For more than a quarter-century, Cody Canada has been carrying the Red Dirt torch. And it burns brightly with Cody.
Cody fronted Cross Canadian Ragweed for 16 years, and he has done the same for The Departed since 2011. In addition, Cody has released a live acoustic album, as well as a joint album with Mike McClure.
Cody Canada is a legitimate triple threat with his voice, pen, and lead guitar. In honor of his 45th birthday on May 25, 2021, let’s take a look at a few of our favorite songs from Cody’s catalog.
‘Boys From Oklahoma’
Cross Canadian Ragweed was never a darling of Top 40 country radio—and they didn’t care. The Red Dirt troupe kept the joints in Oklahoma and Texas, among others, packed for more than a decade. With songs like “Alabama,” “Sick and Tired,” “Boys From Oklahoma,” and more, CCR was a staple of Texas/Red Dirt radio for more than 15 years. Speaking of packed joints, “Boys From Oklahoma” was always a fan-favorite singalong.
‘Lipstick’
When CCR broke up in 2010, Cody Canada formed The Departed with CCR’s Jeremy Plato, among others. The Red Dirt rockers picked up right where CCR left off. The Departed dropped its debut album, This Is Indian Land, in 2011, as well as follow-up projects like 2015’s HippieLovePunk. While the band has undergone several iterations, Cody and Plato have been constants. They joined forces with drummer Eric Hansen in 2018 to release The Departed’s best album, 3.
‘Leave Me Alone’
Side projects? Yes, everyone needs side projects. In 2013, Cody Canada released a solo acoustic album, Some Old, Some New, Maybe a Cover or Two. The 19-song album, recorded live at Third Coast Music in Port Aransas, Texas, featured tunes from Cody’s catalog with CCR and The Departed. Cody also teamed with longtime buddy—and producer/singer/musician—Mike McClure to record a 35-song acoustic set, Chip & Ray: Together Again for the First Time, at Third Coast Music in 2015.
