 2 disc version with 28 songs. This included remakes of "Pancho and Lefty", "Paint It Black", the original version of "Bad Habit", and an acoustic version of "Bang My Head".-Track listing:#"Amos Moses"...
in 1999 and Highway 377
Highway 377 (album)
Highway 377 is Cross Canadian Ragweed's third album.-Track listing:#"Look at Me" – 4:04#"42 Miles" – 3:19 #"One of These Days" – 4:03...
in 2001, all on their own independent label Underground Sound.
In 2002 they released a self-titled album also known as "the purple album" due to its cover color, which is a tribute to the band's "little sister" who had recently died in an auto accident.
Their 2004 offering Soul Gravy
Soul Gravy
Soul Gravy is the sixth studio album by the American alternative country band Cross Canadian Ragweed, released in 2004 on Universal South Records...
debuted at #4 on the Billboard Country charts. In October 2005, the band released their album Garage
Garage (album)
Garage is Cross Canadian Ragweed's seventh album. A limited release special edition included a bonus DVD containing six videos, one chronicling the band's 10th anniversary.-Track listing:#"Fightin' For" - 3:22...
featuring the single "Fightin' For," which became their first top 40 hit on the country charts, debuting at an impressive #45 and reaching #39, as well as "Dimebag," a tribute to Darrell Abbott. The band released a double live CD and DVD on October 31, 2006, Back to Tulsa - Live and Loud at Cain's Ballroom
Back to Tulsa - Live and Loud at Cain's Ballroom
Back to Tulsa - Live and Loud at Cain's Ballroom is a live CD/DVD combo, released on October 31, 2006, by Cross Canadian Ragweed. The CD and DVD were recorded July 14 and 15, 2006, at the historic Cain's Ballroom and Dancehall in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in front of sold-out crowds. Produced by Rob Dennis...
. Cross Canadian Ragweed recorded Mission California
Mission California
Mission California is Cross Canadian Ragweed's ninth album. It was released on October 2, 2007. The band spent 25 days in the studio; the first 5 cutting 15 tracks, the next 20 polishing each. It was recorded in San Diego, California...
, their sixth studio album, at the end of March 2007. They spent 25 days in the studio; the first 5 cutting 15 tracks, the next 20 polishing each. It was recorded in San Diego, California
San Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
. Lee Ann Womack
Lee Ann Womack
Lee Ann Womack is an American country music singer and songwriter, who is best known for her old fashioned-styled country music songs that often discuss subjects such as cheating and lost love....
laid down background vocals on 4 of the tracks to include the Chris Knight
Chris Knight (musician)
Chris Knight is a singer and songwriter from Kentucky. He only recently came to national attention, but has written songs for Confederate Railroad, John Anderson, and Randy Travis among others...
cover "Cry Lonely." Mission California
Mission California
Mission California is Cross Canadian Ragweed's ninth album. It was released on October 2, 2007. The band spent 25 days in the studio; the first 5 cutting 15 tracks, the next 20 polishing each. It was recorded in San Diego, California...
was released on October 2, 2007. Ragweed's tenth album, Happiness and All the Other Things
Happiness and All the Other Things
Happiness and All the Other Things is Cross Canadian Ragweed's tenth album. It was released on August 31, 2009. The album includes twelve new studio tracks and three live tracks, including a cover of Willie Nelson's "Angel Flying Too Close To The Ground", "Soul Agent" from the band's 2007 album...
was released on August 31, 2009, commemorating the band's 15th Anniversary. It includes 12 new studio tracks and 3 live tracks. Recorded in California, this album includes a track entitled "Blue Bonnets" which is dedicated to Cody's oldest son Dierks. Happiness and All the Other Things
Happiness and All the Other Things
Happiness and All the Other Things is Cross Canadian Ragweed's tenth album. It was released on August 31, 2009. The album includes twelve new studio tracks and three live tracks, including a cover of Willie Nelson's "Angel Flying Too Close To The Ground", "Soul Agent" from the band's 2007 album...
was officially dedicated to the late Randall "Poodie" Locke (Willie Nelson
Willie Nelson
Willie Hugh Nelson is an American country music singer-songwriter, as well as an author, poet, actor, and activist. The critical success of the album Shotgun Willie , combined with the critical and commercial success of Red Headed Stranger and Stardust , made Nelson one of the most recognized...
's long-time stage manager) who died on May 6, 2009.
In May 2010, Cross Canadian Ragweed announced a hiatus from touring. In a band press release, drummer Randy Ragsdale's explained, "Right now, I need to be at home for my family, particularly my son JC, who has autism. He's 10 years old now and still struggling in his development. I feel the only way I can help him is to be more hands on and close to home." Despite Ragsdale's insistence to supporting the band wanting to “get another drummer and press on," singer Cody Canada stated "We’ve always said from the start, we’re Ragweed as the four of us, or not Ragweed at all."
