The Randy Rogers Band recorded their first album at Cheatham Street Warehouse in 2000. Two short years later, the group signed with the independent record label Downtime and released their first studio album, “Like It Used to Be.”
Since then, the Randy Rogers Band has continued to define the sound of Texas and Red Dirt Country, co-writing songs with Kenny Chesney and Radney Foster, and charting Billboard Hot Country Songs like “Too Late for Goodbye” and “One More Sad Song.”
Rogers and his band are now looking back at their roots with their ninth studio album, “Homecoming,” which was released in October. This Thursday at 8 p.m., their tour brings them full circle to Cheatham Street — the place where it all began.
“It’s hallowed ground to me,” Rogers said. “When I come here, memories flood my soul. It is always special to me to play Cheatham Street.”
Rogers and his band mates – Geoffrey Hill, guitar; Jon Richardson, bass; Brady Black, fiddle; Les Lawless, drums; and Todd Stewart on guitar, fiddle, mandolin and keyboards were formed here in San Marcos. Rogers credits much of their sound to the traditions of music flowing through Cheatham Street at the time.
“George Strait was there in the 70s,” Rogers said. “I grew up wishing I could meet him, much less play with him. It 100% shaped me. Getting to be at Cheatham Street, the Songwriter’s Circle, that shaped everything about who I am.” Thursday night’s Cheatham Street performance will be an acoustic set rather than a full-band show, which promises a more personal look back over the years to where they’ve been and how far they’ve come. “I’ll play the songs from the past and the songs we just came out with,” Rogers said. “I do my best to play the popular songs of the entire catalog. It’s more inrogertimate that way.”
Named a Distinguished Young Alumni of Texas State University, Rogers admitted he gets emotional when he thinks about San Marcos.
“It’s where I began my career,” he said. “There could not be a more sentimental place in my heart than San Marcos, Texas.”
Recently, Rogers said he has branched from the music business to launch his latest endeavor Bahnbrëcker, unique in the world as the first ever Hefeweizen-style whiskey. Bahnbrëcker can be found in select Texas venues and stores, and shipping is available.
“Come drink my whiskey,” Rogers said. “We’ll play a lot of songs from the new record, and a lot of old songs, too.”
Randy Rogers Band will play Cheatham Street Thursday, April 27. Doors open at 8 p.m. Tickets range from $35 to $125 and are available at cheathamstreet.com. This show is 21 and up.
