There is a reason the indefinite hiatus of the vaunted Turnpike Troubadours hit fans so hard, almost like losing a relative. The way you leaned on the band’s music to make it through hard times, and celebrate the good ones, it’s tough to fathom a world without the voice and songs of Evan Felker backed by the boys from Oklahoma.
“It really is a representation of what we’re trying to do here, which is connecting the greatest music in Austin with country music in a greater sense,” Bruce Robison says about the upcoming compilation. Though all the names and songs are worth getting excited over, it’s Turnpike Troubadours frontman Evan Felker that has many talking.
Add Sturgill Simpson to the list of things in society that are extremely polarizing, right up there with politics, religion, LeBron James, pumpkin spice, and whatever else people get worked up about, with half the world professing something or someone is utter and unequivocal garbage, while the other half can’t contain their enthusiasm.
“Yellowstone” provided a ton of music and artists for fans of the show to explore, especially throughout the country and roots realm, and especially artists that the mainstream often ignores. And the success of the show has also resulted in deserved attention for the songs and artists featured.
The commonality of criticizing country radio within the ranks of country music’s classic and independent fans is pretty severe, and for good reason. Generally speaking, country radio is a blob of nationalized playlists and unimaginative music, and no curation by the DJs on the ground in local markets. But this doesn’t mean all radio is bad.
The Paramount Western series Yellowstone starring Kevin Costner doesn’t just make for compelling television, it also works as a great discovery mechanism for good country and roots music that much of the rest of popular culture ignores. Season 2 of the series that started in June has been no different.
The Turnpike Troubadours may be on indefinite hiatus at the moment, but you’ll get to see the band’s hot shit guitar player Ryan Engleman soon at a Reckless Kelly show near you. After the departure of long-time Reckless Kelly guitarist David Abeyta in February, it has been a revolving cast of characters filling the big […]
Crockett is also readying the release of his fourth album in two years called The Valley, and many of the songs chronicle Crockett’s struggles with his serious health condition, and the re-evalation of life such an experience can inspire. Recorded just a week before he went in for surgery, The Valley will be released via Son of Davy/Thirty Tigers.
Any Turnpike Troubadours fan worth their salt already knows all about the lineage of the girl named Lorrie through multiple Turnpike Troubadours songs. Lorrie is not the only recurring character in the Turnpike Troubadours universe though. This is all the genius of Turnpike’s frontman and primary songwriter Evan Felker.
Fans of country and Red Dirt’s Turnpike Troubadours were left forlorn late last month when it was announced that the band would be going on an indefinite hiatus amid a rash of cancelled shows and concerns for frontman Evan Felker, which begs the question of who might be able to step up to fill this important void.
The breakup rumors are untrue, but the upcoming touring commitments by the Turnpike Troubadours will not be met, and the band has announced they are going on an indefinite hiatus as frontman Evan Felker continues to battle through personal issues that have resulted in numerous cancelled performances.
Mere hours ahead of a scheduled appearance at the White Oak Music Hall in Houston, Texas Friday night (5-24), the Turnpike Troubadours have canceled the performance, their other performances this weekend, and perhaps all future performances, as the future of the band is left uncertain in a troubling statement by the band.
Big names in country music turned out on Tuesday, May 7th, for a benefit concert for Byron Berline and his Double Stop Fiddle Shop in Guthrie, Oklahoma. But immediately as the Turnpike Troubadours began to play, long-time fans of the band could tell something was off with frontman Evan Felker.
The Turnpike Troubadours and Jason Boland and the Stragglers have just announced the lineup for the 2019 Medicine Stone Festival on the grounds of the beautiful Diamondhead Resort in the Turnpike’s home town of Talequah, Oklahoma. The lineup has expanded to 32 names in 2019.
For years, St. Louis Cardinals lead off man and franchise face Matt Carpenter has been helping to spread the goodness of the Turnpike Troubadours by featuring their song “Long Hot Summer Day” as his walk up music when he goes to bat. Now he’s added songs by Cody Jinks and the Band of Heathens.
If you’re looking for something to do this Labor Day weekend and you’re within a reasonable driving distance of Manchester, Kentucky, taking in the Manchester Music Fest August 29th to 31st may not be a bad idea at all. Now in its second year, the festival features a lineup that is capped off by the Turnpike Troubadours.
The boys from Tahlequah, Oklahoma known as the Turnpike Troubadours traveled down to Houston on Saturday (3-2) to take advantage of their first ever berth on the biggest stage in Texas—the star-shaped one in the center of the NRG Stadium as part of the annual Rodeo Houston production.
Yes, there was yet even more drama with a Turnpike Troubadours performance, and another show that was almost cancelled. But this time it was in no way the band’s fault. In fact they were the ones that insisted the show go on, and pushed through the issues to offer attendees a full performance, and give fans a happy ending.
Not that daily updates upon the doings of the Turnpike Troubadours are necessary, but with the recent “touch and go” nature of their tour schedule, and the band’s timid efforts at communication, many fans and ticket holders for upcoming shows have a vested interest in staying up-to-date with just how they’re doing.
The Turnpike Troubadours have weathered whatever the latest drama was that had the band cancelling numerous live appearances recently due to “unforeseen circumstances,” and they will be hitting the road to perform all currently scheduled dates, at least for now.
It will never be the easiest festival to get to for anyone. It’s certainly not the cheapest when it comes to ticket prices, accommodations, or incidentals. But what’s for certain after the second year of Mile 0 Fest in Key West, Florida, is that this is Texas and Red Dirt’s premier musical event each year.
The Turnpike Troubadours are not done yet. This was the news coming out of Mile 0 Fest last weekend in Key West, Florida, where the Oklahoma-based Red Dirt country band was scheduled to play, but cancelled the appearance last minute along with multiple other shows.
How people feel about the Turnpike Troubadours at the moment depends a lot on who you speak to, and if they’ve been personally caught up in some of the recent cancellations. But when it comes to their fellow artists in the Texas/Red Dirt scene assembled at this week at Mile 0 Fest, it’s love, concern, and respect.
Texas music legend Charlie Robison will be making a rare public appearance since retiring from music in September of 2018 as part of a special tribute being put together at this week’s Mile 0 Fest in Key West, Florida. Mile 0 Fest also addresses the Turnpike Troubadours cancellation.