Turnpike Trubadours’ Mile 0 Fest Performance Features Pint-Sized Stage Crasher
The Turnpike Troubadours were the headliners at Mile 0 Fest in Key West, Florida on Friday night (2-9), and despite putting on an top notch performance as usual, a half-pint visitor on the stage nearly stole the show. During a week that has seen many guest performers make their way on stage to sing each other’s songs, it was the son of Turnpike Troubadours lead guitarist Ryan Engleman who may have left the most memorable mark.
As many Turnpike Troubadours fans can attest, Ryan Engleman has a signature move during guitar solos where he puts his boot on the stage monitor and lunges out towards the crowd. Well like father like son, JR Engleman who had wondered on the stage early in their set took instruction from his dad of how to do the monitor stand as both the crowd and the rest of the Turnpike Troubadours watched along in stitches (see photos below).
But JR was not satisfied with this brief brush with fame. After perfecting the monitor stand, the younger Engleman slipped back behind the pedal steel guitar rig of Hammerin’ Hank Early (who was playing accordion at the time), adjusted the mic almost as if a little annoyed it wasn’t at the right height for him, and started singing away in the middle of a song. It was hard for some to see near the back of the stage, but the whole time a cameraman was beaming the activities of the young JR Engleman onto the jumbo screen blanketing the back of the stage. It was at this time that mom stepped in, and young JR made his curtain call.
The Turnpike Troubadours were not the only ones who made their Mile 0 Fest performances a family affair. Cody Canada’s oldest song Dierks Canada played with both Ray Wylie Hubbard, and his dad’s band The Departed over the weekend, holding his own and then some on lead guitar.
Other significant moments of the Turnpike Troubadours set included guest vocals from Jamie Lin Wilson on “Pay No Rent,” and bassist RC Edwards leading the band after the encore with fiddler Kyle Nix filling in on bass. Turnpike finished the set with Saving Country Music’s 2015 Song of the Year, “The Bird Hunters.”
Saturday’s Mile 0 Fest main stage lineup sees headliner performances by John Moreland, Shooter Jennings, and Cody Jinks. Stay tuned for more stories and a full recap from Mile 0 Fest upcoming from Saving Country Music. You can also keep up with the Mile 0 Fest doings via Saving Country Music’s Instagram, as well as Instagram feeds of photographers Brad Coolidge and Patrick Tewey who contributed photos to this story.
JR Engleman learns the monitor stand from pops:
JR Engleman decides tests his skills on vocals and steel guitar:
(caught on the screen behind the stage)
Dierks Canada Looking Cool, Playing with The Departed:
February 10, 2018 @ 10:28 am
So disappointed that I couldn’t make it work to get down there this weekend.
February 10, 2018 @ 11:03 am
Lol
February 10, 2018 @ 12:27 pm
Say hi to Shooter for us! 🤘🏻
February 10, 2018 @ 1:01 pm
I have a question:
Is this cute?
Is something inherently funny about children?
What is it about children that is so endearing that when they do things people become so happy?
If I pay to see a performer and their kid causes a disruption I’m usually a bit let down. if the performer tries to shove their kids on me and show me how great they are and have them sing off key and strum a tiny guitar I get a bit irritated because that’s not what I want to see.
It’s especially bad when its kids in the audience.
I’m not a super avid concert goer.
I just don’t like the way people are at shows. at small shows there are always dancers blocking the view, at big shows there are drunks everywhere and people holding other people in the air and making noise.
there’s snobbish old women who frown on people like me.
For instance when I saw Willie Nelson this lady tore into me for my parking. I parked specifically away from everyone else because I don’t want people parking around my van, I love my van.
When I saw the Time Jumpers some woman a row in front of me condescendingly referred to Ranger Doug Green as “one of those Roy Rogers singing cowboys.”
and then there are performers who take half an hour to show me their three kids and how “well” they play.
Anyone else wish we could just sit and let the performers come out and tell us about their songs and play their favorite songs and tell stories and jokes without loud people and dancers?
February 10, 2018 @ 1:28 pm
Damn, how old are you dude? Nobody wants to sit down in the middle of a show and just behave themselves and I’m sure if we all did that then most of the artists we were watching would think that we were all bored and probably cut their sets short.
February 10, 2018 @ 1:49 pm
I’m in my twenties, friend.
