| Cross Canadian Ragweed |
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293
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Members: |
Randy Ragsdale, Cody Canada, |
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Founded: |
1994 |
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Origin: |
Yukon, Oklahoma, USA |
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Years active: |
1994–2010 |
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Labels: |
Smith Music Group |

Cross Canadian Ragweed is an American Red Dirt/Country rock band. The name of the band came from the combination of three band members' names, Grady Cross (guitar), Cody Canada (guitar, vocals), and Randy Ragsdale (drums). Jeremy Plato's (bass) name was not involved in the band naming. In response to rumors of preceding bassist, Matt Wiedemann, contributing to the band name, Cody Canada only stated that they weren't a band before Jeremy Plato, their current bassist. The band name alludes to Cody Canada's surname and to Canadian County, Oklahoma (where the town of Yukon is located): none of the members are, in fact, of literal Canadian origin.
After forming in Yukon, Oklahoma, they moved to the college town of Stillwater, Oklahoma, where acts like Mike McClure's The Great Divide and singer-songwriter Jimmy LaFave had established enough of a local scene to earn Stillwater the nickname North Austin.
The group had already received significant college radio airplay before it released its first album, Carney in 1998. They soon released Live and Loud at the Wormy Dog Saloon in 1999 and Highway 377 in 2001, all on their own independent label Underground Sound.
In 2002 they released a self-titled album also known as "the purple album" due to its cover color, which is a tribute to the band's "little sister" "Mandy Ragsdale" who had recently died in an auto accident.
Their 2004 offering Soul Gravy debuted at #4 on the Billboard Country charts. In October 2005, the band released their album Garage featuring the single "Fightin' For," which became their first top 40 hit on the country charts, debuting at an impressive #45 and reaching #39, as well as "Dimebag," a tribute to Darrell Abbott. The band released a double live CD and DVD on October 31, 2006, Back to Tulsa - Live and Loud at Cain's Ballroom. Cross Canadian Ragweed recorded Mission California, their sixth studio album, at the end of March 2007. They spent 25 days in the studio; the first 5 cutting 15 tracks, the next 20 polishing each. It was recorded in San Diego, California. Lee Ann Womack laid down background vocals on 4 of the tracks to include the Chris Knight cover "Cry Lonely." Mission California was released on October 2, 2007. Ragweed's tenth album, Happiness and All the Other Things was released on August 31, 2009, commemorating the band's 15th Anniversary. It includes 12 new studio tracks and 3 live tracks. Recorded in California, this album includes a track entitled "Blue Bonnets" which is dedicated to Cody's oldest son Dierks. Happiness and All the Other Things was officially dedicated to the late Randall "Poodie" Locke (Willie Nelson's long-time stage manager) who died on May 6, 2009. In May 2010 Cross Canadian Ragweed parted ways with their longtime record label Universal South which had previously merged with Show Dog. The band did not release any projects for the Show Dog Universal Music label.
On May 19, 2010 the band announced that they will take a break from touring.
The band has been playing in Eufaula for their Annual CCR Music & Mayhem
Cody Canada, Cross Canadian Ragweed's former lead singer, has been playing on tour with the band name Cody Canada and The Departed with plans to release a new album in June of 2011.