Stagecoach is best understood from more than one vantage point—and this year, we’re bringing you exactly that. Like the festivals before it, this 18th annual, three-day celebration of American music is more than a weekend; it’s a snapshot of where country music’s been, where it’s going, and how it continues to influence—and be shaped by—the world around it. The inclusion of artists like Pitbull and Ludacris might raise eyebrows, but Stagecoach has never fit neatly in a box. What it has always done is give a stage to music that tells a story—something at the very heart of country music. This year’s coverage captures standout performances, unexpected moments, and an evolving crowd that feels less chaotic, more diverse, and more connected to what’s happening onstage.

We begin with Ben Lolwing, an up-and-coming writer and musician out of the Joshua Tree area, capturing the energy of the festival as it unfolds in real time. Publisher Lisa Lynn Morgan adds reflections from across the grounds, rounding out the broader picture of the weekend.

Closing things out are selected notes from award-winning journalist Bruce Fessier, who has attended every single Stagecoach, bringing unmatched perspective and continuity to the story.

By Ben Lolwing

“Weather” or not, here we come. Stagecoach 2026 delivered an overload of stimuli for all the senses. So much more was offered to be seen, heard, smelled, tasted, and touched than any one human could assimilate. With approximately 80,000 attendees, over 100 artists, six stages, and various other activity areas, each person was sure to have their own special experience. One uniquely shared experience that affected all festival goers equally was the wind, lots and lots of wind!

In 1996, during MTV Spring Break, Bush’s frontman, Gavin Rossdale, stirred the crowds with what is now considered an iconic moment in rock history. Disregarding the very real threat of electrocution, he delivered a powerfully intimate solo version of his song “Glycerin” despite getting drenched by pouring rain during a thunderstorm. 30 years later, his Stagecoach performance was no less electric; this time, blowing the audience away right along with the wind, did I mention, lots and lots of wind? The only thing that could’ve made the experience any sweeter would have been a full dose of antihistamines to go along with this year’s weather-adverse rendition of “Glycerin.”

The dust and grass particles blasting the patrons were, at times, blinding. There was so much wind that immediately following Bush’s performance Saturday evening, the massive crowd, who didn’t want to stop believing they’d get to experience Journey, was alerted by the gigantic screens on both sides of the Mustang Stage that the area had been closed. This soon turned into a first-ever mandatory evacuation for the entire festival. But as the saying goes, ‘the show must go on,’ and eventually it did after the cancellation of Riley Green and Journey’s sets. The festivalgoers who endured the hassle and inconvenience of the evacuation process were rewarded when, about 9 pm, it reopened for the delayed headline-level performances by Lainey Wilson and Pitbull. Besides the other quality headliners, Cody Johnson and Post Malone, there were countless other amazing performances by Brooks & Dunn, Hootie & the Blowfish, Third Eye Blind, Max McNown, Chase Matthews, and Charles Wesley Godwin.

Red Clay Strays was a definite must-see with a choir-backed, powerful set featuring new music from their new album Grateful. Another standout performance was made by the “Denim Darling,” Ella Langley… just ask popular podcaster, Theo Von. He perfectly mirrored the gushing admiration of the adoring Ella’s Fella’s crowd on stage, unable to contain his excitement while performing the duet with Langley, “You Look Like You Love Me.”

Lesser-known but equally deserving acts that deserve honorable mention include Ole 60, Larkin Poe, Noah Cyrus, and Cameron Whitcomb. Ole 60 fans came out in force, singing along and getting especially loud for songs ‘Next to You’ and ‘Thoughts of You.’ Larkin Poe is fronted by the dynamic sister duo Rebecca and Megan Lovell. The Grammy award-winning ladies were absolutely impressive to see live and are highly recommended.

Noah Cyrus drew one of the biggest crowds at the Toyota Music Den and shared a touching moment when she brought out her father, Billy Ray Cyrus, and brother, Braison Cyrus, to perform their new song “On Our Way Along.”

Cameron Whitcomb was a definite fan favorite, bringing plenty of energy. Backflipping to start his performance, he never took his foot off the gas. To the enthusiastic crowd’s pleasure, his honest vulnerability was on full display throughout each emotion-filled song. He’s the type of artist that festival discoveries are all about. Whether your preference is sticking around to see the more well-known seasoned artists or finding those hidden gems, Stagecoach 2026 definitely had something for everyone. I can’t wait to see what’s waiting in the wings and blowing in for Stagecoach 2027.

