Turnpike Troubadours

Biography

The Turnpike Troubadours are an American country music band formed in 2005 in Tahlequah, Oklahoma by lead singer and guitarist Evan Felker and bassist R.C. Edwards. Within their first month of formation, the band recorded their debut album, Bossier City, to have merchandise to sell at live shows in the Oklahoma bar scene. The group gradually built momentum through the Oklahoma and Texas Red Dirt scenes, releasing their sophomore album Diamonds & Gasoline in 2010, followed by their breakthrough album Goodbye Normal Street in 2012, which charted at number 14 on the country charts, number 3 on the folk charts, and number 23 on the rock charts.

By 2015, the Turnpike Troubadours had achieved mainstream success with their self-titled album, which peaked at number 3 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart and charted inside the Top 5 on Billboard's U.S. Country, Folk, Rock and Indie charts. Their 2017 album A Long Way from Your Heart further cemented their status as skilled storytellers and dynamic live performers, peaking at number 3 on the country charts and establishing them as one of the biggest draws on the Americana circuit. However, the band's trajectory was interrupted when they entered an indefinite hiatus in 2019 due to lead singer Evan Felker's struggles with addiction. After finding sobriety and regrouping, the band announced their reunion in January 2022, holding their first comeback shows in April 2022 at Cain's Ballroom, followed by performances at Red Rocks Amphitheatre.

The Turnpike Troubadours are recognized as one of the premier exports of the Red Dirt Country sound, synthesizing populist political folk, outlaw-styled honky-tonk, bluegrass, Cajun, and rock dynamics. Their musical style has been identified as honky-tonk by band co-founder R.C. Edwards. The band has released six studio albums to date, with their most recent album A Cat In The Rain released in 2023. The current lineup consists of Evan Felker, R.C. Edwards, Kyle Nix, Ryan Engleman, Gabriel Pearson, and Hank Early.

Fun Facts

• The band's debut album Bossier City is now difficult to find and no longer appears on most streaming platforms, making it a 'lost' record in their discography despite being their first official release.
• Evan Felker recorded the debut album Bossier City within just one month of forming the band in 2005, and Felker himself later stated that the musical arrangements were 'not a good representation' of what the band would eventually become.
• Following poor performances in late 2018 stemming from Felker's insobriety, the band was forced to cancel 12 shows and subsequently cancelled all remaining tour dates in 2019, entering an indefinite hiatus before reuniting in 2022.
• The band's self-titled 2015 album peaked at number 17 on the Billboard 200 chart and number 3 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart, marking a significant milestone in their transition to mainstream success.

Members

• Giovanni Carnuccio
• Evan Felker - original
• Kyle Nix

Musical Connections

Mentors/Influences

• Woody Guthrie - Stylistic influence on the band's populist, political folk approach (General musical philosophy and approach) [Ongoing influence from Guthrie's legacy]

Key Collaborators

• Kyle Nix - Fiddle player and core band member (All studio albums from 2007-2023) [2005-present]
• Ryan Engleman - Lead guitarist and core band member (All studio albums from 2007-2023) [2005-present]
• Gabriel Pearson - Drummer and core band member (All studio albums from 2007-2023) [2005-present]
• Hank Early - Pedal steel, dobro, and keyboard player; joined as the band expanded to a sextet (A Long Way from Your Heart (2017), A Cat In The Rain (2023)) [2017-present]
• R.C. Edwards - Co-founder and bassist (All studio albums from 2007-2023) [2005-present]

External Links

• Spotify
• Wikipedia
• MusicBrainz

Tags: #americana, #country-folk, #country-rock