Big Memories Emerge from Soggy 2026 Two Step Inn

The 2026 Two Step Inn festival in Georgetown, TX could have gone down as a big disappointment for patrons. What was supposed to be a retrenching of the festival after the first few years were filled with big names, tons of memories and fun moments, but fair logistical concerns of how it all unfolded, 2026 was hoping to be different.

When rain washed out the second half of the Saturday, April 18th lineup—including all the big headliners like Brooks & Dunn, Tracy Lawrence, and Wyatt Flores—it could have resulted in one of those festival scenarios we see so often: Fans did get some music, but not all. So was a refund in order? Meanwhile, fans were left sopping wet in 50-degree temperatures, hoping for more music that never came, but for reasons completely out of the festival’s control.

But in truth, the rain made for some really memorable moments that otherwise would have never happened without it. And then organizers C3 Presents and Friends of Georgetown Parks and Recreation did something pretty unprecedented. They refunded ticket holders for the entirety of Saturday, even though folks who showed up early still got 5+ hours of music. And 2-day ticket holders got a 50% refund as well. Usually with “rain or shine” purchases, this rarely happens.

Now with fans being made whole, they could simply focus on the music they did see Saturday, and enjoy Sunday where the weather was nearly perfect, and the grounds were surprisingly in good shape after the deluge. Sunday night headliner Chris Stapleton brought soul to country like only he can in what was a rare festival appearance for the arena headliner, and all felt right in the world by the end.

The weather cancellation hit right as Kaitlin Butts walked out on the stage at 5:30 pm on Saturday singing Shania Twain’s “Any Man of Mine.” It was supposed to be the start of a collaborative set featuring a bunch of artists reprising classic country songs. But the mic was shut off, and big red warning signs flashed on the stage’s screens due to lightning in the area that was a legit concern.

But before the rain started in earnest, Kaitlin, The Castellows, Wyatt Flores, and Elizabeth Nichols grabbed acoustic instruments, went out by the front barricade, and started serenading the audience. Those that stuck around got a rare treat from this impromptu super collab. Once the rain started in earnest (and it was heavy), the performers went back to a green room travel trailer, and kept the music going, with Kaitlin broadcasting via Instagram Live.

@kaitlinbutts Made roses out of raindrops at @Two Step Inn . ⛈️ Heartbroken our set was cancelled, but we’ll see y’all next year. Thank y’all so much for standing in the rain with us. This one will stick with me for a while. ♥️ @Evan Honer @Wyatt Flores @Elizabeth Nichols @The Castellows ♬ original sound – kaitlinbutts

Meanwhile on the stage on the other side of San Gabriel Park where Shenandoah was scheduled, they got cut off as well. But Marty Raybon wasn’t having it either. He convinced someone on the sound crew to cut on a mic, and then started singing “Two Dozen Roses” with the crowd joining in. These were a couple of those “you had to be there” moments before eventually everyone had to scamper for shelter.

Eventually the rain did set in, cancelling both the Kaitlin Butts and Shenandoah sets, as well as Wyatt Flores, Tracy Lawrence, the Goo Goo Dolls, and headliners Brooks & Dunn. But Wyatt Flores called an audible, rang up Sagebrush in nearby Austin, and with Evan Honer, played an impromptu show for some very appreciative fans (read full report).

But even before the rain, and lot of big performances went down. Evan Honer might have turned in the set of the festival. The guy is a total goofball, some of his music is silly and veers more into the indie rock space than roots. But he’s completely authentic to himself, a hell of an emotive singer and songwriter, and a hoot of a performer, including perfecting a back flip on stage. Even before their bromance at Sagebrush later that evening, Wyatt Flores came out and sang with Evan on the song “Take Me As I Come” (see video).

Brent Cobb showed up to the Two Step Inn and spread his South Georgia soul-drenched stank all over the place with his band The Fixin’s. They’re touring behind his recent rock-oriented record Ain’t Rocked in a While, and really brought the house down on the main stage.

Muscadine Bloodline always puts on a big show. The Alabama-bred band is not known for bluegrass, but they brought up the great Jimmy Stewart, known for working with Brooks & Dunn and doing his own stuff to put a little dobro in the mix of their song “Durward” during the middle of their set. Jimmy Stewart also happens to be the father of Muscadine guitarist Weston Stewart, so it was a cool, unique moment to transpire on the Two Step Inn stage.

Of some of the younger openers on Saturday, one of the most impressive was Bayker Blankenship. From Livingston, Tennessee, he went viral thanks to his song “Maxed Out.” Still a young man, it was also cool how his band was also very young, but seasoned to really bring his songs to life. Bayker might still need to grow into his songs a bit more, but he’s definitely a promising young man to check out, and country.

