For Stoney LaRue, red dirt has been more than a genre. It has been a lifestyle that has shaped his music, his career and the person he has become over more than two decades.
LaRue’s connection to the red dirt music scene began long before he became one of the genre’s recognizable voices. He was born in Taft, Texas and then raised in Yanush, Oklahoma. Early in his life he became passionate about music.
“I traveled a lot since I was 15 years old, and musically I started to grow being a part of a culture,” LaRue said.
LaRue has become a prominent name in both Oklahoma and Texas. He explained that if you are around a culture or society long enough, you become a part of it and are molded by it. Stillwater and Tulsa, Oklahoma have played a large role in that evolution. When he arrived in Stillwater, he became invested in the red dirt genre and began to write. The first song he wrote is what he considers to be his most personal song.
“It was called ‘Downtown’ and it was a true autobiography about growing up and it reads like a children’s book,” said LaRue.
“Downtown” is one of 11 songs on his first album released in 2005 called The Red Dirt Album. For LaRue, this is a good starting point for anybody discovering his music, and he described this project as welcoming.
“There is plenty for everybody, but I would suggest The Red Dirt Album, because that is a good step into our genre,” said LaRue.
In the two decades since he began his career, his relationship with music has grown into something more directed and calculated. He described his early days as a reckless point of view. Now, his relationship has developed into a deeper understanding of what he wants to express in his music.
“I’d say the brush stroke is a little bit more directed. It is more definitive than it used to be,” said LaRue.
This growth has allowed him to remain a recognizable voice in the red dirt music scene. Through the years of touring, hearing audiences singing his songs back to him “still hits the same,” but some crowds carry an added sense of meaning. LaRue explained that audiences outside Oklahoma and Texas may not have the same connection to his music, a reflection of how deeply the culture of both states shaped his own identity. This relationship, however, goes both ways. While Oklahoma and Texas helped shape LaRue as an artist, his music has become part of the communities that helped raise him.
Each song has a unique place in his heart that makes it hard for him to pick a favorite to perform. He compared picking a favorite song to the same difficulty in choosing a favorite kid. That connection with each song becomes more evident when he brings the songs to the stage to share with a live audience.
“If you are listening to the record, you kind of go into your own dream sequence and adventure in your head,” said LaRue, comparing casual listening to the same sensation as reading a book. “If you go to a live show, you can feel the energy of the crowd and there’s really no words for that,” LaRue added.
His touring schedule shows no sign of slowing down. Since the beginning of the year, LaRue has performed dozens of shows, with his current tour schedule extending into November. On Aug. 20, that tour brought him to The Jones Assembly in Oklahoma City, where local fans gathered to experience the energy that LaRue has described.
“It was a sold-out show, with great energy and atmosphere for a sing-along kind of evening,” LaRue said. He added that two of his daughters were there, and one joined him on drums for “Feet Don’t Touch the Ground.” Sharing the moment with his daughters brought in a personal element to the evening that reflects the sense of community that LaRue said he values.
The Jones Assembly has expressed that the show was a solid night for red dirt music in Oklahoma City, with great energy from the crowd while LaRue played a mix of “fan favorites and deeper cuts” that maintained the energy throughout the evening.
“We love having artists like Stoney back at The Jones Assembly, and we’re looking forward to more shows coming up this year,” said Jordan Pettay, Director of Communications for Social Order Dining Collective.