Koe Wetzel’s Tour Takes An Unusual Turn Following DIY Tattoo

Country music rebel Koe Wetzel swapped out his microphone for a name tag this week as he took on a new title: Crewmember for the Day at Raising Cane’s Dallas-area Restaurant Support Office.

The Texas native and chart-topping artist stepped into the fast-food world under the mentorship of longtime friend and Raising Cane’s founder Todd Graves.

Together, the duo brought their signature brand of humor, chaos, and camaraderie to the corporate setting as they filmed fun content and joked about whether Wetzel was cut out for a 9-to-5 grind, and The Blast was there for it all!

“Who would last longer if Todd and I switched jobs for a day? That’s a toss-up!” Wetzel laughed. “But the first thing I would do as a Crewmember is rename the Caniac Combo to the Koeniac Combo for February 28.”

Graves and Wetzel have been close friends for years, racking up shared memories everywhere from Yellowstone to Super Bowl suites to music festivals. One of their more infamous bonding moments? The time Graves gave Wetzel a very permanent souvenir.

“I always receive crazy gifts when I’m on tour, and on this tour in particular, they gave me a tattoo gun. Todd and I had a fun night and thought it would be a good idea for him to give me a tattoo of a chicken tender with his initials under it,” Wetzel recalled. “It turned out looking more like the state of Kentucky. I sure hope his tattoo skills have gotten better!”

“We were in Montana for one of Koe’s shows and ended up being on a two-hour delay due to lightning. We had some drinks, feeling pretty good, and all of a sudden this tattoo gun appears and Koe wanted me to put a tattoo of a Chicken Finger on his leg with ‘TG’ under it,” Graves explained. “I’d never given anyone a tattoo, I don’t have any tattoos, I don’t know anything about tattoos, but proceeded to give Koe one and I think I pressed a little too hard, because I went to put more ‘crust’ on it and Koe said, ‘No more!’ He screamed and cried the whole time.”

This latest Cane’s content drop isn’t the first time Wetzel has gone behind the counter.

He previously joined Graves at a Raising Cane’s food truck, working a “shift” while performing his hit “February 28, 2016” with lyrics swapped out in tribute to the brand. Wetzel has also made appearances in the Cane’s suite at Super Bowl LVI and has had Raising Cane’s as a tour sponsor in recent years.

“Todd and I share a love for the outdoors and many common interests. We like to get out there and have a good time and have some great memories together,” said Wetzel. “Todd is a great guy and does so much for so many people, so we get along well. I’m very happy to be part of the Raising Cane’s family.”

For Graves, the admiration is mutual.

“I’ve always been a big fan of Koe’s music and love that he hasn’t changed his style over the years. He continues to do it his way and is highly respected in the country music community and throughout Nashville by artists of all sizes,” Graves said. “Koe and I first got together when I invited him to the Cane’s suite for Super Bowl LVI at SoFi and we had a great time.”

The Raising Cane’s CEO added, “He’s a genuine person who has determination, passion and a vision for his music, and that’s one of the things I love most about him. I get inspired by people who are out there doing things and chasing their dreams and Koe and I have that in common and so much more.”

During the press conference, the two were also asked about the biggest lessons they’ve learned throughout their careers and what advice they’d give to dreamers chasing success.

“Todd and I have always stayed true to ourselves. All we know is what we love and what we do. We both have dreams and goals and we’ve talked about that; but it’s not about being the best or number one, it’s about taking care of friends and family, keeping your head down and being a good person,” Wetzel explained. “My advice to anyone chasing a dream is to be true to yourself, always remember where you came from, and be good to people.”

“Koe and I focus on what we’re good at and do exactly that. I always tell people who are chasing a dream, ‘Imagine how hard it is and multiply that by infinity.’ Koe making it in the music world is just as hard, if not harder, than building a Chicken Finger business. We both started small, stayed focused, and then grew across the country and beyond,” said Graves. “Everyone tells you why it won’t work and why you won’t be successful, but if you believe in yourself, you’ll make it.”

One thing’s for sure: whether it’s slinging chicken or shredding guitars, Koe Wetzel knows how to make an impact, and Raising Cane’s is clearly happy to keep him on speed dial.