For nearly four decades, the ageless Red Dirt Rangers—John Cooper, Brad Piccolo, and Ben Han—have served as ambassadors of the genre they helped pioneer. Forging what they call an “elusive stew,” their Red Dirt sound blends country, rock and roll, bluegrass, and Western swing, guided by storytelling and unburdened by heavy studio gloss. Rooted in Oklahoma’s red soil and inspired by Woody Guthrie’s devotion to the “honest song,” their music carries the dance-hall spirit of Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys alongside a social conscience—music so, as they say, “you can still dance at the revolution.” Emerging from the late ’70s Stillwater songwriter scene with artists like Jimmy LaFave and Bob Childers, the Rangers helped establish a songwriting-first tradition that continues today through bands like Turnpike Troubadours and The Great Divide. Now on their eleventh album—including a children’s record—they remain central to the most influential homegrown genre in Oklahoma music.
That commitment to community extends far beyond the stage. In 2012, the Red Dirt Rangers co-founded the Red Dirt Relief Fund, which has since awarded more than $1 million in emergency grants to Oklahoma music professionals, supported by annual fundraisers like Skinner Fest in Tulsa.
Their longstanding relationship with The Church Studio includes multiple recordings—beginning with 2002’s Staring Down the Sun, produced by Steve Ripley—along with standout appearances in the Tunes @ Noon series and intimate 2025 In Sessions performances. These sessions flow into their newest project, “Red Dirt Town,” their first studio album in seven years. A true love letter to Oklahoma music, the album features Evan Felker (of Turnpike Troubadours) and a tribute to Ripley with “Oklahoma Blues.”
Find The Rangers at The Mercury Lounge, the Boys From Oklahoma high-energy concerts in Stillwater, their summer Colorado tour, and their beloved holiday children’s tradition.
Catch them on all the streaming apps, Facebook, Red Dirt Rangers
The Red Dirt Rangers: Brad Piccolo, John Cooper, and Ben Han