Contribution by Publisher, Lisa Lynn Morgan

I love country music from the bottom of my boots to the top of my cowboy hat. It’s shaped my life as much as the years I’ve spent in Texas, Oklahoma, and North Carolina. I loved every set I caught this weekend, but a few stand above the rest.

Wynonna—always and forever. Lainey Wilson conquered. Post Malone blew it wide open. Red Clay Strays won my heart. Lyle Lovett reminded us, once again, how it’s done—with musical finesse and a lightness that never feels forced.

But what I won’t forget is the pure, unfiltered joy pouring out of Cameron Whitcomb. His songs wrestle with addiction, sobriety, and the quiet power of humility—and on that stage, you could feel every bit of it. I heard that same intonation in Treaty Oak Revival’s Sam Canty, who shared he’s four years sober. With 14 years of sobriety myself, I recognize that place. And I hope their testimony carries—because it shows, in real time, how much fuller life becomes when you’re present for all of it: the good, the hard, and everything in between. Songs like those can leave a tangible handprint on the soul of the listener. In a crowd like this, they can even save lives.

The Stagecoach Culture

For years, there’s been a running belief among festival crews that Stagecoach crowds were a tougher assignment than Coachella—rowdier, looser, and fueled by a level of alcohol consumption that became part of the event’s identity. That reputation hasn’t disappeared, but this year suggested a noticeable shift.

In my 13th year attending, the tone felt calmer. Not without incident, but less defined by it. A few people went down over the weekend—though the relentless wind seemed just as likely a factor as overindulgence. The numbers support the theory: arrests dropped from 151 in 2025 to 119 this year, a 21% decrease. And while Stagecoach still claims its distinction—selling more alcohol in a single day than both weekends of Coachella combined—the gap between perception and reality appears to be narrowing.

Even in moments that could have escalated—like the sudden “Evacuate immediately” announcement—there was little chaos. Crowds moved in an orderly way, strangers singing songs together in the process; issues remained isolated rather than spreading.

The demographic evolution is just as telling. Walking toward Treaty Oak Revival at the Mustang Stage, I overheard a twenty-something, taking it all in, he told his friends, “We’re in a fishbowl, gentlemen—we are surrounded by beautiful women.” Not subtle—but not wrong. Attendance now skews nearly two-to-one women to men. More importantly, both the audience and the artists continue to grow more diverse and inclusive, reflecting a broader shift within country music itself.

There’s also a tightening around the edges of the experience—fewer offensive displays, a more visible security presence, and a sense that the festival is evolving without losing its identity.

And then there are the moments that only Stagecoach seems to deliver—the ones you couldn’t plan if you tried. Surprise appearances and cross-genre collaborations were everywhere: Theo Von popping up with Ella Langley, Pitbull turning the grounds into a full-on line dance with Lil Jon, Bailey Zimmerman linking up with BigXthaPlug, and Billy Ray and Noah Cyrus sharing a rare father-daughter moment onstage. Headliners raised the bar across the weekend, from Cody Johnson bringing out Boyz II Men to Lainey Wilson welcoming Riley Green and Little Big Town, while Post Malone bridged eras and styles with covers of Garth Brooks and Hank Williams Jr., alongside guests like Shaboozey. Elsewhere, David Lee Roth dropped in for a surprise “Jump” with Teddy Swims, Marcus King shared the stage with Briley King, and Diplo’s HonkyTonk pulled in everyone from Waka Flocka Flame to Theo Von. Even the legacy acts leaned in—Hootie & the Blowfish brought out Flavor Flav and Chuck D, while artists like Third Eye Blind, Counting Crows, Bush, and The Wallflowers proved just how wide Stagecoach’s reach has become. Beyond the stages, the festival’s personality spilled into every corner—Guy Fieri’s Smokehouse hosting Wynonna Judd, Gavin Rossdale, and Billy Bob Thornton, while Sydney Sweeney’s honky-tonk pop-up drew appearances from Riley Green, Chase Rice, Diplo, and even Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis. It’s that mix—heritage and curveballs, legends and first-timers, music and everything around it—that continues to define Stagecoach, and keeps it feeling as unpredictable as it is rooted.

Contribution by Bruce Fessier

FAVORITE MOMENTS: It’s easy to pick the least favorite moment at Stagecoach last weekend. It was when the wind forced Goldenvoice to cancel two of its major acts and temporarily evacuate the Empire Polo fields Saturday night. It’s much harder selecting the best moments of the three-day country festival.

