North Austin (Stillwater, OK nickname)

Stillwater, Oklahoma is a college town (Oklahoma State University) that enjoys its music scene. Stillwater has recently been called “North Austin” (after the “Live Music Capital of the World”) and “West Nashville” (after “Music City, USA”). A documentary film titled North of Austin/West of Nashville: Red Dirt Music was shown in 2007.
 
The term “North Austin” has been used by the city of Stillwater from at least 2004.
 
       
Wikipedia: Stillwater, Oklahoma
Stillwater is a city in Payne County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 44,818 (2006).It is the county seat of Payne CountyGR6. Founded December 12, 1884 it was the first settlement in the Unassigned Lands. The geographical position of Stillwater is located between both the Oklahoma City Metropolitan Area and Tulsa Metropolitan Area and is considered its own Micropolitan Statistical Area.
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Culture
Oklahoma State University is the largest employer, biggest land-owner, and cultural center of the town. A quintessential college town, Stillwater has undergone tremendous changes in the past decade with the opening of several new strip malls and shopping centers. More national chains are moving in to replace regional and locally owned businesses, fueled by the expanding population and bulging youth demographic.
 
There is a thriving bar district near campus referred to as “The Strip.” Although the Strip technically is only Washington Street between 6th Street (Highway 51) and University Street, colloquially it can also cover other bars within walking distance, such as the Stonewall or Eskimo Joe’s. The national success of Stillwater bands Kunek, Colourmusic, and All-American Rejects hint at possibilities of seeing good local music at any of the bars or venues located there.
 
The thriving economy of Stillwater is dictated by the college and the accompanying swell of population. Many businesses, especially restaurants, cafes or bars, shorten their hours during the summer. Weekend hours often are expanded to include Thursday, the traditional party night before the students leave town for the weekend. Parking is premium on Saturdays during football games, and many residents earn extra money selling lawn-parking for anywhere from $10-30.
 
Wikipedia: Austin, Texas
Austin is the capital of the U.S. state of Texas and the seat of Travis County. Situated in Central Texas and part of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 16th-largest in the United States of America, as well as the 3rd fastest growing large city in the nation from 2000 to 2006. As of the 2006 U.S. Census estimate, Austin has a population of 709,893. The city is the cultural and economic center of the Austin–Round Rock metropolitan area with a population of more than 1.5 million.
 
As of January of 2008 the estimated Greater Austin Metropolitan Statistical Area Population is 1,593,819 and the Greater San Antionio Metropolitan Statistical Area Population is 2,003,819. The Greater Austin-San Antonio Combined Statistical Area includes Austin, Georgetown, Cedar Park, Round Rock, Bastrop, Kyle, Wimberley, San Marcos, Lockhart, San Antonio, Boerne, New Braunfels, Seguin, Castroville & Floresville.
 
The Greater Austin-San Antonio Urban Area’s population is 3,805,638 (Est) This would make the Austin-San Antonio Region the 15th largest Metropolitan area in the United States.
 
Austin was selected as the No. 2 Best Big City in “Best Places to Live” by Money magazine in 2006, and the “Greenest City in America” by MSN (“Greenest” referring to a commitment to sustainable living).
 
Residents of Austin are known as “Austinites,” and include a mix of university professors, students, politicians, lobbyists, musicians, state employees, high-tech workers, blue-collar workers, and white-collar workers. The main campus of the University of Texas is located in Austin. The city is home to enough large sites of major technology corporations to have earned it the nickname “Silicon Hills.” Austin’s official slogan promotes the city as “The Live Music Capital of the World”, a reference to its status as home to many musicians and music venues. In recent years, many Austinites have also adopted the unofficial slogan “Keep Austin Weird”; this refers partly to the eclectic and progressive lifestyle of many Austin residents, but is also the slogan for a campaign to preserve smaller local businesses and resist excessive commercialization. 
     
