Put your boots on cowboy because this one’s gonna get you grooving! Flatland Cavalry scored a viral hit with their fireside performance of “Dancin’ Around A Fire.” The four-piece delivered a tasty rhythm on the original folk song, and frontman Cleto Cordero has a voice that’s warm and smoky as the fire he’s sitting in front of. The Texan sings with a real conviction, and the combo of his voice and the band’s brilliant arrangement is absolutely killer.
The group shot the performance at the Rio Bravo Ranch in Presidio, Texas, so you know it’s got that authentic cowboy vibe. This is exactly the way you’re meant to experience this kind of Americana music, and capturing the live performance in front of a campfire really injected a whole lotta vibe. Here on The Music Man, we’re always up for unique performances like this, and Flatland Cavalry really delivered the goods here.
Flatland Cavalry’s March 25, 2022, upload of “Dancin’ Around A Fire” gained 8.4 million views on YouTube and quickly became the band’s most popular video on the platform. Fans celebrated the performance below the video, adding comments such as “A win for the algorithm and a win for real country fans. Bringing back that outlaw spirit” and “Unique and brilliant voice. You can’t forget the sound of this voice.”
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Flatland Cavalry had a big 2022, with several of the group’s performances gaining traction on YouTube after “Dancin’ Around A Fire” hit the algorithm big time. Another special performance that the band dropped that year was their live studio session on the folksy ballad “Mountain Song,” which showcased the sound of the full band. It won’t surprise The Music Man readers to hear that Cordero really shines again with a heartfelt lead vocal.
Flatland Cavalry is a country band that formed in Lubbock, Texas, in 2012. The band was founded when main lyricist and bandleader Cleto Cordero and drummer Jason Albers began playing live shows after rooming together at Midland College. The band developed into a six-piece lineup in 2012, although only four members are showcased in the viral “Dancin’ Around A Fire” campfire performance. Flatland Cavalry released two EPs and three albums as an independent act from 2012 to 2021. The band then signed to Universal Music Group label Interscope Records and debuted on the label with their 2023 album Wandering Stars.