(Update Report)

Written by: Ginny Gaines  

When the Red Clay Strays walked into the 2025 CMA Awards, nobody really knew what to expect. They were the underdogs, the gritty Alabama band that never quite fit neatly into the “country” box, but had become impossible to ignore. And as they stood backstage at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena, the guys looked more like they were about to walk into a rock show than onto one of country music’s biggest stages.

They had been on the on the road traveling for years, sweating it out in smoky bars and half lit clubs, mixing Southern rock, blues, and a little country into something that felt completely like their own. They never chased trends. They never tried to sound like anyone else. And honestly, a lot of people thought the CMA world didn’t have space for a band like them. But everything changed the moment the envelope opened.

When the presenter read their name “The Red Clay Strays” as Vocal Group of the Year, the whole place lit up. People jumped to their feet. Even artists in the front rows who’d been winning awards for years were smiling and cheering. It was a shock, but a good one, the kind of surprise that feels like a breath of fresh air. For seven straight years, Old Dominion had owned that category. Year after year, their name had been called without question. But this time, the spell broke. The Red Clay Strays didn’t just win an award, they cracked open a new chapter for country music.

The guys walked up to the stage looking stunned, but in that humbled, grateful way they’ve always carried themselves. Brandon Coleman, the lead singer, gripped the mic and tried to put the moment into words. He talked about the early days, the different music they all came from, blues, funk, rock, country, and how they never really tried to “fit” any mold. He even joked that he was “the hick of the group,” earning a few laughs from the crowd. They thanked their fans, their families, and God, saying they’d pushed through a lot of hardships to get there. And they meant it, you could hear it in Brandon’s voice.

Later that night, when they stepped onto the stage to perform “People Hatin’”, something shifted. It didn’t sound like your usual CMA performance. It was unpolished, loud, soulful, and the audience loved it. You could feel the energy grow with every beat of the drums and every slide of the guitar. By the end of the song, the crowd was on their feet again. When the show wrapped up, media outlets were already calling it “the end of an era and the beginning of another.” The Red Clay Strays had taken a piece of the country world and made it feel brand new.

For a band that started out playing tiny shows along the Alabama Gulf Coast, the CMA stage was miles away from where they began, but somehow, they made it feel like home. Their win wasn’t just about a trophy. It was a message: Country music is ready for something different. And the Red Clay Strays are leading that charge. Now, with another album on the way and a wave of new fans discovering them by the day, the band is heading into 2026 with the kind of momentum most artists only dream about. And judging by how they carry themselves, they’re not about to slow down.

That's a wrap for my update on the Red Clay Strays...Thank you for reading and in closing, please just know, Soundwave Music Media will be here and I will always do my best to bring you the rock music report! Please consider supporting me and the crew by purchasing a Soundwave shirt or hat and support our sponsors! Rock On! Until next time...🤘

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