I’m just saying, it’s a concert, not a rave.
dancers are loud and make a lot of noise and when there aren’t good dancing areas they block the view. people holding other people up block the view. people are always on their phones (admittedly I like to take a picture or two at concerts but I try to do it as politely as possible and without flash or backlights)
I just don’t like how concerts have turned into raves
I did a paper in college based on SCM articles about the way Lule Bryan fans leave trash everywhere and the guy who died at the Aldean show.
those kinds of concerts generally are raves but nobody goes there for the music.
it’s great to see performers live but concerts can be so emotionally taxing just because people are rude or the performers want me to watch their kid play a half-size fiddle.
best concert I ever saw was David Frizzell, and there was just this connection between him and the audience and they were enraptured and they let him introduce the songs without cheering and throwing beers and he got to explain where the songs came from and answer questions from the audience.
simply amazing
February 10, 2018 @ 4:13 pm
You must be a hoot at parties….
February 10, 2018 @ 4:59 pm
Why does this sound familiar 🤔
February 10, 2018 @ 6:25 pm
I long for the for the day where there were places adults could go to be it with only other adults. Children sitting at a bar? That’s just plain inappropriate. A bar is a a place for adults only. I havent been to a strip joint in decades. Are they allowing children in those now too? We need to bring back a sense of boundary and appropriation. I mean, I don’t take a cooler of beer and park myself in the playground area of McDonald’s so please don’t park your toys in my tavern.
February 10, 2018 @ 8:44 pm
Where is it legal for a kid to sit at a bar?
February 11, 2018 @ 7:05 am
I see it everywhere I go. Is it legal? I have no idea.
February 11, 2018 @ 2:34 pm
See, here’s the thing:
children are loud and messy.
at a restaurant, they are loud, messy, and sometimes they need a space-consuming high chair.
the chair slows down servers, and the noisy kids detract from the experience of others, who in turn tip less.
small/loud children basically are the bane of a server’s existence.
if you work in retail then kids are probably ruining your shelves.
and this isn’t the kid’s fault but it is their parents fault.
basically children 6 and under can be a major disruption to workplaces.
but the militant mom crowd really doesn’t want to pay extra so that other diners can have discounted meals when her kid ruins their experience by screaming. they hate being asked to leave and always assume its people who hate kids, and not that their kids are problematic.
tickets are expensive, nobody wants to go see willie nelson sing accompanied by a screaming toddler..
but the militant moms will not only refuse to pay for other attendees’ tickets after ruining their evening, they will gather the other militant moms and blackball a venue that made them leave.
A lot of restaurants want to ban small children. this is a measurable and non-negotiable fact. but mom blogs will level the blame on servers.
when you are in a place with other humans you are expected to cause minimal disruption, ESPECIALLY in a place people have invested money and time into attending.
please be considerate of people who worked really hard and spent a lot of money to go to a concert or a restaurant (because lots of people are poor)
And to top it all off? studies have shown that tables with children are among the worst tippers.
February 11, 2018 @ 2:47 pm
“Kids sitting in bars,” gave us Elizabeth Cook and her backstory and a lot of material for her (amazing) songwriting. I’m good with it…
February 10, 2018 @ 6:52 pm
Holy shit dude, the average 90 yr old down at the local nursing home is more lively and less uptight than you. This isn’t the friggin opera.
February 11, 2018 @ 2:35 pm
See, when I spent forty dollars a ticket, I want to enjoy the moment.
that means I wanna hear the performer, their stories, their thoughts.
not dancers loudly having fun (disruptive)
not children (disruptive)
not people’s phones (disruptive)
because I spent a lot of money to do this
February 14, 2018 @ 9:39 pm
You were a kid once.
You probably shouldn’t have any by the sound of it.
February 15, 2018 @ 2:49 pm
I would have gotten kicked into next week if I was loud or disruptive. my parents raised a decent human being.
February 15, 2018 @ 3:23 pm
JR wasn’t being disruptive. His parents as well as the rest of the band allowed him to be on stage. He’s just as much as part of a band as the guys on stage.
February 12, 2018 @ 7:07 am
I bet you’re a real hit at parties.
February 12, 2018 @ 1:44 pm
I’m with you on the way people often behave at concerts. I don’t have a problem with people having fun, but why can’t they show some consideration for other people at the show? Is blocking other people’s view the ONLY way to have fun?
I do a lot of concert photography, where it’s allowed. I usually don’t have formal credentials so I strictly follow the rules that apply to any ticket-buying fan. It can be hard to follow the rules when everybody else at the show is lustily breaking them but I guess that’s the price for having principles. I just wish the people would stop sticking their damn cell phones up over their heads and blocking the view of those behind them. Damn it, my ticket cost just as much as yours did.
