From a surprise No. 1 Country Album, to a long awaited tour announcement; from a devastating bus fire, to a band breakup we all saw coming but hoped would never actually happen, 2019 was a wild year. Here at Radio Texas, LIVE!, we pride ourselves on bringing you the latest Texas, Red Dirt (and Tyler Childers, Sturgill Simpson) news.

In June 2019, we were excited to launch The Radio Texas, LIVE! App, bringing breaking stories, op-eds, videos, and more -- but most importantly 24/7, commercial-free Texas and Red Dirt music directly to your phone. If you still haven't downloaded our 5-star rated app, time to join the thousands who have and are already enjoying the premiere Texas & Red Dirt app. Get it for IOS here, or for Android right here.

Without further adieu here they are, The Biggest Stories of 2019 at RadioTexasLIVE.com.

"In 2003 Cross Canadian Ragweed was the hottest band in the scene and breaking out nationally. During a CD/DVD combo recording at Shadow Canyon in College Station the guys brought out nearly every-damn-body, including Wade Bowen, Stoney LaRue, Bleu Edmondson, Jason Boland, and Randy Rogers to sing "Boys From Oklahoma." It's amazing."

"Scary news out of West Texas this afternoon. While on their way to Lubbock, TX for a concert tonight, Shane Smith and the Saints' bus caught fire. The band and crew made it out without injury, but the bus is a total loss, and likely all of their gear as well."

"We all miss Cross Canadian Ragweed like Koe Wetzel and that girl do. Hard to believe we are nearing a full decade since Red Dirt's preeminent band went their separate ways leaving a gaping hole in the scene, and all of our hearts."

"Cody Johnson is riding high. Just two days ahead of the release of his new album Ain’t Nothin’ To It, the Texan made his TODAY debut today (Jan. 16). Johnson performed the album’s lead single “On My Way To You." The song has been the No. 1 song in Texas for eleven straight weeks, it has already reached over 25 million streams, and has sold almost 240,000 track equivalents."

"Why do teachers have to spend their own money for school supplies? I guess it's been this way for a long time. Does it have to stay like this? Only supplies I gotta buy for my job are headphones. And, honestly, I could scrounge up some cans if I needed to. Also, I've had the same ones for a decade. Oh, and I'm not molding the minds of the future leaders of America."

"Whiskey Myers can not be stopped. Their new self-titled and self-produced album, Whiskey Myers raked in 42,000 first-week equivalent album units moved, of that a remarkable 39,000 were in album sales. That's right, Whiskey Myers has the No. 1 album in the world on the Billboard Country Charts."

4. What is Red Dirt Music? (April 11, 2018)

"Red Dirt is the music we listen to as we float rivers, drink beers and drive backroads (not at the same time). We walk down the aisle to it, hell we make babies to it -- then we make our babies listen to it too. We download the albums, go to the concerts, drive hundreds of miles to get into the festivals. It belongs to us, it belongs to the people."

"It’s June, we are over halfway through 2019. This means roughly half of the songs that will be released this year have already been. Time to share our picks for our Favorite Texas & Red Dirt Singles of ’19… So Far."

"We've selfishly gotta believe that the hiatus won't last, and they guys will be back together, but it doesn't look good. If this truly is the end, thanks for the music and for the memories, gentlemen."

"This is something that we've all been hoping for for a long time. Sturgill produced Childer's last two albums (Purgatory in 2017 and Country Squire in 2019), so yeah since Purgatory in '17."

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