Thanks to Kurt Friedrich for providing the photos in this post.

For nearly a decade, Bloomington’s Rodeo Ruby Love has been a mainstay in Indiana music, gaining a large following for their honest pop-rock. But now after a very successful run, the band will call it quits tonight at The Hi-Fi, playing one final show.
 
Prior to the concert, I talked with some close music friends of Rodeo Ruby Love, asking them to share some parting words for the band before their last hurrah.
 

Mike Adams
Frontman of Mike Adams At His Honest Weight and founder of Crossroads of America Records
 
Rodeo Ruby Love were one of the first bands to hand their records over to me in a production/recording sort of way. They put their trust in me, and I learned a lot about songwriting during my time with them. I've become very close to Zack and Annie's entire family over the years, and the times I've spent with them are some of my fondest memories in this life so far.
 
 
 

Nate Black
Lead vocalist/guitarist of No Coast
 
Having known Zack since we were super young dudes starting our first bands and following all of his music endeavors since then, it's a bummer to see Rodeo Ruby Love call it quits. I've always been a fan of the music, and it will be an awesome time at their last gig seeing so many friends, some I haven't seen in a long time that have moved away and on to other things. I guess for me, the best thing about them is that they were just dorks making catchy pop songs while never trying to be too cool or anything. I'll always remember working with Zack for a few years at the same job and making mixes on our iPods of songs we thought the other would enjoy and talking about our own music that we were making. All good things come to an end I suppose, and I'm stoked that they were around for as long as they were.
 

 
Ben Sutton
Former vocalist of In The Face of War
 
Dear Rodeo,
 
This is it. I’ll make some suicide kool-aid for the show, and we’ll end it. Whaddya say?
 
 

Jared Cheek
Founder of Flannelgraph Records
 
Goodbye, forever, Rodeo Ruby Love! You wrote some good songs about the joys and bummers of life in Indiana that meant a lot to a bunch of people. I just saw some YouTube clip yesterday of some dude doing a silk fabric ballet climbing routine to one of your songs that you recorded like 10 years ago. Your songs took you across the country, but you were at your best when you were in the comfort of your home state, with a group of sweaty buddies in the front of the crowd singing along to every word. Anybody can screw things up with a girl and write a song about it, but it takes a special talent to be able to consistently do so for over a decade.

But seriously, RRL was great at writing and performing well-written, catchy songs that conveyed some real emotion about actual things. Speaking of girls, if it wasn't for Rodeo Ruby Love coming down to Bloomington to record with Mike Adams back in like 2006 I may not have gotten to know my future wife (singer Annie Melton), so thanks for that. I'm actually not crazy about Rodeo Ruby Love as a band name, so you guys should just start something up again in like five years with a different name. ALL THE BEST WISHES TO YOU AND YOURS. MAY ALL OF YOUR DAYS BE MERRY.
 
 

Travis Harvey
Owner of Muncie’s Village Green Records shop
 
To my pals Rodeo Ruby Love,
 
You guys have had quite the run. When I recollect the days and nights of Rodeo shows in the front yard of the Village Green Records, I am immediately reminded of an energy and passion that had an addictive power over our audiences. I am also reminded of the word "legacy" and like other great Indiana bands (Everything, Now!, In The Face of War, Margot & the Nuclear So and So's and The Impossible Shapes) you have shared the same type of drive via your consistent output of full packaged records, taking on different themes commonly built around the "coming of age" that nearly all young Hoosiers can relate to. The Rodeo Ruby Love stage presence jettisoned you guys across the country, offering up your sincere, enduring and yet professional performances knocked kids out everywhere you'd land. And it is this delicate balance of fun and competence matched with diligence that set a bar to which I have compared all other groups. It has always been an honor to host Rodeo Ruby Love at the VGR, and the gesture was always returned with utmost gratitude from your end--I couldn't ask for more and appreciate you guys letting the VGR be a part of your formidable journey, I know many of the kids jumping about, throwing fists in the air and singing in unison won't soon forget as well.