5 questions with Midland's Jess Carson
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Midland's Jess Carson (left), Mark Wystrach (center) and Cameron Duddy (right). Photo: Courtesy of Big Machine Label Group
Country trio Midland's roots trace back to Dripping Springs dive bars.
Driving the news: The Hill Country-born group — Mark Wystrach, Jess Carson and Cameron Duddy — will perform at The American Rodeo Championship in Arlington on May 23.
We caught up with lead guitarist Jess Carson ahead of the show to talk about their early days, new music and rodeo.
This interview has been lightly edited and condensed for clarity.
Midland was formed in Dripping Springs. What's one specific memory from those early days that still shows up in your music today?
"Those early days in Dripping Springs were pretty simple in the best way. We were playing hole-in-the-wall dive bars where everyone was close to the stage and really listening.
- A lot of our songs still come from that place, just telling stories about the kind of people and moments we grew up around in Texas."
Country and rodeo feels like it's having a big mainstream moment right now. What do you think people outside Texas still get wrong about it?
"It's not just what you see on the surface. For a lot of folks, it's just a part of life, built on generations of tradition, hard work and community more than anything else.
- What's cool is how much it's growing while staying true to its roots, which is why so many people can connect to it."
What's different about playing a rodeo crowd versus a typical concert crowd?
"We love performing everywhere, but a rodeo crowd brings a really unique kind of energy.
- People are there to have a good time together as a community as well as enjoy the show, so the connection feels very natural."
How much of your sound do you think is specifically shaped by Central Texas versus Texas in general, Nashville or elsewhere?
"Central Texas definitely played a big role early on, especially those years in Dripping Springs. Texas as a whole has such a strong music culture that it naturally becomes part of your sound.
- Nashville has influenced us, too, just being around great songwriters and musicians, but we have always tried to stay true to where we started."
How does your upcoming single reflect how your sound has evolved since those early Dripping Springs days?
"I think the new music still carries that same spirit we had early on, but we have grown a lot as a band since then.
- We have spent years touring and writing together, so the sound feels more confident now. It still feels like Midland, just the next chapter of it."
📍 If you go: Tickets to their Saturday show are still available and start around $128.