Key Takeaways for Flatland Cavalry’s Work of Heart Tour
- The Work of Heart Tour uses a rotating lineup of openers that changes by city, so fans need to confirm their specific date.
- OnesToWatch has exclusively confirmed Corey Smith as the opener for the September 11, 2026 Chattanooga show at Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Auditorium.
- Confirmed support acts across the run include The Jack Wharff Band, Sons of Habit, Wim Tapley & The Cannons, Shelby Raye, and Bottomland & Brennan Clements on select dates.
- Several fall 2026 dates, including the New Year’s Eve show in Fort Worth, still do not have announced openers, so fans should keep an eye on venue and band channels.
- Fans can lock in tickets through OnesToWatch Live now to catch both Flatland Cavalry and the rising artists sharing their stage.
Confirmed Opening Acts by City and Date
This guide focuses on Work of Heart Tour dates with confirmed openers and highlights select upcoming shows without support acts announced yet. The dates below appear in chronological order, with past shows clearly marked and ticket links included where available through OnesToWatch.
Get tickets for Flatland Cavalry in Chattanooga on Sept. 11
July 16, 2026 — San Angelo, TX
Originally scheduled at the Bill Aylor Sr. Memorial River Stage but moved to the Murphey Performance Hall due to heavy rain, this show featured openers Bottomland and Brennan Clements.
Note: Originally scheduled at the Bill Aylor Sr. Memorial River Stage; moved indoors due to inclement weather.August 10, 2026 — Harrisonburg, VA
Rockingham County Fair
Opener: The Jack Wharff BandAugust 20, 2026 — Chesterfield, MO
The Factory (17105 North Outer 40 Road)
Opener: Sons of Habit- September 11, 2026 — Chattanooga, TN
Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Auditorium
Opener: Corey Smith (OnesToWatch exclusive confirmation)
Buy tickets for Chattanooga on Sept. 11 - September 25, 2026 — Athens, GA
Akins Ford Arena at The Classic Center
Openers: Corey Smith and Wim Tapley & The Cannons - September 26, 2026 — Charlotte, NC
Skyla Credit Union Amphitheatre
Openers: The Jack Wharff Band and Shelby Raye. Tickets start at $34. - December 31, 2026 — Fort Worth, TX
Dickies Arena
No opening act has been announced for this date. Doors at 7:30 p.m., show at 8:30 p.m. New Year's Eve celebration.
Spotlight on Corey Smith: Key Fall Opener
See Corey Smith open for Flatland Cavalry in Chattanooga
Corey Smith is a Georgia-bred independent country artist who built one of the most loyal grassroots fanbases in the genre without major-label backing. His catalog leans on honest, narrative-driven songwriting, and his live shows have sold out venues across the Southeast for years. He is exactly the kind of artist OnesToWatch champions: authentic, powerful onstage, and ready for a wider national spotlight.
Smith also opens the September 25, 2026 Athens, GA date at Akins Ford Arena alongside Wim Tapley & The Cannons, which makes him one of the most visible recurring support acts on the Work of Heart Tour's fall run.
Grab Chattanooga tickets while they're available
Upcoming Dates Without Announced Openers
Several Work of Heart Tour stops still do not list support acts. The most notable is the December 31, 2026 New Year's Eve show at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas, which has no opening act announced as of September 4, 2026.
Additional dates on the broader routing without publicly confirmed support include Manteo, NC (September 6), Pittsburgh, PA (September 8), Madison, IN (September 12), Nashville, TN (September 27), Hidalgo, TX (October 8), El Dorado, AR (October 10), Waco, TX (October 16), and Natchitoches, LA (October 17). Fans should check this guide, venue websites, and Flatland Cavalry's official social channels for updates as announcements roll out.
