The Turnpike Troubadours are an American country music band formed in 2005 in Tahlequah, Oklahoma, by vocalist-guitarist Evan Felker and bassist RC Edwards. Over time, the group’s lineup solidified with Felker, Edwards, fiddler Kyle Nix, guitarist Ryan Engleman, drummer Gabriel Pearson, and multi-instrumentalist Hank Early. Known for blending red-dirt country, folk, honky-tonk, and Americana, the band built its reputation on vivid storytelling rooted in rural life, heartland struggles, and sharply drawn characters.

They released their debut album Bossier City in 2007, which helped establish an early grassroots following. Their 2012 album Goodbye Normal Street elevated them to wider recognition, followed by their 2015 self-titled album that broke into the Billboard charts and showcased their increasingly refined songwriting. In 2017, A Long Way from Your Heart reinforced the band’s status as one of the most respected acts in the Americana and red-dirt scenes, praised for both their lyrical depth and electric live performances.

In 2019, the band announced an indefinite hiatus due to personal challenges and front-man Evan Felker’s highly publicized battle with addiction. After several years away, they reunited in 2022 to an overwhelmingly positive response, returning to touring and releasing their 2023 album A Cat in the Rain. The comeback marked a period of renewed focus, artistic clarity, and emotional honesty — solidifying their legacy as one of the most influential modern country-roots bands of their generation.