Cross Canadian Ragweed Blends Country

 

Mary Morningstar

Cross Canadian Ragweed formed in 1994, and spent the next eight years building a regional fan base in the southwestern U.S. The Oklahoma-based band released four albums on its own label, and performed hundreds of concerts before signing a major label record deal in 2002. Cross Canadian Ragweed has a new CD, Soul Gravy¹.
Southern rock was popular in the 1970s, thanks to groups like Lynyrd Skynyrd, The Allman Brothers Band, and The Outlaws². Now, 30 years later, Cross Canadian Ragweed is achieving success with its unique blend of Country and rock.
Cross Canadian Ragweed group members Grady Cross, Cody Canada, Randy Ragsdale and Jeremy Plato have played music together for most of their lives. Soon after graduating from high school, they moved to Stillwater, Oklahoma, where they performed covers of Country and classic rock songs. Lead singer Cody Canada also began writing songs. His original material filled the band's first four independent albums.
In 2002, Universal South Records offered Cross Canadian Ragweed a recording³ contract. That same year, the group released a self-titled CD, and made its first appearance on the Country Singles chart with the song, "17."
The band's second major label album, Soul Gravy, recently debuted⁵ at Number 5 on Billboard's Country Albums chart.
One of Cross Canadian Ragweed's biggest fans is Country star Lee Ann Womack, who joins the band on its current chart hit, "Sick and Tired."
Cody Canada wrote all but two of Soul Gravy's 14 songs. The exceptions are Ray Wylie Hubbard's "Wanna Rock And Roll" and the hidden bonus track, a cover of Ted⁶ Nugent's hard-rock classic, "Stranglehold."
The band's drummer, Randy Ragsdale, admits more rock influences appear on each new album. He says, "We feel like we can throw it out there a little bit more. This time we felt a little more confident in trying it."
Executives at Universal Records asked the band to send them an unmixed version of Soul Gravy. Instead, Cross Canadian Ragweed produced the CD with Mike McClure.
Cross Canadian Ragweed recently opened a U.S. tour in support of Soul Gravy. And, speaking of live performances, the band's new CD includes a 16-track limited edition DVD, filmed at a 2003 concert in Texas.

注释：
fan [fAn] n. 歌迷
Oklahoma [7EuklE5hEumE] n. 俄克拉荷马州
concert [5kCnsEt] n. 音乐会
gravy [5^reivi] n. 肉汁，肉汤
unique [ju:5ni:k] adj. 唯一的，独特的
blend [blend] n. 混和
Stillwater 止水市（奥克拉荷马州中北部城市）
cover [5kQvE] n. 翻录或模仿演唱的歌曲
lead singer 主唱
original [E5ridVEnEl] adj. 原创的
independent [indi5pendEnt] n. 独立的
self-titled 自己灌名的
appearance [E5piErEns] n. 露面
chart [tFB:t] n. 图表，这里指单曲排行榜单
debut⁴ [5debju:] v. 初次登场
exception [ik5sepFEn] n. 例外，这里指剩余的两首歌曲
bonus [5bEunEs] n. 这里指额外附加的小段音乐
stranglehold [5strAN^(E)lhEJld] n. 束缚
drummer [5drQmE] n. 鼓手
admit [Ed5mit] v. 容许，接纳
executive [i^5zekjutiv] n. 经理主管人员
Universal Records 环球唱片公司
unmixed [Qn5mIkst] adj. 未混杂他物的，纯粹的
live performance 现场演出

1 gravy   

n.肉汁；轻易得来的钱，外快

参考例句：

• You have spilled gravy on the tablecloth.你把肉汁泼到台布上了。
• The meat was swimming in gravy.肉泡在浓汁之中。

2 outlaws   

歹徒，亡命之徒( outlaw的名词复数 )； 逃犯

参考例句：

• During his year in the forest, Robin met many other outlaws. 在森林里的一年，罗宾遇见其他许多绿林大盗。
• I didn't have to leave the country or fight outlaws. 我不必离开自己的国家，也不必与不法分子斗争。

3 recording   

n.录音，记录

参考例句：

• How long will the recording of the song take?录下这首歌得花多少时间？
• I want to play you a recording of the rehearsal.我想给你放一下彩排的录像。

4 debut   

n.首次演出，初次露面

参考例句：

• That same year he made his Broadway debut, playing a suave radio journalist.在那同一年里，他初次在百老汇登台，扮演一个温文而雅的电台记者。
• The actress made her debut in the new comedy.这位演员在那出新喜剧中首次登台演出。

5 debuted   

初次表演，初次登台（debut的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• In late 2003 a full-size SUV, the Pathfinder Armada, debuted. 2003年末，全尺寸SUV的探路者无敌舰队，推出。
• The album debuted at number two and quickly went platinum. 专辑一亮相就荣登排行榜第二名，很快就取得了白金销量。

6 ted   

vt.翻晒，撒，撒开

参考例句：

• The invaders gut ted the village.侵略者把村中财物洗劫一空。
• She often teds the corn when it's sunny.天好的时候她就翻晒玉米。