Turnpike Troubadours are back after a hiatus in which lead singer Evan Felker worked on his sobriety. They’re selling out shows across the country, including a couple at Red Rocks earlier this year. And they’re announcing new dates all the time. In a new interview with CMT, bassist R.C. Edwards is sharing more about the band’s return.
“It’s been awesome to be back,” he said. “We kind of timed our break about right. We quit playing shows a little before COVID-19. So we were already on break and had nothing planned when it happened. We couldn’t have toured if we wanted to. We got a good couple of years of rest, and now everyone’s fired up to be back out doing it again.”
Everyone in the band went off and did their own thing during the hiatus. Fiddle player Kyle Nix released a solo album titled Lightening on the Mountain and Other Short Stories. Drummer Gabe Pearson went back to college at Oklahoma State. Edwards spent some time with his other band, RC and the Ambers.
“Everyone definitely got to spend more time at home with their families, friends, and a lot of ranching,” he said. “It was very nice to reset and just get back to normal. Some of us got into other musical projects. Kyle and Gabe worked together, and I focused more on my band. Both of us put out records. As much as we love it…it’s just not the same as this band, the Turnpike Troubadours.”
New Turnpike Troubadours Music is on the Way
Turnpike Troubadours just sold out a pair of nights at Nashville’s historic Ryman Auditorium. They are selling out everywhere right now. But when will we hear new music from the band? Soon.
“We have done some studio work and a lot of writing,” Edwards said. “We’ve got a record in the works. There will be singles rolling out when we get that planned out. But that’s the next big thing this year – a new album and a tour supporting that.”
They have one more summer show on Saturday in Kansas at Azura Amphitheater. Then, they’ll take a little bit of a break before getting back after it in October. It picks back up with three shows at Whitewater Amphitheater in New Braunfels, Tex. October 20-22. They’ll roar through the South hitting sheds in Raleigh, Tuscaloosa, Atlanta and Jacksonville.
The trek concludes with what may be their biggest personal milestone to date. They’ll perform at a sold out Paycom Center in Oklahoma City on November 12. That’s the hometown show, and that’s an arena for a band that spent their entire career playing in smoky bars with televisions on in the back. Check out all of their tour dates and see if there is any way that you can find tickets at their website.
