The Soda Crackers Bring Bakersfield Sound Back to Texas Dance Halls

The Soda Crackers, a Bakersfield, California band known for reviving the storied Bakersfield Sound, are reconnecting with Texas roots through their recent tour and upcoming debut album. In a new episode of The Building Texas Show, host Justin McKenzie sits down with frontman and fiddle player Zane Adamo at Albert Dancehall in Albert, Texas—a restored 1920s venue that embodies the dance hall culture where the Bakersfield Sound naturally thrives. Adamo reflects on the band’s performance at Albert, describing a night where multi-generational families danced together, children twirled between regulars, and the crowd embraced the music’s roots. “The music we play is meant for dancing,” Adamo says. “It came from people who worked hard, lived through the Dust Bowl, and wanted a great time on a Friday night.” Though known as “California country,” the Bakersfield Sound was heavily shaped by Texans and Oklahomans who migrated west during the Dust Bowl. Buck Owens, from Sherman, Texas, and Tommy Collins, born in Oklahoma City, helped define the style. The Soda Crackers honor that lineage, with their Texas-Oklahoma tour including stops at the Broken Spoke in Austin, historic dance halls, and a pilgrimage to Turkey, Texas—home of Bob Wills. The band’s self-titled debut album, releasing December 1, 2025, features 10 tracks: six original songs and four classic covers. Available on all major streaming platforms and limited-edition vinyl, the album aims to capture the classic spirit. “From instrumentals to dance-hall-driven arrangements, we want this album to feel like it belongs on a stage in Texas,” Adamo notes. The episode closes with a call to support historic Texas dance halls, which are disappearing in places like Bakersfield. “This band is helping rebuild that bridge between Texas and Bakersfield,” McKenzie says. “Dance halls like Albert are where that story comes alive.” Listen to this Episode