5 of 6 Turnpike Troubadours Reunite at the Corner of Easton & Main

photo: mkf9745 (YouTube)

A lot of country music history has happened at the corner of Easton and Main, on the Cain’s Ballroom floor. Along with the Tulsa, Oklahoma dance hall being the Home of Bob Wills and seeing a dizzying amount of talent take that stage over the decades, it was also one of the launching pads for the Turnpike Troubadours.

For months folks were convinced that the show Saturday night, December 4th pairing up the side projects of Turnpike Troubadours fiddler Kyle Nix called the 38’s, and bass player/songwriter RC Edwards called RC and the Ambers, was a front for a secret Turnpike Troubadours reunion show to knock off cobwebs, and give their hometown crowd a treat.

Tickets were bought, and in some cases, hotels reserved and out-of-state travel plans booked by folks hoping and praying this was the case. Even the assurances by both Kyle Nix and RC Edwards that this wouldn’t be an official Turnpike reunification were scoffed at as a smokescreen by some. Lo and behold, the show was as advertised, with Evan Felker nowhere to be found (and folks chanting his name in the crowd at one point). But a great show transpired nonetheless, and some Turnpike Troubadours music was featured with five of the six members at one point all taking the stage together.

After the two side projects had their opportunities to perform, both bands along with some special guests assembled for a massive grand finale. Starting with a more svelte-looking RC Edwards singing Billy Joe Shaver’s “Georgia on a Fast Train,” they then launched (appropriately) into the Turnpike Troubadours song “Easton & Main” co-sung by RC and Kyle Nix, and then finished up with “1968” from Turnpike’s Diamonds and Gasoline album (see below).

There were a dizzying amount of folks on the stage and so it’s hard to name them all off. But along with Kyle Nix, RC Edwards, Turnpike guitarist Ryan Engleman, Turnpike drummer Gabriel Pearson, and Turnpike steel guitarist Hammerin’ Hank Early, there were two bass players including former American Aquarium member Bill Corbin, Amber Watson from RC and the Ambers, singer/songwriter Ken Pomeroy, members of Chris Jones and the Flycatchers, a championship boxing or wrestling belt (?), and a trumpeter for ol’ Bob Wills.

Earlier in the night, Kyle Nix came out to perform “The Bird Hunters” with the opening band Chris Jones and the Flycatchers, as well as RC and the Ambers doing some Turnpike tunes, including “7&7.”

So no, the Turnpike Troubadours did not officially reunite on stage Saturday night. That won’t happen until May 2022 in Colorado. But attendees did get the next best thing and a memorable show, while not having to fight each other for $700 tickets thanks to AXS.

And don’t worry, whether you missed Saturday night or a chance to score tickets to see them at Red Rocks in the spring, more opportunities will surely be on the way.

“We’re gonna be seeing you soon…” Kyle Nix said.

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