Phenomenal as always. Since their debut with Humble Folks in 2016, Flatland Cavalry has remained one of the most talented and ultimately underrated bands in the entire country scene. With certified classics such as their certified gold track with Kaitlin Butts, “A Life Where We Work Out,” as well as “Sleeping Alone,” “Missing You” and “Mountain Song,” the band has continuously lived up to their “easy on the ears, heavy on the heartbreak” mantra over the years. As of late, they’ve continued their success on a bigger scale. Receiving not one but two-straight nominations for Group of the Year at the ACM Awards, Flatland has also scored major opening spots on the likes of Luke Combs’ tour in 2023 and more notably, both reigning CMA Entertainer of the Year, Lainey Wilson and Billboard’s #1 Artist of 2025, Morgan Wallen, on their upcoming tours this year. While award nominations and opening for superstars are undoubtedly great, it’s their sound that makes Flatland so special. It feels a bit cliché to say that a band feels like they can exist in any era, but it remains true with Flatland. With an undeniably warm, traditional sound, highlighted primarily by frontman Cleto Cordero’s vocals and the heavy emphasis on fiddle from multiple members of the band throughout its existence, the Lubbock-based band has remained one of the best bands in an era filled with some of the most talented groups we’ve seen in decades. It’s becoming clear that 2026 is looking to be a big one for the band. Beyond the aforementioned opening spots with Wilson and Wallen, they’ve been hinting at the prospect of a new album, the first since 2023’s Wandering Star, for quite some time now. They’ve already given us a taste of what’s to come with October’s release of “Gone” and their stellar new single from last week, “Never Comin’ Back.” As we patiently wait for an album announcement some time this year, Flatland kept fans satisfied with the release of their “Trail Mix Session,” in Morrison, Colorado in Red Rocks. In case you’re not familiar with Red Rocks’ “Trail Mix Session,” it’s a series live performance videos uploaded by Red Rocks Amphitheater. Typically, these sessions provide stripped-back performances of artists’ biggest hits over the years. Recently, Charles Wesley Godwin, Marcus King, Margo Price and Wyatt Flores had their music highlighted in the series, and they were nothing short of phenomenal. Of course, the same can be said about Flatland’s session here today. Unsurprisingly, Flatland began the session with their aforementioned new single, “Never Comin’ Back.” While the studio version is phenomenal in its own right, being a certified heartbreaker, it benefits from the stripped-back nature here. Letting Cleto’s vocals and lyrics take center stage and highlighting Adam Gallegos’ stellar picking on banjo, it just might be the definitive version of the song to me. During the intermission between songs, Cordero would take a moment to reflect on his relationship with songwriting. Noting how universal music and writing in general is, he’d express how meaningful it’s been to see fans connect with their music over the past decade. “I’ve always thought of songs kind of like a distillation of an emotion or your spirit or something. And we all have those running through us, so if I experience something and have an emotion about it and ponder on it and emote that through a song, through melody and rhyme and meter, someone else receives that message. They compartmentalize it, and it syncs up to some emotion that they’ve experienced. And I realized that, through songwriting, and performing it for people, I saw a light within them that I’ve never seen before in strangers. It kind of brought us together, so that feeling is what I’ve been chasing all the while. Since I was 17 or the last song I just wrote, it’s something that’s near and dear to you that you want to share with someone else — and it makes us realize that we’re not alone.” To close the session, Cordero’s wife and Oklahoman powerhouse, Kaitlin Butts, would join him on their signature hit, “A Life Where We Work Out.” At this point, there’s not much else that can be said about the song since it’s simply that good. A certified country classic in all aspects, they delivered another phenomenal performance of the track here in Red Rocks. As with any of these “Trail Mix Sessions,” it’s nothing short of a must-watch if you’re a Flatland fan. Watch here: Flatland Cavalry Tour Dates 2/6 – Auckland, NZ – Spark Arena * 2/8 – Christchurch, NZ – Wolfbrook Arena * 2/11 – Brisbane, QLD – Brisbane Entertainment Centre * 2/12 – Brisbane, QLD – Brisbane Entertainment Centre * 2/14 – Newcastle, NSW – Howlin’ Country * 2/16 – Sydney, NSW – Qudos Bank Arena * 2/19 – Melbourne, VIC – Rod Laver Arena * 2/20 – Melbourne, VIC – Rod Laver Arena * 2/22 – Adelaide, SA – Adelaide Entertainment Centre * 2/26 – Perth, WA – RAC Arena * 3/19 – Mobile, AL – Saenger Theatre 3/20 – Baton Rouge, LA – Texas Club 3/21 – Corpus Christi, TX – Concrete Street Amphitheatre 3/28 – Bryan, TX – Troubadour Festival 4/9 – St. Augustine, FL – St. Augustine Amphitheatre 4/10 – Fort Lauderdale, FL – Tortuga Music Festival 4/11 – Clearwater, FL – The BayCare Sound 4/16 – Silver Spring, MD – The Fillmore Silver Spring 4/17 – Richmond, VA – Allianz Amphitheater 4/18 – Knoxville, TN – Knoxville Civic Auditorium 4/23 – Birmingham, AL – Avondale Brewing Company 4/24 – Columbia, SC – Township Auditorium 4/25 – Lexington, KY – Gatton Park 4/30 – Canyon, TX – The Lumberyard 5/9 – Indianapolis, IN – Lucas Oil Stadium # * supporting Lainey Wilson # supporting Morgan WallenThe post Flatland Cavalry Performs “A Life Where We Work Out” With Kaitlin Butts On Stunning ‘Red Rocks Trail Mix Session’ first appeared on Whiskey Riff.