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Steamboat Springs to host Cody Canada and the Departed

Luke Graham
Cody Canada and the Departed are an Americana rock band featured at MusicFest. The annual festival is sold out
010413_EXPLORE_MUSICFEST

— The twang in Cody Canada’s voice earlier this week sounded upbeat.

He was off for a couple of days, hanging with the children and getting his place ready for the Fourth of July.

The former frontman of Cross Canadian Ragweed is at peace with himself.



He doesn’t want to talk about the 2010 breakup of the commercially successful red dirt band.

If his new band, Cody Canada and the Departed, has done anything, it’s further distanced Canada from the past.



“I think being in a band 16 years, and you’ve been going so many places, and it comes to an abrupt halt, and people are curious if it was bad,” Canada said. “People want to know if there was drama. Everybody got older and had kids, and people went separate ways. Two guys wanted to get off the road and two didn’t.”

Cody Canada and the Departed will play Tuesday at the Chief Theater. The cost is $17, and doors open at 7 p.m.

The band features a different sound from Cross Canadian Ragweed. While Ragweed molded country into rock, the Departed features more elements of rock, soul and funk.

Their first effort — “This is Indian Land” — was a cover of Oklahoma songwriters. The latest album, “Adventus,” features prominent guitar solos along with the soulful voice of singer-songwriter and guitar player Seth Smith.

The album at times seems disjointed as it goes back and forth from Canada and Smith, but the elements work.

Take “Cold Hard Facts.” The twangy jam features Canada’s response to the hubbub surrounding Cross Canadian Ragweed’s breakup.

His wife, who also serves as the band’s manager, had to deal with it just as much.

The first three verses are “therapy for me and my wife,” Canada said. “It was our way of politely shutting people up.”

The new sound and new band is constantly developing, Canada said. But it’s been good for Canada, who describes himself as a hard-core rock ‘n’ roll guy.

The band has about 40 songs in its set to pick from, and Canada said the new direction has been good for him, even if the sound is different from what so many people know him for.

“It’s great,” he said. “I’m 37 years old, but I feel like I’m 18 again with the knowledge of a 37-year-old.”

To reach Luke Graham, call 970-871-4229 or email lgraham@SteamboatToday.com


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