Rolling Stone Writer Josh Crutchmer on the Rise of Red Dirt Music

Send us Fan Mail Josh Crutchmer is an author and award-winning journalist who has become one of the leading chroniclers of Red Dirt, Americana and independent roots music. A native Oklahoman and graduate of Oklahoma State University, Crutchmer has been closely connected to the Red Dirt scene since the early 2000s, documenting not only the artists onstage but the songwriters, crews, venues and people who built the movement. Crutchmer is currently a planning editor at The New York Times and a regular contributor to Rolling Stone. His journalism career has also included positions with The Oklahoman, Arizona Republic, Omaha World-Herald, Minneapolis Star Tribune, Buffalo News, Chicago Tribune and The Plain Dealer. His career has placed him at the intersection of major national journalism and the independent music community he has followed for more than two decades. He is perhaps best known to music fans as the author of Red Dirt: Roots Music Born in Oklahoma, Raised in Texas, at Home Anywhere, published in 2020. He followed it with books including The Motel Cowboy Show, Red Dirt Unplugged, and Never Say Never: Cross Canadian Ragweed, The Boys From Oklahoma, and a Red Dirt Comeback Story for the Ages. His 2026 release, (Almost) Almost Famous, collects stories and memories from a career spent chasing Red Dirt, Americana, roots rock and independent country music. Crutchmer has been especially connected to the story of Cross Canadian Ragweed. He covered the band's rise while working for The Oklahoman, documented its final show in 2010, and later broke news surrounding the band's reunion and The Boys From Oklahoma concerts through Rolling Stone. His work has also followed artists including the Turnpike Troubadours and Wyatt Flores as a new generation has carried Red Dirt music to a much larger audience. For Musical Miles Podcast, Byron Duffin sat down with Josh Crutchmer at the Braun Brothers Reunion in Challis, Idaho, for a conversation about the stories behind the music, his career in journalism, his books, and why preserving the history of Red Dirt and independent music matters. Josh Crutchmer doesn't simply write about Red Dirt music—he documents the people, places and stories that have made it a culture. MORE ABOUT JOSH: Website: https://share.google/3Wkkd8zeOziRcGYtR Instagram: https://share.google/eNjLGAFrkCNN8faSz 🎵 In This Episode: • Josh Crutchmer interview • Braun Brothers Reunion • Red Dirt Music • Texas Country Music MORE ABOUT MUSICAL MILES PODCAST: Website: https://share.google/njnmmglKCpu8nX7jn Instagram: https://share.google/PvAJe1qGxIKhYSVZ7 Facebook: https://share.google/OcbFlCHb3fSntAVhX TikTok: https://share.google/ikD2YSj8qEMv3ROY2 Spotify: https://share.google/ooaz1mIUqHoM9CW9z YouTube: https://share.google/7xkaESL50rsQx93Qr SPONSORSHIP INFORMATION: Contact Byron Duffin musicalmilespodcast@gmail.com 208-690-1426 SHOUTOUT TO OUR SPONSORS: Click the links for more info Our Guitar Sponsor Klos Guitars ~ www.klosguitar.com ROPER ~ Wear The West For Discounts on Boots, Shoes and Western Apparel ClICK THE LINK: https://eroper.com/?ref=BYRONDUFFIN TIN HAUL ~ 30% DISCOUNTS For our Musical Miles Podcast followers Click the link to shop. https://tinhaul.com/?ref=BYRONDUFFIN FOR PODCAST EPISODE SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES: Contact Byron Duffin 208-690-1426 musicalmilespodcast@gmail.com #joshcrutchmer, #author, #publisher, #americanamusic, #reddirtmusic, #texascountrymusic, #musicalmilespodcast, #PodcastInterview, #MusicalMiles, #rollingstonecountry, #braunbrothersreunion, Support the show TO SUPPORT THE PODCAST DONATE HERE: https://patreon.com/MusicalMilesPodcast<b