Reviewed by Harry Kaplan

Did you ever hear the story about the country music star that did it his way without any major label support and has a following as large and as fervent as any performer out there now? Of course you have. I am talking about Cody Jinks who single handedly built a musical dynasty by doing it himself. It really is an astounding story. I would love to spend more time and really analyze how he was able to accomplish this feat and play Red Rocks as the pinnacle of his success. This is a big deal. Indie guys, regardless of the genre, don’t play Red Rocks. This is sacred ground for bands like The Grateful Dead, U2, Phish, etc. That is until last year.

Not only did Cody play the hallowed ground of Red Rocks, he sold it out. Another incredible feat considering he didn’t have close to the promotional and advertising budget as the majors, or with the aid of a ton of sponsorship money. This is also a credit to Cody’s fervent fan base that would literally follow Cody anywhere he played. Just watching the livestream and listening to the brand spankin’ new live album, I am astounded at the quality of the audio and video. It is flawless and really makes the watching and listening experience something quite special. Good quality is one of those things that most folks don’t notice, until it isn’t there. Luckily with both mediums, quality is available in abundance.

Another “wow moment” for me is the interaction between the crowd and the band. Oh, the band. I will get back to the chemistry between Cody and the audience in a few, but right now I want to give props to the band. I am completely impressed by the playing and the non verbal communication between Cody and the band. The playing is seamless and never misses a note or a beat. When we pull back the curtain, there is Austin “Hot Rod” Tripp playing those beautiful fills on the pedal steel. And yes, he lives up to his name because those solos are “trippy”. Keeping time and laying down some great rhythms is Dave Colvin (drums). Joshua Thompson is the man who fills out the rhythm section and slaps the bass strings. Drew Harakal plays the keys and also acoustic guitar. Rounding out the band is the lead guitar player, Chris Claridy. If there is a style of music that Chris can’t play on guitar, let me know.

Now back to the audience. The interaction between Cody and the audience is something special. It shows the real connection Cody has with his fan base. This isn’t the “usual” audience/band relationship. It is much deeper. When I hear the audience singing all the words of the songs as loud as Cody, it gives me chills. On the livestream right after Somewhere In The Middle, Cody acknowledges the audience participation as well as the major market snub by stating, “For having never been played on major market radio, there’s a lot people here singing along.”

There are so many memorable moments on this collection to mention them all, but I would be remiss if I didn’t at least write about a some of them. I was really touched when Cody sang Mama Song with his mother. That was really special and was definitely one of the highlights for me. Big Last Name was another one. Along with Cody, Paul Cauthen is another country musician that I follow very closely. To see him come out for a cameo on this song was fantastic. And by the way, Paul has an amazing voice, too. I wouldn’t be able to do a proper review without mentioning I’m Not The Devil, which Cody and company deliver so beautifully that the only way you know it’s live is because of the crown noise and singing.

I love songs that are heavy with pedal steel and Hippies And Cowboys delivers the goods. This song starts off almost like a jazz or blues number with a lot of open space and very soothing, cosmic cowboy riffs. The song naturally veers back into the country comfort zone, but this intro shows the versatility of Cody and the band. They mix it up musically. This is not a formula driven song. This autobiographical account does a great job of summing up Cody’s musical and world philosophy. Just a simple guy who happens to be one of the hottest performers on the planet.

There is that intangible energy there that also comes through loud and clear on the livestream and the album. I am sure being there in person was the greatest thing ever, but the live album does a great job of capturing 90% of the emotion and gravity of this momentous event. The other 10% is reserved for the people that were fortunate enough to see, hear, and feel everything in attendance on July 13, 2019.

Listen and buy Red Rocks Live here.