There’s a special kind of magic that happens when music takes you somewhere — not just in spirit, but in smell, sound, and memory. That’s exactly what Ben Thompson, the creative force behind Barefoot with a Stetson, does with “Oklahoma Beer Run.” This three-minute-fifty-two-second tune is a time machine, a backroads joyride, and a love letter to youthful mischief, all wrapped up in the laid-back charm of barefoot country and the easy-breezy soul of Trop Rock.
The song opens like a dusty photo album pulled from the glovebox of a well-traveled pickup truck. We’re dropped right into Locksburg, 1988 — a small-town Friday night filled with the kind of teenage optimism and small-town rebellion that shaped a generation. From hanging around the pool hall to spinning the jukebox, from long drives with the radio cranked to 98 Rocks to sneaking across county lines for a cold one, “Oklahoma Beer Run” captures that restless, nothing-to-do-but-have-fun spirit that defines country youth.
Thompson’s songwriting’s not just telling you about those nights — he’s taking you there. You can almost smell the gasoline as the crew fuels up, feel the hum of the road heading west, and hear the laughter as they pull up to hilltop dives. The details are pure country storytelling gold — plastic cups, jukebox tunes, two-steppin’ strangers, and bar fights as predictable as the sunset. It’s a slice of Americana served with a wink and a beer chaser.
And then there’s the music itself — a perfect blend of outlaw grit and beachside ease that defines Barefoot with a Stetson’s signature sound. “Oklahoma Beer Run” rolls along like an old two-lane highway, steady and familiar, but with little twists that make you smile as you sing along. It’s got the heart of a honky-tonk anthem and the laid-back vibe of a coastal campfire singalong.
Thompson’s unique musical blend — Barefoot Country — fuses the storytelling tradition of outlaw country with the sun-soaked, carefree soul of Trop Rock. It’s music that celebrates dirt roads and ocean waves, Friday night lights and beachside sunsets. And it’s born from a life that straddles both worlds. Raised in small-town Arkansas, Thompson grew up surrounded by country roots and gospel guitars. Today, he spends as much time as he can in Puerto Rico, soaking up the salt air and writing songs that celebrate the simple joys of island life.
“Oklahoma Beer Run” is a highlight from the Barefoot Redneck album — a rowdy, heartfelt collection of tunes that celebrate country living in all its forms. From the blue-collar swagger of “Super Trucker” to the nostalgic glow of “The Good Ol Days,” it’s an album that’s unafraid to laugh, remember, and raise a glass to the good times. And for Thompson, this music is about capturing moments and sharing them. As he puts it, writing songs is his release, his way of stepping away from the fast-paced world of trucking and automotive business and reconnecting with the joy of storytelling.
That sincerity has clearly struck a chord. With thousands of listeners and viewers on music platforms, Barefoot with a Stetson’s fan base is growing fast. Thompson’s songs are being spun on stations like Beachfront Radio, Radio Trop Rock, WQRG, and WKGC, and he’s been featured at festivals like Gulf Coast Days in Galveston and Trop Rock’n Duval in Key West. And this is just the beginning.
“Oklahoma Beer Run” tells real stories about real people, wrapped in melody and memory. And if this track is your first taste of Barefoot with a Stetson, there’s a whole world of sunshine, steel strings, and Stetson-brimmed storytelling waiting for you.
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