And before anybody asks, yes I’m old. Does being young entitle you to being a pain in the rump?
February 16, 2018 @ 12:27 pm
I went to a concert and the woman in front of me proceeded to block my view by grinding on her front and loudly screaming totally ruined the whole experience
February 10, 2018 @ 1:48 pm
Sunny Sweeney gave u a huge plug @milezerofest “badass website”!
February 10, 2018 @ 9:02 pm
Kids love rock n roll too. Thanks for letting mine take the stage and get some experience.
February 11, 2018 @ 2:53 pm
He looked a little nervous with Ray Wylie. (Who wouldn’t? 😀 ) A little more comfortable with Cody and the Departed.
I think the dude above might be yanking our chains, but it didn’t seem to bother anybody around me.
February 11, 2018 @ 4:58 am
It was adorable to see the kid rock for a couple of songs and not at all disruptive to the show or the mood. In fact, it seemed to put Evan in a great mood. 10/10, would buy a ticket to see that kid again 🙂
February 11, 2018 @ 8:31 am
I like seeing the kids get into the music. That’s how we keep this stuff alive, folks. My son gets up and plays guitar with my band on occasion when it’s age appropriate. I don’t do it to exploit him or show him off…he’s a great player,and loves it deeply. Much like Dierks Canada does, and little JR is sure to.
February 11, 2018 @ 3:24 pm
Yeah, I get the idea that Dierks and his brother love music like their dad loves it, and every bit as much. I’d be interested to see if either of them takes it up like Cody did.
February 11, 2018 @ 3:30 pm
Turnpike’s my #1 small venue concert!
Have a few shots with the band and enjoy the show, kids and dancers are part of it. I haven’t seen any kids at the bars and usually not up front either.
February 11, 2018 @ 3:36 pm
There is nothing like seeing “The Bird Hunters” live. I remember in Philly how they sang during it their encore. Holy crap, it was amazing.
February 11, 2018 @ 3:39 pm
It was the last song of their Friday show. They’re just so damn good.
February 12, 2018 @ 7:07 am
“Cody Canada’s oldest song Dierks…”
His oldest song huh?
February 12, 2018 @ 11:06 am
I’ve taken my 3 year old to a couple shows at outdoor venues (general admission) starting with Isbell when he was 6-8 months old. I’m contemplating taking him to a festival this summer but I’m not sure I can handle it. Anyone who lets their kid(s) yell and scream through a show has no respect for the music – let alone others – and is a selfish a-hole. But as a parent and a music lover I feel its my responsibility to share that love with my son. If I don’t THAT is selfish.
Yesterday my buddy and I took our boys to a family friendly casual restaurant. Service was great and I left the waitress a 50% tip. So no, small children aren’t always the “bane of a server’s existence.”
February 12, 2018 @ 1:10 pm
Taking kids to fancy restaurants is how you teach them how to act at fancy restaurants. Taking kids to McDonald’s all the time means they only know how to act like they’re at McDonald’s. No, I don’t have kids. No, I don’t really even like kids. But my two nieces went everywhere from a very young age – fancy restaurants, McDonald’s, concerts, funerals, their cousins’ school programs, the emergency room when their grandmother got sick – and they know how to act appropriately now, everywhere. Otherwise they would be little heathens like the ones that Fuzzy hates. I hate those too!
February 12, 2018 @ 1:20 pm
Not so cute. You don’t belong on stage if you need to wear heavy duty ear protection.
February 12, 2018 @ 1:27 pm
I almost gave them a second chance. They are touring 3 cities close enough for me to drive in March, but the concert calendar is booked – Deer Tick, Tyler Childers, Alan Jackson, Lee Ann Womack (in Nashville) beat them to the concert budget for the Spring.
February 12, 2018 @ 1:31 pm
And kids are OK if they are into the show. I went to a Chris Knight acoustic show at the Hard Rock in Pittsburgh and they must have seated dinner patrons in a separate room, but they had to walk through the concert area to get to the bathrooms. Kids were running up and down this ramp behind us screaming and yelling not giving a fuck about the concert. I won’t ever see another show at Hard Rock.
It’s also tough to get fucked up in front of kids. And some shows I just want to get fucked up. I might accidentally stomp on a little kid.
February 13, 2018 @ 6:00 pm
Off topic but has anyone else heard the Hugh Masterson EP? I like it. Better than kids in bars. 😉