In September 2010, singer Cody Canada officially announced the band was calling it quits by announcing their "Last Call Show" in October, 2010 at Joe's Bar in Chicago, IL, stating "as far as that’s concerned, Oct 24 is the last one, the last gig.”
Since Cross Canadian Ragweed, singer Cody Canada and bassist Jeremy Plato formed Cody Canada & The Departed with fellow Yukon-native Dave Bowen (drums), Seth James (guitar), and Steve Littleton (keyboards), releasing their debut album in June, 2011.
Randy Ragsdale and Grady Cross both returned to Yukon, OK, where Ragsdale has since opened up a landscaping business and Cross purchased and operates the bar that was the very first venue Cross Canadian Ragweed performed in 1991.
Notable appearances
The band frequently plays with country music star Dierks BentleyDierks Bentley
Dierks Bentley is an American country music artist who has been signed to Capitol Records Nashville since 2003. That year, he released his self-titled debut album. Both it and its follow-up, 2005's Modern Day Drifter, are certified platinum in the United States. A third album, 2006's Long Trip...
and other stars of the Red Dirt
Red Dirt (music)
Red Dirt Music is a music genre that gets its name from the color of soil found in Oklahoma. Although Stillwater, Oklahoma is considered to be the epicenter of Red Dirt music, there's a Texas Red Dirt sound as well. Outlaws Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson are associated with that distinctive...
scene including Stoney Larue
Stoney Larue
Stoney LaRue is a Texas Country/Red Dirt artist. Born in Taft, Texas, LaRue was raised in Southeastern Oklahoma and began playing country music at a young age....
, Micky & The Motorcars
Micky & the Motorcars
Micky & the Motorcars is an Alternative Texas Country band formed in Challis, Idaho before moving to Austin, Texas.The band has released five mainstream albums, including a live album....
, Reckless Kelly
Reckless Kelly (band)
Reckless Kelly is an Austin, Texas based Americana/Texas Country band. The band was formed in Bend, Oregon, but moved to Austin in January 1997...
, (Canada's brother-in-law) Wade Bowen
Wade Bowen
Wade Bowen is an American Texas Country/Red Dirt singer from Waco, Texas.Bowen was a member of the band, West 84, with friend Matt Miller, before the band was re-aligned 2001. He released his first album in 2002, Try Not To Listen, which became a regional hit in Texas. He released his first live...
, No Justice
No justice
No Justice is a Red Dirt/Texas Country band which is originally from Stillwater, Oklahoma. Stillwater has also produced musical talents such as Jimmy LaFave, Garth Brooks, The Great Divide, Cross Canadian Ragweed, Stoney LaRue, Mike McClure and Jason Boland & the Stragglers...
, Johnny Cooper, Seth James, and Brandon Rhyder
Brandon Rhyder
Brandon Rhyder is an American Texas Country/Red Dirt singer from Carthage, Texas.Rhyder graduated from the University of Texas at Tyler with a degree in industrial technology....
. Bentley referenced the band in his song "Free and Easy (Down the Road I Go)
Free and Easy (Down the Road I Go)
"Free and Easy " is a 2007 single by country music artist Dierks Bentley. It is the third single from his album Long Trip Alone. It has become his fifth Number One single on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts...
", singing that "Ragweed's rockin' on the radio".
Minor League baseball
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
player Adam Boeve uses "Anywhere But Here" as his intro music. Minnesota Twins
Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...
catcher
Catcher
Catcher is a position for a baseball or softball player. When a batter takes his turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. This is a catcher's primary duty, but he is also called upon to master many other skills in order to...
, Ryan Doumit
Ryan Doumit
Ryan Matthew Doumit is an American professional baseball catcher for the Minnesota Twins of Major League Baseball. He played the first seven years of his career for the Pittsburgh Pirates.-Professional career:...
, comes to bat to their song "Alabama".
"Cry Lonely" is a playable track in Rock Band Country Track Pack.
