Randy Rogers & Wade Bowen Are Back with “Rodeo Clown”

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For many in the Texas and Red Dirt realm, Randy Rogers and Wade Bowen are their #1 and #1A favorite performers. And when they combine their efforts, that appeal is amplified. Though neither imbibes in really strong traditional country in their respective primary projects, when they get together, the fiddle and steel guitar comes to the top of the mix, as does the writing indicative of classic country, and often with a stitch of wit.

Now they’re back, and splitting sides and bringing the twang ahead of their upcoming release Hold My Beer Vol. 2 which will materialize for the world on May 8th. The hilarious and well-written song “Rodeo Clown” is our first taste of the new record (listen below). Being self-aware of the cliches that permeate classic country music, and playing off them is one of the things that makes this collaborative project so cool, and that’s what you get with this new song.

“‘Rodeo Clown’ is the perfect example of what we were aiming for, when it came to picking songs for this album,” says Wade Bowen. “It really shows how lyrics can truly set the tone for a song – because at its core, the track itself is a classic, country ballad about heartache, but the funny lyrics take its ‘sad’ story in a completely different direction.”

When the duo released Hold My Beer Vol. #1 back in 2015, it was just meant to be an outlet for some of the more country-sounding material they were writing, and something for folks who saw them on their acoustic storyteller-style “Hold My Beer and Watch This” tours to walk away with. But the release became legendary (at least around here, where it was nominated for Album of the Year), and now folks have been frothing for the second volume for years now.

“Unlike our first record, which kind of happened out of nowhere, this album was really planned,” explains Bowen. “We made a conscious effort to write for this specific project and also focused on bringing the best outside songs to the table. It was really important for us to be as mindful and purposeful as possible when it came to choosing the songs that made the cut for this volume.”

If the first one was an accident, we really might be in store for something with Vol. 2. Though Wade and Randy handle the majority of the writing, they also solicited the services of writers such as Jim Beavers, Jon Randall, Lori McKenna, Josh Abbott, and even unearthed a song written by Waylon Jennings called “Ode To Ben Dorcy (Lovey’s Song).” Dorcy was the famed “King of the Roadies” who died in 2017. Chris DuBois and David Lee wrote the lead single “Rodeo Clown.”

“Every single song on the album comes from the heart,” says Randy Rogers. “Some will make you laugh. Others will make you cry… But when it’s all said and done, we just hope the music speaks for itself and reflects the amount of time and love that went into each of these songs, from the melodies to the lyrics. We couldn’t be prouder of this album.”

Hold My Beer Vol. 2 is now available for pre-order.

TRACK LIST:

1. “AM/FM” (Wade Bowen, Randy Rogers, Jon Randall, Jim Beavers)
2. “Rodeo Clown” (Chris DuBois, David Lee)
3. “Habits” (Wade Bowen, Randy Rogers, Jon Randall, Jim Beavers)
4. “Let Merle Be Merle” (Casey Twist, Ross Cooper, Josh Abbott)
5. “Rhinestoned” (Lori McKenna, Ryan Beaver, Ashley Ray)
6. “Ode To Ben Dorcy (Lovey’s Song)” feat. Waylon Jennings and Shooter Jennings (Waylon Jennings)
7. “Mi Amigo” feat. Asleep at the Wheel (Wade Bowen, Randy Rogers, Jon Randall, Jim Beavers)
8. “This Ain’t My Town” (Wade Bowen, Randy Rogers, Jon Randall, Jim Beavers)
9. “Warm Beer” (Adam Wright)
10. “Speak to Me Jukebox” (Wade Bowen, Will Knaak)
11. “Her” (Dean Dillon, Buddy Cannon)
12. “Hold My Beer” (Wade Bowen, Randy Rogers, Jim Beavers)

© 2025 Saving Country Music

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