What the Support Lineup Says About the Tour
The Work of Heart Tour's support lineup blends established Texas and Southern country acts with rising regional names. Corey Smith's appearances in both Chattanooga and Athens show that Flatland Cavalry is backing artists with strong grassroots credibility. The Jack Wharff Band, a Richmond, Virginia group that blends country, bluegrass, and rock and has signed with Big Machine Records, appears on multiple dates, including Harrisonburg and Charlotte, which reinforces the tour's focus on acts close to a breakthrough.
OnesToWatch has tracked this discovery pipeline for over a decade. The platform spotlighted Billie Eilish and Chappell Roan before either became a household name, and the same editorial instinct now highlights Corey Smith as a name worth knowing. Flatland Cavalry themselves are described by Rolling Stone as being “at the fore of the red dirt renaissance” and have earned seven #1 singles at Texas Country Radio, back-to-back ACM Group of the Year nominations, and over 1 billion streams worldwide. Consequently, the artists they bring on tour signal who is likely to break through next.
Secure your spot for a Work of Heart Tour date
Explore OnesToWatch's 2026 Top 30 Artists To Watch
How to Confirm the Opener for Your Date
The Work of Heart Tour rotates its support acts by city, so fans should double-check who is playing their specific show. The most reliable ways to confirm your opener include:
- Checking the official venue website for your show, since venue event pages usually publish confirmed support acts first.
- Following Flatland Cavalry's official social media accounts, where the band often announces openers in the days leading up to each show.
- Reviewing your ticket confirmation email, which sometimes lists support acts once they are finalized.
- Bookmarking this page, as OnesToWatch updates this guide when new confirmations arrive.
Opening sets on tours of this scale typically run 25–40 minutes per act, so arriving at door time is the best way to catch every opener. This matters especially on multi-act bills like the Athens date, where both Corey Smith and Wim Tapley & The Cannons are performing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is opening for Flatland Cavalry on the Work of Heart Tour?
The tour features a rotating lineup of support acts that varies by city and date. As detailed in the date list above, several shows already have confirmed openers, while others still list support as TBA.
Who is Corey Smith?
Corey Smith is an independent country artist from Georgia known for his narrative songwriting and strong live following built without major-label support. He is confirmed as an opener for Flatland Cavalry's September 11, 2026 show in Chattanooga, Tennessee, at Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Auditorium, and for the September 25, 2026 show in Athens, Georgia, at Akins Ford Arena at The Classic Center. See the spotlight section above for more on his background and live presence.
Does the opener change at every Work of Heart Tour stop?
Yes. The Work of Heart Tour does not carry a single support act for the full run. Different artists open different dates, and some shows feature multiple openers on the same bill. Fans should verify the lineup for their specific date through the venue's event page or Flatland Cavalry's official channels.
Who is Flatland Cavalry?
Flatland Cavalry is a six-piece roots-country band from Lubbock, Texas, formed in 2012 and fronted by vocalist and songwriter Cleto Cordero. The band has earned seven #1 singles at Texas Country Radio, back-to-back ACM Group of the Year nominations, and over 1 billion streams worldwide. Their fifth studio album, Work of Heart, arrived in 2026 and gives the current tour its name. The band's music has appeared in Twisters, The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes, Paramount's Yellowstone and Landman, and Netflix's The Ranch.
Is the December 31, 2026 Fort Worth show sold out?
As of September 4, 2026, the New Year's Eve show at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth has not announced any opening acts, and ticket availability has not been confirmed as sold out. Fans should check the Dickies Arena event page directly for the most current ticket status.
Why This Guide Matters for Flatland Cavalry Fans
This guide brings every confirmed Work of Heart Tour opener into a single, date-ordered resource and includes OnesToWatch's exclusive confirmation of Corey Smith for the September 11, 2026 Chattanooga show. The page will update as additional support acts are announced across remaining tour dates. For fans who want to stay ahead of the next wave of country talent, the same editorial instinct that surfaces these openers also drives OnesToWatch's annual artist selections. The artists opening for Flatland Cavalry this year may be headlining their own tours sooner than many listeners expect.