Speaking of big up-and-coming acts, The Creekers out of Kentucky certainly fit the profile. They’re not young. In fact, they’re a curious mix of young and old. But they’ve caught fire with young and old audiences alike who find their energy and camaraderie infectious. They make roots music with soul and substance fun, and even recently signed with Warner Music Nashville.

Similar to bands like Town Mountain and Old Crow Medicine Show, The Creekers come with bluegrass notions, but do something that feels unique all unto itself, with strong chemistry across the players, and with the audience. The Creekers are a band you love to root for.

And speaking of bands that are easy to root for, you might place The Castellows at the very top of that list. If you could summarize the experience of witnessing The Castellows live, the best way to do so would be, “A restoration in your faith in humanity and country music.” Their set on Two Step’s “Showdeo” stage was a favorite of many with Wyatt Floes showing up near the end of the set to sit in. The Castellows also showed up later when The Red Clay Strays took the main stage to sing an incredible unplugged Gospel tune with the boys from Mobile, Alabama.

The Red Clay Strays are so hot right now, they could have headlined the entire thing if Chris Stapleton wasn’t already in town. As always, they put on a stellar performance, and one that young and old could get into, bringing youthful enthusiasm, Brandon Coleman’s Sun Records swagger, and songs that inspire and uplift to the appreciative crowd.

One of the other standout sets came via the Tedeschi Trucks Band who put on a blues and roots music clinic late Sunday afternoon, getting the main stage warmed up for Chris Stapleton. It’s really hard to express just how much soul, talent, instrumental prowess, and just musical class is displayed during one of their sets. Similar to Jamey Johnson, as the Tedeschi Trucks Band has swelled in numbers, it’s only become a more powerful expression of the brilliance of American roots music, and even more enrapturing to experience live.

One concern was if the music of the Tedeschi Trucks Band would be lost on audiences that were there more for strong Texas country acts like Randy Rogers Band and Wade Bowen, and country legends like Clay Walker, and quite a few buzzy, social media-supported up-and-comers, especially with the ones that were booked at Two Step Inn in 2026. But those that knew what they were beholding were beyond appreciative.

The contrast between bands like Tedeschi Trucks and some of the others on the 2026 Two Step Inn lineup couldn’t have been greater. The formula that C3 Presents seems to have put together is to appeal to parents and older audiences with the country legends and such, and then entertain the kids with TikTok-driven stars.

Elizabeth Nichols who opened the festival Saturday morning was certainly not terrible, but definitely felt coached in how to be on stage, while also coming across as pretty unseasoned. Her sort of kiss-off “Jesus loves me, so screw you if you don’t” pampered girl attitude might have been what the daughters in the crowd wanted, but didn’t offer any cross pollination options for older audiences, or real substance like a group like The Castellows can.

On Sunday, solo women dominated the schedule, with Gabriella Rose and Anne Wilson opening up the main stage, and Avery Anna playing a later set. Gabriella’s set came highly anticipated after she’s sparked lots of buzz collaborating with Zach Bryan, who would scale a barbed wire fence and bare fist fight Gavin Adcock to sing with her. But when she showed up on stage without a bass player, and a guy behind a laptop clicking “play” on backing tracks, it took some of that anticipation out of her sails.

Gabriella Rose still has some good songs. But it seemed like a missed opportunity to make a big impression on a massive stage. If you can get to the point of playing a stage for a 60,000-person festival, you can find a bass player and a band beyond a steel player and drummer. And if you can’t, you make yourself that much more expendable to AI.

This also came up with Avery Anna, who despite some very enthusiastic fans, brought not much to the table, including once again, forgoing the bass player in favor of backing tracks. She then proceeded to cover Taylor Swift’s “Romeo & Juliet,” followed by Ozzy Osborne, and Miley Cyrus. It was a confused presentation that at times was hard rock, and others bubblegum pop. It seemed like a booking based more on TikTok impressions, while many of her biggest songs are in “featured” roles.

Anne Wilson on the main stage Sunday straight up smacked of product slated to the Christian market, with few if anyone in the audience seeming to resonating with her music, and maybe not even knowing who she was. Thankfully, she did have a bass player. But when the spastic, Adderral-fueled misfit Cameron Whitcomb took the stage, he didn’t either, and was another up-and-coming, social media-driven disappointment.

Aside from covering “All Your’n” by Tyler Childers, it was unclear why Whitcomb was even there. Despite being labeled the “Two Step Inn,” you couldn’t two-step to many of the performers.