Studio albums
| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions |
|||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Country |
US Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
||||||||
| Carney |
|
— | — | ||||||
| Highway 377 Highway 377 (album) Highway 377 is Cross Canadian Ragweed's third album.-Track listing:#"Look at Me" – 4:04#"42 Miles" – 3:19 #"One of These Days" – 4:03... |
|
— | — | ||||||
| Cross Canadian Ragweed Cross Canadian Ragweed (album) Cross Canadian Ragweed is the self-titled major-label debut album for the country music band Cross Canadian Ragweed. It includes the singles "17" and "Constantly."... |
|
70 | — | ||||||
| Soul Gravy Soul Gravy Soul Gravy is the sixth studio album by the American alternative country band Cross Canadian Ragweed, released in 2004 on Universal South Records... |
Music download A music download is the transferral of music from an Internet-facing computer or website to a user's local computer. This term encompasses both legal downloads and downloads of copyright material without permission or payment... |
5 | 51 | ||||||
| Garage Garage (album) Garage is Cross Canadian Ragweed's seventh album. A limited release special edition included a bonus DVD containing six videos, one chronicling the band's 10th anniversary.-Track listing:#"Fightin' For" - 3:22... |
|
6 | 37 | ||||||
| Mission California Mission California Mission California is Cross Canadian Ragweed's ninth album. It was released on October 2, 2007. The band spent 25 days in the studio; the first 5 cutting 15 tracks, the next 20 polishing each. It was recorded in San Diego, California... |
|
6 | 30 | ||||||
| Happiness and All the Other Things Happiness and All the Other Things Happiness and All the Other Things is Cross Canadian Ragweed's tenth album. It was released on August 31, 2009. The album includes twelve new studio tracks and three live tracks, including a cover of Willie Nelson's "Angel Flying Too Close To The Ground", "Soul Agent" from the band's 2007 album... |
|
10 | 33 | ||||||
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart | |||||||||
Live albums
| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Country |
US Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
US Indie Independent Albums The Billboard Independent Albums is a chart of the highest-selling independent music albums and extended plays in the United States, compiled by Nielsen SoundScan and published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is used to list artists who are not signed to major labels... |
|||||||
| Live and Loud at the Wormy Dog Saloon Live and Loud at the Wormy Dog Saloon Live Loud At Wormy Dog Saloon is Cross Canadian Ragweed's second album. There is also a bootlegged 2 disc version with 28 songs. This included remakes of "Pancho and Lefty", "Paint It Black", the original version of "Bad Habit", and an acoustic version of "Bang My Head".-Track listing:#"Amos Moses"... |
|
— | — | — | |||||
| Live and Loud at Billy Bob's Texas Live and Loud at Billy Bob's Texas Live and Loud at Billy Bob's Texas is Cross Canadian Ragweed's fourth album. They are one of many bands to record a "Live at Billy Bob's Texas" album at the Fort Worth honky-tonk. The eighth track, "Crazy Eddie's Last Hurrah," is a cover of the Reckless Kelly tune, first appearing on their 2000... |
|
— | — | 43 | |||||
| Back to Tulsa - Live and Loud at Cain's Ballroom Back to Tulsa - Live and Loud at Cain's Ballroom Back to Tulsa - Live and Loud at Cain's Ballroom is a live CD/DVD combo, released on October 31, 2006, by Cross Canadian Ragweed. The CD and DVD were recorded July 14 and 15, 2006, at the historic Cain's Ballroom and Dancehall in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in front of sold-out crowds. Produced by Rob Dennis... |
|
27 | 120 | — | |||||
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart | |||||||||
Singles
| Year | Single | Peak positions | Album | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Country Hot Country Songs Hot Country Songs is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States.This 60-position chart lists the most popular country music songs, calculated weekly mostly by airplay and occasionally commercial sales... |
|||||||||
| 2002 | "17" | 57 | Cross Canadian Ragweed | ||||||
| 2003 | "Constantly" | 57 | |||||||
| 2004 | "Sick and Tired" | 46 | Soul Gravy | ||||||
| "Alabama" | 46 | ||||||||
| 2005 | "Fightin' For" | 39 | Garage | ||||||
| 2006 | "This Time Around" | 43 | |||||||
| "Late Last Night" | — | ||||||||
| 2007 | "I Believe You" | — | Mission California | ||||||
| 2008 | "Cry Lonely" | 59 | |||||||
| 2009 | "Kick in the Head" | — | Happiness and All the Other Things | ||||||
| "To Find My Love" | — | ||||||||
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart | |||||||||
Music videos
| Year | Video | Director |
|---|---|---|
| 2001 | "Look at Me" | Darren Cameron |
| 2002 | "Don't Need You" | Roger Pistole |
| "17" | ||
| 2003 | "Constantly" | |
| 2004 | "Sick and Tired" (with Lee Ann Womack Lee Ann Womack Lee Ann Womack is an American country music singer and songwriter, who is best known for her old fashioned-styled country music songs that often discuss subjects such as cheating and lost love.... ) |
Eric Welch |
| "Alabama" | Stephen Shepherd | |
| 2005 | "Fightin' For" | Trey Fanjoy Trey Fanjoy Trey Fanjoy is a country music and pop music video director. Fanjoy has directed over 150 major label music videos. Her videos have appeared on CMT, VH-1, GAC, The Nashville Network, CMT Canada, and MTV.-Music videos:... |
| 2006 | "Late Last Night" | Rob Dennis |
| 2008 | "I Believe You" | |