Koe Wetzel Receives Key To His Hometown

Official Announcement | Published: Mar 01, 2026 11:50 AM EST

(EBM) In his 2025 Billboard cover story, Koe Wetzel joked that maybe one day his mural might join Pittsburg, Texas' other famous citizens, including Homer Jones, the New York Giants receiver who invented spiking the football after a touchdown. Little did he expect, less than a year later, his hometown in East Texas would commemorate such an occasion with their mayor and city manager presenting a key to the city and a proclamation naming February 28 "Koe Wetzel Day."

A well-kept secret for months, which in a small town is a feat amongst itself, Wetzel's hometown group text let it slide earlier this week that the city may be working on a mural downtown. Still, the "High Road" singer was stunned to arrive at a full-blown celebration, complete with a high school marching band and cheerleaders exciting the crowd full of family, friends and local dignitaries prior to the ceremony. Watch local coverage here.

After reading the proclamation, Mayor Abernathy mused as he presented Wetzel with an oversized key, "I'd like to present Koe a key to the city of Pittsburg - it won't get in all the banks."

Wetzel shared a few words, "It's good to be back in Pittsburg. Every time we come back here it's like we never left, with my family and my friends... it all starts there. My family sitting here - my mom, my dad, my sisters, my grandparents - my girls here, they've always been my No. 1 fan and they've gotten me where I am by doing so, but also with the help from Pittsburg, Texas and all the great people here that have made everything happen. No matter where I go in this life, no matter what country, state or city I'm in, I always know Pittsburg, Texas is home for me. And whenever I come back, you all make sure to remind me of that and treat me like I never left, and I always appreciate that."

To further mark 10 years of "February 28, 2016," Wetzel surprised fans after his Ft. Worth Riot Room set by dropping a mixtape, These Are Going Nowhere: A Mixtape by Koe Wetzel, at midnight, sharing, "Thanks for the best decade of my life. Here's some of my favorite Koe sh*t from the vault to hold you over until my new album comes out this summer."

These Are Going Nowhere: A Mixtape by Koe Wetzel Track List:
"Feel Better"
"GTFO"
"Run Away"
"College"
"Lonesome Dove"
"Sweet Texas Strange"