Rock the Plains: Sweat, Dirt, and Red Dirt Country
- Kristina Hemel
- 24 hours ago
- 4 min read
By Kristina – NWKS Radio / FlyOver Country 97.9
Let’s set the scene: August 8th and 9th, Tuttle Creek Park near Manhattan, Kansas. The original stomping grounds of the legendary Country Stampede - 26 years of music, mud, and memories - before it moved in 2019. And now, thanks to three K-State alums (Coleman Younger, Richard Jones, and Brandyn Steen) with a dream and a love for Texas/Red Dirt Country, we finally have a festival back at Tuttle Creek.
Enter Rock the Plains.
Now, I never made it to Country Stampede, so I came into this with wide-eyed excitement, ready to soak it all in… and then quickly realized I’d also be soaking in sunscreen, sweat, and a nice thick layer of Kansas dust. FlyOver Country 97.9 was a proud sponsor, so of course I was there making live broadcast updates from “Radio Row” - which consisted of three other stations (two from Manhattan, one from Topeka) and me holding down the Northwest Kansas fort under my trusty canopy tent.
And thank goodness for that canopy. It was over 100 degrees both days. Friday’s breeze was like Mother Nature’s hairdryer, blasting dirt in our faces, and Saturday… well, Saturday decided, “Nope, no wind for you.” By the end of the night my legs looked five shades darker than normal — not a tan, mind you, just dirt glued to sunscreen.
But oh, the music.
Day 1 (Friday) kicked off with Clay Aery (who also opened Day 2) - it was his first festival ever, and you’d never know it. Then Texas legend Curtis Grimes lit up the stage with his 60 million digital streams, 19 #1 Texas Country singles, and more TCMA awards than most people have coffee mugs. Jenna Paulette followed -- a real-deal Texas rancher and songwriter who invited Kansas’ own Logan Mize up for a duet. Next was Kaitlyn Butts, viral queen of “You Ain’t Gotta Die to be Dead to Me.” Funny, real, and rocking black clothes in 100+ degree heat. I grabbed her for an interview afterward and we talked about viral fame, sweating in style, and her upcoming shows with Lainey Wilson.
Braxton Keith was up next — overalls, no shirt, and the easy personality of your guy friend next door. The crowd loved his hits “Cozy” and “Baby You Do,” and I caught him backstage afterward to talk music. Aaron Watson followed, bringing his son Jake along with Damian on the fiddle. The man knows how to make a crowd sing along.
Then came the headliners --Randy Rogers Band -- 20+ years strong, full moon overhead, light show blazing, and the crowd two-stepping like their boots were on fire.
Day 2 (Saturday) started again with Clay Aery, then Kat Hasty .... who’s been taking a break lately but still brought her diehard fans out. Adam Hood was next, a southern soul with songwriting credits for Miranda Lambert, Chris Stapleton, and Little Big Town. We talked backstage about how he’s most comfortable writing but still loves performing.
Then it was Kansas’ own Logan Mize - natural, charismatic, and totally game to take audience requests (adding “Sunflower” to his set). I interviewed him afterward, both of us sweaty messes but too happy to care.
Legendary Pat Green was next, a true natural up on the stage. Before singing his hit “Wave on Wave,” he opened up about losing his brother, sister-in-law, and nephews in the central Texas floods this year. He said on stage that this was the first time he could talk about it without breaking down, but the emotion was still raw, and the crowd felt it.
Josh Abbott Band kept the energy high with fiddle, accordion, and their crowd-pleaser “You Ain’t Met My Texas Yet,” plus a fun mash-up that kept people dancing.
And then...... the Texas Red Dirt King himself -- Casey Donahew closed out the festival. Biggest crowd of the weekend, creased jeans, baseball cap, fire and fog effects, and the audience screaming along to “Bad Guy,” “He Ain’t a Cowboy,” and “Queen for a Night.” Whew... that was show to remember!
FlyOver Country 97.9 and NWKS Radio sent seven winners and their +1s to this inaugural Rock the Plains, and every single one I caught up with was having an absolute blast.
That’s the magic of Red Dirt/Texas Country — the variety of instruments, the patriotism, the shout-outs to first responders and the military, the genuine love for fans.
Sure, I was a little bummed that artists didn’t swing by Radio Row, but we were told to find them backstage… so I put on my big-girl pants and made it happen. Four interviews: Kaitlyn Butts (with her Kansas family, her husband Cleto Cordero from Flatland Calvary, and their dog Hank), Adam Hood, Logan Mize, and Braxton Keith -- all coming soon to nwksradio.net and FlyOver Country 97.9.
So yes, I left Tuttle Creek sweaty, dusty, and with a cooler full of melted ice water. But I also left with new music in my ears, great stories for our listeners, and a huge appreciation for what Rock the Plains is bringing back to Kansas.
Here’s to year two. Mark your calendars!
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