Cross Rags and Young

Music has always been known to bring people together, which is just the case for new Oklahoma band Cross Rags and Young. The trio, comprised of former Cross Canadian Ragweed members Grady Cross (guitar) and Randy Ragsdale (drums), along with singer-songwriter Jason Young, offers a unique spin on the red dirt-meets-Texas country sound. All hailing from Yukon, Oklahoma, the three knew of each other in their individual careers, but never thought their musical paths would cross on down the road.

After Cross Canadian Ragweed disbanded in 2010, Cross and Ragsdale took a much needed break from the road to focus on family life at home and make up for the time they lost due to touring heavily for 16 years. “I was really to the point of turning my studio into a different room,” laughs Cross. “Everything was kind of put away and dusty, to be honest.”

Young, on the other hand, was pursuing building a name for himself as a solo artist on the Oklahoma and Texas music scenes, affectionately dubbed in recent years as the Jason Young Band by his loyal fan base. When Ragsdale occasionally started sitting in with Young on local gigs, the spark of once again making music was lit inside him. 

“It was almost immediate when I thought about getting Grady involved and the three of us forming a band together,” recalls Ragsdale. “Once the idea was out in the air, it just naturally seemed like it was going forward on its own. I think everybody was ready to do something like this.”

“I was just happy to see these guys get back into music again,” notes Jason. “That makes my heart happier than anything. These guys are rock stars to me, and they are just great dudes. To watch them get back into it – and for me to be a part of that – that’s pretty special!”

While the sound and style of Cross Rags and Young is still being determined as they head into the studio to begin work on their debut EP, they promise to offer that familiar sound that all of their fans have grown to love in years past. “You’re still going to get that red dirt flavor, and you’re still going to get a Texas country flavor,” says Young. “There’s going to be a splash of a little bit of everything in there, but at the same time, I think this is going to be a different project for all of us.”

“It’s going to be good to get us all out of our comfort zones and just see what kind of happens,” adds Cross. 

The guys will take their music to the fans after the first of the year in hopes of not only hitting the Texas and Oklahoma markets, but coast-to-coast as well. “Doing 200-something shows a year with Cross Canadian Ragweed and then doing nothing hasn’t been the easiest thing in the world,” Ragsdale laughs. “I’m ready to get back out there and play. I miss it big time!”

“We just want to make it fun,” says Cross, adding their shows will consist of original Cross Rags and Young material, as well as prior hits with Cross Canadian Ragweed and Jason Young Band tunes. 

“We just want to enjoy music together, and I think that’s going to be the best part of this thing,” echoes Young. “We are all getting ready to start this new chapter in our lives and careers, and we are excited to see what this is.”

“It’s funny because music is what we thought kind of drove me and Grady out of the business, but it’s bringing us back together, and we couldn’t be happier,” Ragsdale concludes. “I’m where I want to be again, and I know these guys are, too. We all feel pretty blessed to be able to have a chance to have something like this fall into our laps, so we can’t wait to see where it will go from here.”

With their first single Family Name spending 12 weeks in the top 10 and 5 weeks at number three, October 5th they released their 2nd single Reckless currently on Radio.

Grady Cross:

Cross first picked up a guitar at age 13, with musical influences ranging from Merle Haggard and Willie Nelson to Warren Haynes and Tom Petty. He knew his future would eventually land him in the music business, so when longtime friend and fellow musician, Randy Ragsdale, approached Cross in 1994 about being the guitar player for a yet-to-be-named band, all the pieces fell perfectly into place. Red dirt sensation Cross Canadian Ragweed hit the Oklahoma and Texas music scene with immediate success, releasing seven studio albums and three live albums before disbanding in 2010. After coming off the road, Cross opened Grady’s 66 Pub in his hometown of Yukon, Oklahoma, which kept his finger on the pulse of live music. The downtime spent at home allowed Cross to raise his kids and take a much needed break from touring coast-to-coast with Cross Canadian Ragweed. But it wasn’t long after when Ragsdale once again approached Cross about forming a new band with Oklahoma singer-songwriter Jason Young. The timing was right for Cross, as he was ready to get back into making his own music, and together they formed Cross Rags and Young. 

Randy Ragsdale:

Ragsdale began playing drums at 9-years-old, and dabbled in several bands growing up in Oklahoma. His big break came in 1994 as the founding member of Cross Canadian Ragweed, taking the Texas and Oklahoma music scene by storm as one of the first red dirt bands of its time. Throughout their career, the group released seven studio albums and three live albums from 1994-2010. They eventually disbanded in 2010, allowing Ragsdale time to focus on his family and growing kids. The time away from the scene reconnected Ragsdale with his musical roots by listening to the older country music singers he grew up on, such as Merle Haggard and Waylon Jennings. The musical departure began to open new doors for Ragsdale over time, including crossing paths with Oklahoma-based singer-songwriter Jason Young. As the two began playing shows together, the formation of Cross Rags and Young fell into place, which also includes former CCR guitarist, Grady Cross.

Jason Young:

Young started singing in church as a kid, which first developed his love for music. However, in his teens, Young walked away from music when his voice began to change. After graduating high school in 1995, he once again began singing to the likes of Hootie & the Blowfish and other popular bands, as he played local gigs while focusing on developing his voice. He furthered his love for country music later in life as he served as tour manager to various mainstream artists. After living in Florida for several years, Young moved back to Yukon, OK and devoted his time into pursuing a career as an artist. He released multiple studio albums, including his most recent project 900 Miles, which brought him success on the Texas charts. Young eventually linked back up with fellow Yukon native and former Cross Canadian Ragweed drummer, Randy Ragsdale, as the two began to make music together live. The two went on to include another CCR alumni, guitarist Grady Cross, and now are better known as Cross Rags and Young.