It’s Rodeo Houston that’s the massive Texas rodeo that commands the biggest stage and has the biggest national impact. But frankly, Rodeo Austin has a much better lineup this year.
Rodeo Austin is always good for a few really solid country acts on the lineup each year, even if it traditionally completes with SXSW (South By Southwest) that also happens in A-town the same week. But in 2026, SXSW is featuring a strange, truncated schedule, and Rodeo Austin has really stepped up to help feature some of the best in independent country music. 49 Winchester, Shane Smith and the Saints, Wyatt Flores, Flatland Cavalry, Randall King, Anne Wilson, William Clark Green—and despite his recent single with Marshmello—Hudson Westbrook are some of the names worth checking out in 2026. Rodeo Austin also has a strong lineup of country legends this year, including Clint Black, Tanya Tucker, and Diamond Rio. Aaron Watson and Midland also help round out the lineup, along with (*cough*) Eli Young Band, and a couple of cool Latin bands too. It’s Rodeo Houston that’s the massive Texas rodeo that commands the biggest stage and has the biggest national impact, and they have a few good names like The Red Clay Strays, Cody Johnson, and Cross Canadian Ragweed in 2026. But frankly, Rodeo Austin has a much better lineup this year since it’s not weighted down by Luke Bryan, Russell Dickerson, Rascal Flatts, and Shaboozey. And the Travis County Expo Center is a much more manageable place to see one of your favorite artists as opposed to Houston’s football stadium. Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. on Friday, January 23rd at rodeoaustin/tickets.
It’s disappointing the Denver Stock Show and Rodeo can’t get something like this going. The fiddling competition was good but no one seemed to care.
Source: savingcountrymusic.com