<p class="wp-block-paragraph">If you’ve been anywhere near a Texas/Oklahoma border dancehall, a festival crowd screaming &#8220;Boys From Oklahoma,&#8221; or even just eavesdropping on a <strong><a href="https://countrymusicontour.com/turnpike-troubadours-return-to-tulsa/">Turnpike </a></strong>fan’s Spotify queue lately, you <em>know</em> Red Dirt is having a moment.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img src="https://countrymusicnewsblog.com/wp-content/uploads/Josh-Crutchmer-Cody-Canada.jpg" alt="Josh Crutchmer + Cody Canada" class="wp-image-41954"/></figure>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">But how the hell did we get here?</p>



<!--more-->



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">That’s exactly what <strong><a href="https://countrymusicnewsblog.com/category/artists/josh-crutchmer/" data-type="category" data-id="1947">Josh Crutchmer</a></strong>, Oklahoma native, New York Times planning editor, and longtime Rolling Stone contributor, set out to answer in not one, but <strong>two new books</strong> that every true country fan needs on their shelf (or shoved in their tour bag, right next to your koozie and tear-stained CD copy of <em>Diamonds &; Gasoline</em>).</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Book One: Never Say Never</strong> – The Ragweed Reunion We Thought We’d Never See</h2>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Released this April, <em>Never Say Never</em> takes you <em>backstage, front row</em>, and <strong>deep into the story behind the comeback of <a href="https://countrymusicontour.com/cross-canadian-and-turnpike-double-down-with-second-show/">Cross Canadian Ragweed</a></strong> and their epic “Boys From Oklahoma” shows.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">This ain’t just a &#8220;what happened&#8221; recap. It’s a <em>ridealong</em> with every single band member, plus exclusive interviews with The <a title="Turnpike Troubadours" href="https://stubhub.prf.hn/click/camref:1100ljXyr/pubref:WPSTurnpike/ar:CMNBAutoLink/destination:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.stubhub.com%2Fturnpike-troubadours-tickets%2F">Turnpike Troubadours</a> (yes, even Evan), The Great Divide, Jason Boland &; The Stragglers, Stoney LaRue, and more. You’ll hear straight from the folks who made the magic happen — and from the fans who’ve been screaming for it for years.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The foreword? None other than <strong><a href="https://countrymusicnewsblog.com/watch-now-wyatt-flores-on-npr-tiny-desk/" data-type="post" data-id="41530">Wyatt Flores</a></strong>. The final word? <strong><a href="https://countrymusicnewsblog.com/cmt-names-its-next-women-of-country-meet-the-class-of-2025/" data-type="post" data-id="41843">Kaitlin Butts</a></strong>. The vibe? Red Dirt royalty across the board.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Book Two: Red Dirt Unplugged</strong> – A Love Letter to the Scene We Built Ourselves</h2>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Want to know how Red Dirt exploded from barroom favorite to festival-headlining, record-breaking beast? <em>Red Dirt Unplugged</em> (out now) maps that rise — artist by artist, song by song, and beer by beer.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Crutchmer spent <strong>a full year embedded in the scene</strong>, chronicling the rise of Wyatt Flores, the heat coming off <a title="Kaitlin Butts" href="https://ticketmaster.evyy.net/c/1224809/264167/4272?subId1=WPScmnbKButts&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ticketmaster.com%2Fkaitlin-butts-tickets%2Fartist%2F2981165&partnerpropertyid=5213910&MediaPartnerPropertyId=5213910">Kaitlin Butts</a>, the full-circle moments of Southall and The Great Divide, and so many more. It’s 300 pages of raw stories, behind-the-scenes moments, and pure, gritty heart.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">We’re talking interviews with Josh Meloy, Ken Pomeroy, Lance Roark, John Calvin Abney, Them Dirty Roses, and Turnpike’s own Evan Felker reflecting on 15 years of <em>Diamonds &; Gasoline</em>. Oh — and Tulsa gets its flowers too, with deep dives into <strong>Mercury Lounge</strong> and <strong>Cain’s Ballroom</strong> as spiritual homes of this movement.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><em>Red Dirt Unplugged</em> also features a foreword and closing reflections by <strong><a href="https://countrymusicontour.com/cross-canadian-ragweed-tour-dates-tickets/">Cody Canada</a></strong> and the full band of <a title="Cross Canadian Ragweed" href="https://stubhub.prf.hn/click/camref:1100ljXyr/pubref:WPSRagweed/ar:CMNBAutoLink/destination:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.stubhub.com%2Fcross-canadian-ragweed-tickets%2F">Cross Canadian Ragweed</a> — their <strong>first group interview in over 17 years</strong>.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Why You Should Add These To Your Shelf (If You Haven’t Already)</h2>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Because Red Dirt isn’t just a genre — it’s a community, a lifestyle, and let’s be real, a <em>damn movement</em>. Josh Crutchmer’s books capture that better than anyone else out there right now, and they deserve a spot in every country music fan’s library.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">So if you&#8217;re tired of shallow takes on the scene, want the real story behind the songs that saved your life, and need something to pass the time until your next ragweed-scented road trip, these books are it.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Where to Get Them</h2>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Josh is offering <strong>digital and print editions</strong> of both <em><strong><a href="https://backloungepublishing.com/neversaynever/">Never Say Never</a></strong></em> and <em><strong><a href="https://backloungepublishing.com/reddirtunplugged/">Red Dirt Unplugged</a></strong></em>, via <strong><a href="https://backloungepublishing.com/">Back Lounge Publishing</a></strong>. </p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Support local stories. Celebrate the artists who brought Red Dirt to life. And read the damn books.</strong></p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"></p>