Jason Boland got his start in a college town, playing clubs in Stillwater, Okla. -- home of Oklahoma State University and the Red Dirt Movement, a third cousin of sorts to Texas' outlaw county.

It was the fans there that allowed Red Dirt music to thrive by supporting him and other up-and-coming musicians such as his roommates, Cody Canada (who would later form Cross Canadian Ragweed) and Stoney LaRue, he said during a recent interview with Spotlight. The three would "go out night after night and do what we dreamed about," he said.

But in the years since he's made a name for himself far outside the Oklahoma borders, College Station has been another supportive college town, he said.

Boland and his band, The Stragglers, visit the Bryan-College Station area about three or four times a year. Their next appearance will be 9 p.m. Wednesday at Texas Hall of Fame. Tickets are $10 in advance and $12 at the door.

"I really like College Station," he said Friday, adding that his songs have always gotten plenty of radio play here. "It's an alive little college community. They've always been great to us."

Jason Boland and the Stragglers formed 10 years ago and in 1999 released their debut album, Pearl Snaps, with the help of Grammy-winning producer (and Dixie Chicks father) Lloyd Maines. Since then, their hits have included the songs Somewhere Down in Texas, Mexico or Crazy and Pearl Snaps. More than 100,000 copies of their five albums -- including Live at Billy Bob's -- have been sold.

The band's latest release, 2006's The Bourbon Legend, was a collaboration with fellow Grammy-winning producer Pete Anderson and resulted in the Texas music hit Up and Gone. However, the group will return to Maines for their next album, which they currently are in the process of recording in Dripping Springs.

Boland said he plans to release the CD, called Comal County Blues, on Labor Day. While he has a front-runner in mind, Boland said he hasn't yet decided what the lead-off single will be.

"I'm as happy as I can be with the material," he said, explaining that the group continues to progress musically. "As long as people like the direction I'm going with the writing, the band's all better players."

Boland will be supporting the album in coming months with Fiddles, Steels and 18 Wheels, a tour alongside fellow vintage-country crooner Aaron Watson. The two have never toured together before but it seemed like a good fit given their styles, he said. Unfortunately, though, the tour is not expected to swing through the Bryan-College Station area. Wednesday's show is Boland's only currently scheduled appearance here through July.

"We're just going out there on the road and making a synergy show," he said of the tour, which will stop in cities ranging from Huntsville to El Paso. "You've got to work hard to stay in this business, but it's fun. It's a blessing."

Opening for Boland Wednesday will be Jackson Taylor, whose debut single, Lonely, reached No. 6 on the Texas Music Chart. He is currently shooting a video for his second single, Outlaw Women.

• Craig Kapitan's e-mail address is craig.kapitan@theeagle.com.

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