Cross Canadian Ragweed was at the forefront of the rise of the Red Dirt scene in Oklahoma and Texas during the ‘90s and early 2000s. Then, in 2010, the band parted ways. Frontman Cody Canada formed The Departed and continued on his musical path. Now, 15 years later, the band has picked up the pieces and are back together.
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Earlier this year, Cross Canadian Ragweed shocked the country music world with a surprise reunion set at the Mile 0 Festival in Florida. They also have multiple shows lined up later this year—a four-night run in Stillwater, Oklahoma dubbed The Boys from Oklahoma, and a show in Waco, Texas. These new developments have left fans with many questions. Recently, American Songwriter sat down with Canada to get the answers.
Cody Canada on the Future of Cross Canadian Ragweed
To say that Cody Canada is glad to be playing with the other guys from Cross Canadian Ragweed again after all these years would be an understatement. The reunion has done wonders for his mental health and his creativity. However, he remains unsure of what the future holds for the band.
“I don’t know how many shows we’re going to do but I do know we’re doing more than what we’ve got scheduled,” he revealed. “Why wouldn’t we? We’re having fun and we’re hitting a stride,” he added, delivering good news for fans.
Canada never stopped performing. He released his first solo album before CCR split. However, this is different. “It feels good to reconcile and play for the love of playing,” he said of his feelings on the reunion.
Is Ragweed Back to Stay?
Many fans are wondering if Cross Canadian Ragweed is back to stay or if the band is just doing a handful of shows before going on another indefinite hiatus. That’s something Cody Canada can’t answer right now. However, he is hopeful for the band’s future.
“I don’t want to jinx anything,” Canada said when asked about the future. “I don’t see us doing tours but this time last year, there was an article released from Rolling Stone where I said ‘Never-f**king-ever’ and then I read that article and I thought ‘Jeez, how negative. My kids gotta read that, their kids gotta read that, fans gotta read that.’ It made me reconsider,” he explained.
“It made me think maybe I should call everybody and see how they feel. What if they don’t feel like I feel? I’m not saying it’s all my fault but I take responsibility for my actions. So, when it comes to a tour, I don’t know,” he said. “I know we’re going to do some shows in Waco coming up and I haven’t heard anything past that. I will definitely sit in a meeting and see what everybody has to say about the next move.”
Is a New Cross Canadian Ragweed Album Coming?
Those who follow Red Dirt music watched another subgenre staple, Turnpike Troubadours, reunite after a long hiatus, announce shows, and record a new album just a few years ago. Now, they’re wondering if they’ll see the same from Cross Canadian Ragweed.
Cody Canada was prepared for that line of questioning. “I told the band people were going to start asking about new music and tours. So, as of now, we don’t know what’s going to happen. A year ago, we didn’t know this was going to happen. We’ll just play it by ear, if we said we were going to do something and it didn’t happen I’d feel bad about it,” he said. “But, I will say that the creative juices are flowing,” he added with a note of optimism in his voice.
Why a Tour Isn’t Likely
From the outside looking in, it seems like a Cross Canadian Ragweed Tour would be a no-brainer. However, Cody Canada revealed that touring was a big part of what broke the band up in the first place.
“Nothing major went down,” he said of the band’s 2010 split. “Everybody’s always wondering what the big secret is. There was never a secret. We were just overworked, we had kids, and there was drinking and partying involved and being gone 200 and something days a year. There was nothing major. We were just overworked,” Canada explained.
So, the band being apprehensive to launch another tour makes sense. However, all things considered, it’s a great time to be a Cross Canadian Ragweed fan.
Featured Image by Carley Dumenil
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