Koe Wetzel Hits No. 1 on Country Radio with 'High Road'

Texas rocker Koe Wetzel, who built a career on rowdy anthems like 'February 28, 2016'—a song about his arrest for public intoxication—has achieved mainstream success with his single 'High Road.' The song, co-written with Gabe Simon and Amy Allen and featuring Jessie Murph, went to No. 1 on country radio in late 2024 and became the most-played song on country radio in 2025. Wetzel signed to Columbia Records and adapted the song's lyric from 'shit show' to 'freak show' for radio play. His new album 'The Night Champion,' produced by Simon with contributions from Carrie K and guitarist Josh Serrato, includes the country-rock track 'Hurts Like You,' which Columbia is promoting to radio. Wetzel, now 33, owns bars in Fort Worth and Houston called Koe Wetzel's Riot Room. He celebrated the anniversary of his arrest on February 28, 2026, in Fort Worth with a street concert. The mayor of Pittsburg, Texas, gave him a key to the city and unveiled a mural. Wetzel's personal evolution includes fatherhood; he has a daughter named Woods. His earlier band, Koe Wetzel and the Konvicts, started as a bar band blending Texas country and grunge. The article also notes the rise of Texas rock acts like Dexter and the Moonrocks, who cite Wetzel as an influence and released '12 Steps' with Treaty Oak Revival.