The Arkansas Traveler
Music Spotlight: Cross-Canadian Ragweed
Tara Muck, Lifestyles Editor
Issue date: 9/8/04 Section: Lifestyles
In Yukon, Okla. Lynyrd Skynyrd might not be the musical choice of most residents, but that wasn’t what Grady Cross, Cody Canada, Randy Ragsdale and Jeremy Plato thought. In such a small town, they saw music, especially their type of southern rock, as their ticket out.
 
Cross Canadian Ragweed was started when the members, except for Ragsdale, graduated from high school. After playing together for a while, they decided to move to Stillwater, Okla. where there was a much more established music scene. Stillwater has a strong music presence, which garnered it the nickname “North Austin.” 
   
Daily O’Collegian (Oklahoma State University)
Wednesday, August 23, 2006
Stillwater is where the fun is
By Micah Marquette
Opinion Columnist
Welcome to Stillwater! And for those of you who are not new, welcome back. It is time for us to get back into routine
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Stillwater, on the other hand, is known nationwide. It has even coined the names ‘West Nashville’ or ‘North Austin’ because of the hot music scene. Bands like Cross Canadian Ragweed and the All American Rejects have come out of Stillwater.
     
Texas/Red Dirt Music Scene 
Published in: Newson June 30, 2007 at 9:51 pm
“North of Austin/West of Nashville: Red Dirt Music”
A Documentary Film,
Cameron University in Lawton, OK has a unique summer class, “Producing the Documentary” with Dr. Matt Jenkins has provided a real world experience for its students for the past eight years. The students work as producer, director, production manager, editor, and more! The real reward is not just the grade but an opportunity to work with many professionals. In addition, this class has produced award-winning films shown in local, state, and national markets.
 
This year the project explores Red Dirt Music whose birthplace is considered to be Stillwater, OK and surrounding area. The region is also referred to as “North Austin” or “West Nashville” . Some say the music can best be likened to the indie genre of rock ‘n’ roll as there is no definitive sound while others say it is a state of mind. Whether it is Americana, folk, or alt-country or a mix of folk, rock, country, bluegrass, blues, western swing, and honky tonk, with a few Mexican influences thrown in, it continues to evolve as many of the Red Dirt artists have relocated to Texas and elsewhere in recent years.
   
Shank Hall
July 24, 2007
Cross Canadian Ragweed with special guest Micky and the Motorcars
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Once the band got its chops they moved to Stillwater, Okla., where acts like Mike McClure’s Great Divide and singer-songwriter Jimmy LaFave had established enough of a local scene to earn Stillwater the nickname “North Austin” (or, depending on your perspective, “West Nashville”). 
   
Good Reads
Cross Canadian Ragweek Creates Their Own Alternative Country/Southern Rock Genre
Monday, September 3, 2007
Originally Published in The Front Magazine, Issue 4 in January, 2005
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Once the quartet had grown a little more into their music, the boys decided to move to nearby Stillwater, Oklahoma, where acts like Jimmy Laface and McClue’s Great Divide had been established. The “North Austin/West Nashville (depending on your geographic standing)” location offered up enough of a local scene to really get CCR’s music heard, as well as create a stir through word-of-mouth.
 
Austinist.com
September 11, 2007
Austinist Previews ACL: Béla Fleck and the Flecktones & Cross Canadian Ragweed
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They may not have a very extravagant name - derived from a combination of member’s names, not the allergy-inducing, flowering plant - but it suits their country rock sound. Formed in 1994 and musically bred in the Red Dirt music scene of Stillwater, Oklahoma, which somehow earned the nickname “North Austin,” Ragweed are gearing up for the upcoming release of their sixth studio album, Mission California. They have been building up momentum for the past couple of years, and this release could finally see the group move beyond their strong Oklahoma/Texas fan base into mainstream success.
 
Oklahoma Music News
Thursday, October 25, 2007
Cross Canadian Ragweed Takes a Deep Breath
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The band later moved to Stillwater, Okla., sometimes referred to as “North Austin” or “West Nashville.”