Lyle Lovett: Suddenly, country’s quirky, indefinable singer-songwriter from Texas is an Americana elder statesman. But he’s still hard to define. After introducing his set with the song, “Here I Am,” Lovett went into “Pants Is Overrated,” a 2022 release about a guy who can’t find his trousers, could be an anthem for Clayton Kershaw. A highlight was, “She’s No Lady.” This rollicking rocker is almost 40 years old, but, with the four horns, fiddle and steel pedal guitar Lovett employs in his guitar-driven band, it still sounds like it could bridge the gap between country and big band music. The finale, “That’s Right (You’re Not From Texas),” had people of all stripes singing together.

Wynonna Judd: Wynonna will be 62 next month and she’s been a country star for 43 of those years. So when a huge number of people in the Palomino tent raised their hands in answer to her question about who was seeing her for the first time, Wynonna was taken aback. For about two seconds. Then she regained her swagger and said, “About frickin’ time!” Wynonna might have only been third-billed on the festival’s third largest venue, but she still comports herself like country’s queen. After showing her chops on “Born To Be Blue,” and revealing how good her band is at extending a three-minute recording, Wynonna started reeling off some of the dozens of hits she’s had as a solo artist and a member of the mother-daughter duo, The Judds. Before she was done, the audience knew who she was. She’s still the queen.

Red Clay Strays: I thought I was listening to the next Sturgill Simpson the first time I heard Brandon Coleman of the Red Clay Strays sing “Drownin’” on Spotify. But, when I saw him sporting a slick pompadour, and displaying an attitude contrasting his white collared shirt and sport coat, I told a companion he was a mix of Elvis Presley and Johnny Cash. Later, Coleman said he’s often compared to Elvis and Johnny. But he has an angst that those two legends would envy. He and his eight-piece band nailed “Drownin’” on their third song of the evening and kept getting better. After performing their breakthrough hit, “Wondering Why” in mid-set, Coleman scorched “Wanna Be Love” as if this cool, good-looking dude had never ever been loved. Then he brought in a full choir in robes to sing the new “Demons In Your Choir,” with Coleman exorcising his demons like a hellfire preacher. The only thing that can contain this band’s future is the limitation of the genre in which it’s placed.

The Wallflowers: First of all, it was a pleasure to see someone who looks like Bob Dylan, and sometimes swallows his lyrics like Dylan, appear to be having fun on stage. Jakob Dylan, the Nobel Prize-winning songwriter’s eldest son, loved the crowd’s acceptance of his band’s 1990s-era music before it erupted outside of the Mustang stage over the band’s big hit, “One Headlight.” After that, Dylan had fun singing “The Waiting” by his dad’s friend, Tom Petty. There was some talk about Jakob singing a Traveling Wilburys song after that, but he finished with his band’s 1997 release, “The Difference.” He had already satisfied his audience and that made the difference between Jacob and his dad crystal clear.

Hootie & the Blowfish: The set by Darius Rucker and company would be listed as my surprise of the night if it wasn’t also one of the highlights of the night. Who could have imagined New York’s OG rap duo, Public Enemy, joining this rural pop-rock band from South Carolina on the Mustang stage? But Rucker joined Chuck D in “Fight the Power” and Flavor Flav in his novelty call and response. Rucker, who left the band to become a credible pop country star, sounded more soulful than ever, especially on unlikely covers like “Losing My Religion” by R.E.M., a shuffling “Hey, Hey, What Can I Do” by Led Zeppelin and the funky “Get Down On It” by Kool and the Gang. Hootie’s own standard, “Hold My Hand,” and Rucker’s country hit, “Alright,” also sounded revitalized. But Hootie and the Blowfish, with Public Enemy singing Buffalo Springfield’s protest anthem, “For What It’s Worth” at a country music festival? Priceless.  

THE SURPRISES:

Cameron Whitcomb: This 23-year-old Canadian is a breath of fresh air, fusing the influence of Eminem, Passion Pit and Mumford & Sons with a youthful exuberance and a dose of hard reality. Whitcomb opened with “Hundred Mile High,” a not-quite-hip hop talkative song with a powerful chorus about not being able to love someone unless it makes him sick. His penultimate tune, “Quitter,” from 2024, was about his early struggles with addiction. You could tell by his somersaults and near-constant smile that he seems to be winning his struggle.

The Flying Mojito Bros: I remember when EDM started infiltrating modern country at Stagecoach just over 10 years ago. Now Stagecoach has fused EDM with Americana in Diplo’s Honkytonk dance hall, and it sounds great in the hands of the DJ duo, Flying Mojito Bros. I never would have expected to hear a recording of Tony Joe White singing “Polk Salad Annie” with an electronic rhythm, or Creedence Clearwater Revival’s swamp rock improved by heavy electronic beats. But, damn if that fusion isn’t fun.