It’s been a banner year for Oklahoma country outfit Turnpike Troubadours, who are basking in the glow of their surprise reunion. After the band announced they would be going on an indefinite hiatus in 2019, many fans were unsure if they would ever take the stage together again.
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That all changed in November 2021 when frontman Evan Felker announced he had started a new chapter in his personal life, embracing sobriety and reconnecting with his bandmates. Since the release of their debut record in 2007, Turnpike Troubadours have navigated incredible highs and near career-ending lows—and they aren’t done yet.
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On August 25, they’ll release their long-awaited new album A Cat in the Rain, marking their first full-length project in six years. As we await the arrival of their latest batch of music, let’s take a look back at the tracks that showcase why they’ve built such a large and loyal fanbase.
From “Good Lord Lorrie” to “Mean Old Sun,” here are 10 Turnpike Troubadours songs every music fan should know.
10. “Whole Damn Town”
If you’re in the midst of an excruciating heartache, it can sometimes feel like that person’s ghost is following you everywhere. That’s the general theme of this gritty cut from their 2010 record Diamonds & Gasoline, which finds Felker venting his frustrations over those lingering memories.
9. “Mean Old Sun”
Earlier this year, the band marked their official return to music with the release of “Mean Old Sun.” Their first new single in six years fittingly tells of a journey toward sunnier days after pushing through difficult times.
8. “The Bird Hunters”
This incredible cut from the band’s 2015 self-titled album is, in simplistic terms, a poetic examination of a man dealing with a devastating loss. Felker paints an engaging picture of life events unfolding while the narrator stays in the eerie quiet of a duck blind.
7. “The Housefire”
Another expertly-written story song, “The Housefire” examines a couple’s escape from their burning home while trying to keep their relationship from fizzling out. That feeling of chaos and uncertainty from a sudden and devastating life shift emits from every line of the track.
6. “Diamonds & Gasoline”
This vulnerable title track finds Felker at a crossroads, trying to decide if it’s time to commit or keep rambling onwards. Unlike most testosterone-driven outlaw country tunes in this thematic vein, “Diamonds & Gasoline” keeps a sense of sweet honesty, even through his evident uncertainty at what to do next.
5. “Gin, Smoke, Lies”
Few subjects are more fitting for a country song than the bitter pain of heartbreak. That mix of anxiety, suspicion, and pain is at the heart of the band’s cutting “Gin, Smoke, Lies.” Felker’s pointed accusations hit even harder when accompanied by his bandmates’ fiery fiddle and driving acoustic guitar.
4. “Long Hot Summer Day”
The final track on Diamonds & Gasoline is “Long Hot Summer Day,” the Turnpike Troubadours’ rendition of a 1976 John Hartford original has become a fan favorite. The bold, fiddle-driven tune is a pivotal part of their live performances, which often evoke massive sing-alongs from the audience.
3. “Pay No Rent”
Turnpike Troubadours’ 2017 album A Long Way From Your Heart helped elevate the band from a headliner of the Texas country scene to a mainstream act. The success of that album grew from the brilliant lyricism of tracks like “Pay No Rent,” which relays a feeling of deep affection through streamlined poeticism.
2. “Good Lord Lorrie”
This staple of the Troubadours’ live sets also marks the debut of Lorrie, a character who shows up in multiple tracks recorded later in their career (see No. 7 on this list). The cut from their 2012 record Goodbye Normal Street finds Felker looking back on a relationship that left a lasting impact, even if it didn’t have a happy ending.
1. “7&7”
At the top spot of our list is “7&7,” the infectious yet poetic standout from Turnpike Troubadours’ 2010 record Diamonds & Gasoline. It’s a perfect example of Felker’s ability to mix thoughtful songwriting with instrumentation that sucks you in from the first few seconds.
Photo Credit: David McClister
