Bob Childers’ Gypsy Café, Oklahoma’s largest homegrown songwriter festival, will take place Sunday, April 12th, the day following the “Boys from Oklahoma” concert at Boone Pickens Stadium in Stillwater, Okla. Sixty Oklahoma songwriters will play acoustic song swap sets across five local music venues, starting with Twangers and Bangers Brunch at The Wormy Dog. The main festival grounds and other venues open at noon with a lineup that features returning favorites Cody Canada, Mike McClure (Crow & Gazelle), Lance Roark, Red Dirt Rangers, Carter Sampson and Mike Hosty, while adding 13 new voices as well as the winner of the Jimmy LaFave Songwriting Contest. The festival benefits Red Dirt Relief Fund, the nonprofit that provided aid to many of the artists in the lineup during the pandemic, and more than $1 million in emergency financial assistance to music professionals in all genres statewide since 2012.
The Lineup
This year’s lineup includes songwriters from across Oklahoma: Aaron Gibson, Agalisiga Mackey “Chuj”, Amber Watson, Beau Roberson, Ben Han, Ben McKenzie, Bo Phillips (host), Brad Piccolo, Brandon Clark, Brock Niehus, Buffalo Rogers, Caroline Grace, Carter Sampson, Casper McWade, Cassie Latshaw, Chris Bell, Cody Brewer, Cody Canada, Crow & Gazelle, Dan Martin, Desi & Cody, Dylan Moss, Dylan Stewart, Emily Hollingshed, Gavin Charles, George Barton, Henry Zoellner, Jacob Tovar, Jared Hard, Jared Tyler, Jayson Starkey, Jim Bachmann, Jimmy LaFave Song Contest Winner, Joe Mack, John Cooper, Jordan Cain, Justin Bloss, Kalyn Fay, Kanton Washington, Kierston White, Kim Reynolds, Krislyn Arthurs, Lance Roark, Mallory Eagle, Mark Sweeney, Megan Marlene, Mike Hosty, Monica Taylor, Presley Sullins Rains, Ray Flaherty, Rick Reiley, RR Williams, Ryan McCall, Scott Evans, Steve Hamby, Travis Kidd, Zac Wenzel and more! The full schedule with artist sets by stage will be released in late March.
The day of Boys from Oklahoma on April 11, 2026, there will be a Gypsy Café preview outdoors at Eskimo Joe’s including performances by Joleen Brown Band, The Heard, The Brothers Moore, Keyland and a finalist from Calf Fry’s Battle of the Bands. This free stage will be open from 11am-5pm for fans of all ages warming up for the Boone Pickens concert.
Gypsy Café Format, Venues & Tickets
Sunday, April 12th, more than 60 Oklahoma songwriters will play 45-minute acoustic song swap sets staggered across five local music venue stages. Twangers and Bangers Brunch, a 90’s country showcase presented by an all-star cast of Oklahoma artists, and “After Dark” afterparty featuring Lance Roark require additional tickets and will be held at The Wormy Dog Saloon.
Music will run from 11am to 11pm, and the festival will provide a free shuttle running a loop around the general admission venues from noon-7pm.
Venues include:
- Eskimo Joe’s Main Stage (all ages, outdoor, 501 W. Elm St.)
- Dirty Rooster (21+, 319 S. Washington St.)
- Salty Bronc (21+, 911 W. 5th Ave.)
- George’s Stables (21+, 502 W. Elm St.)
- Wormy Dog Saloon, (21+, 421 S. Washington St.)
Find ticket options and more info at https://www.reddirtrelieffund.org/gypsycafe/.
Festival History
The inaugural Gypsy Cafe, which was the impetus for the formation of the nonprofit Red Dirt Relief Fund, took place on April 15, 2011. Over the years, the festival has featured songwriters from the Boys from Oklahoma concerts including Cody Canada, Mike McClure, Evan Felker, Kyle Nix, RC Edwards, Jason Boland, Stoney LaRue, Red Dirt Rangers, Kaitlin Butts and Lance Roark.
According to Red Dirt Relief Fund Executive Director Katie Dale, “The phenomenal success of Boys from Oklahoma is a testament to the power of Red Dirt music and the impact Red Dirt artists make in Oklahoma. They literally helped start this nonprofit that has since delivered over $1 million in emergency financial assistance to their fellow Oklahoma music creators, and last year Boys from Oklahoma drew 200,000 fans from all 50 states to Stillwater. We are so excited to be part of the celebration of this full circle moment.”
The Causes
Proceeds benefit Oklahoma music creators in need through the festival’s organizer, Red Dirt Relief Fund, as well as other nonprofits serving the Stillwater community including Our Daily Bread, Cardinal’s Love for the Homeless and Friend’s of Sanborn Stillwater Nature Camp.
Red Dirt Relief Fund was founded in 2012 using the ticket proceeds of the very first Gypsy Café festival held in Stillwater in 2011. Since then, the nonprofit has granted more than $1 million in emergency assistance to more than 800 music professionals in all genres and jobs statewide, including more than $300,000 to those facing venue closings and gig cancellations during the pandemic. This aid helps music people pay personal bills and expenses while they recover from medical conditions, accidents, mental health and rehabilitation and other unavoidable emergencies. The organization also connects Oklahoma music creators to affordable health insurance and other health and wellness services.
Now in its fifteenth year, Bob Childers’ Gypsy Café is the organization’s largest annual fundraiser thanks to support from sponsors Grand Casino, Stillwater Medical Center, Cove Environmental, Oklahoma Film + Music Office, Tito’s, Suncruiser, Busch Light, Home2Suites, Kicker, Visit Stillwater, Coors Light, KOSU, Frank’s Food Shack and other community partners.
For more information, visit reddirtrelieffund.org or contact Katie Dale at reddirtrelieffund@gmail.com.
