Sometimes referred to as a red dirt band, Jason Boland and the Stragglers is an American group that plays country music, predominantly in the southern or Texan style. The group is led by Jason Boland, who plays the guitar and is the lead vocalist. Brad Rice, who plays percussion, has been a friend and collaborator of Boland's since they attended Oklahoma State University together and were members of the same fraternity. The rest of the band is made up by Cody Angel, who plays the acoustic guitar as well as some pedal steel and resonator guitar, Grant Tracy on bass, and Nick Worley, who switches between fiddle and mandolin. The band is one of the most successful in its country music niche.

Jason Boland and the Stragglers early career

Jason Boland formed the Stragglers as a band in 1998 and their first album followed in 1999. Entitled Pearl Snaps, it was released by the Smith Music Group. A follow-up came in 2001, called Truckstop Diaries. This was made available on the Tenkiller Records label. A live album was released the following year.

Jason Boland and the Stragglers breakthrough and success

Once again released by the Smith Music Group, Somewhere in the Middle was the band's third studio album. It peaked at number 65 in the US Country chart in 2004, bringing Jason Boland and the Stragglers to the attention of a much wider audience than they had previously enjoyed. Produced by Lloyd Maines, the album featured songs penned by Boland as well as other writers, such as “Back to You” by Bob Childers.

Jason Boland and the Stragglers' next studio work was the Bourbon Legend, which achieved a similar level of success as Somewhere in the Middle had. Their fifth studio album, Comal County Blue, in 2008, was released on the band's new label, Thirty Tigers, and performed significantly better. It got to number two in the US Heat chart and reached a high of number 30 in the US Country chart.

Following Rancho Alto in 2011, the band released Dark and Dirty Mile in 2013. This album gained the band's highest position in the overall US album charts to date, at number 89. It got to number 25 in the US Country chart. A further live album and another studio work of 2015 have been released since.

Similar bands to Jason Boland and the Stragglers

If you are looking for a country band with a Texan flavour, then you can find suitable tickets at StubHub. Search for acts such as Cross Canadian Ragweed, for example, who are also at the forefront of the red dirt music scene. Alternatively, seek out the performer Stoney LaRue.