You felt the need to applaud Two Step Inn for booking so many younger women on the lineup, even if they were mostly openers. But unlike previous years where Ella Langley appeared before she blew up, as did Megan Moroney, it’s really fair to question if many of the 2026 women were ready for the big time, brought anything unique to the table, while plenty of women who do were not given those opportunities.

It wasn’t just elements of the slate of newcomers that was so disappointing. The Band Perry also played primarily to backing tracks, including their opening song “Better Dig Too.” Why they continue to try and resuscitate this franchise now that Kimberly Perry and her new peroxide-headed husband (blink twice if you’ve been kidnapped) are all that’s left.

Of course to the traditional country audience, they wanted no business with BigXthaPlug. But that doesn’t mean that was the experience for everyone. In fact, except for Chris Stapleton, BigXthaPlug had perhaps the biggest audience, and the most enthusiastic one the entire festival. Just like many of the women Two Step Inn booked, it would have been much better if they had booked an actual Black country artist as opposed to a rapping interloper. But there’s no denying BigX brings a crowd, and ironically, is more authentic to himself than some of the social media stars who performed.

But irrespective of your opinions on BigXthaPlug, there was some disappointment in his set. There was too little BigX, and a lot of Plugging. His hype/man DJ spent a good 12 minutes warming up the stage for a shorter festival set. When BigXthaPlug did finally take the stage, he spent a strange amount of the time just talking as opposed to performing. The pound for pound entertainment the audience got from him just felt a little disappointing.

It was no disappointment to see Randy Travis take the stage with his wife Mary as part of their “More Life” presentation. This is where Randy and Mary look on from the side of the stage as singer James Dupré sings for Randy in front of Randy’s original band. Is it a little awkward? Sure it is. Is it great to see Randy and hear his songs? Absolutely.

But what made it even more awkward is how when James Dupré first came out, his mic was cutting on and off. Then for the second song “Deeper Than The Holler,” James brought his daughter out, and her mic wasn’t working either. The smiling and affable Randy Travis all of a sudden was scowling over at the sound board. Luckily by the third song, they got the sound wrinkled out. But it was tense there for a bit.

Another one that was hard to read was Australia’s Wade Forster, who played at the same time as The Castellows, so only the last few songs of his set were observed. When walking up to his show, Forster was playing a super traditional country song. But then his final songs veered much more towards Texas pop country, maybe even close to Koe Wetzel. He did have a really emotional moment, telling the story of losing an girlfriend to suicide, and hanging his hat on the end of his guitar.

The set ended much more upbeat though—perhaps a little too upbeat as Wade raised an acoustic guitar over his head, and then went full Pete Townsend on it, later ripping his shirt off, pointing to a Australia tattoo, and pounding his chest. The crowd in attendance absolutely loved it. But when Saving Country Music posted video of the moment, the comments have been resoundingly negative.

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But few if anyone had a negative word to say about Chris Stapleton. The man sings as naturally as the rest of us breathe, and is truly a one-of-a-kind talent. And even though some traditionalists love to turn their nose up to him, he showed up to Two Step Inn with a steel guitar, and Willie Nelson’s harmonica player Mickey Raphael in tow, making for an extra country set. And as powerful as Stapleton is on record, to behold him live takes the experience to a whole other level.

People tend to forget since a decade has now passed, but Chris Stapleton was really the guy who turned country music around and back in the right direction in the mainstream. With his performance at the 2015 CMA Awards and the explosion in popularity of his album Traveller and the song “Tennessee Whiskey,” he vanquished Bro-Country as the primary sound in country.

Sturgill Simpson is who lit the spark with his album Metamodern Sounds in Country Music. But inspired by how Simpson wrote his own songs, recorded with his own band, and used Dave Cobb as producer, Stapleton recorded Traveller, and the rest is history, and a positive one for country music.

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The 2026 Two Step Inn Festival didn’t go off without a hitch. Far from it. It still feels like a festival that’s oversold, even if they had more restrooms and food vendors, so lines were not nearly as bad. Offering public wifi also was a big help since in previous years, all the cell towers in the area would crash. This not only helped festival goers, but residents in the area.

They could have perhaps anticipated the rain better and tried to get some of Saturday’s bigger names on the stage earlier. They also could have curated some of the early lineup better as opposed to going off of buzz and social media impressions. But Two Step Inn really stepped up by offering weather refunds and doing what they could to make it right, hopefully setting a precedent for other corporate-owned festivals to take care of people first. That’s what makes a festival not just an event, but a memorable experience, just like the 2026 Two Step Inn was.

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For more photos from Two Step Inn and other live events, follow Saving Country Music on Instagram. Thanks for Brooks Burris for the additional photography. He can also be followed on Instagram. Apologies to Laci Kaye Booth, Randy Rogers Band, Tyce Delk, and any other performer not photo’d.

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