Evan Felker is the best songwriter of his generation.
Nothing against the other great songwriters in roots music, but no one has been able to capture me as a music listener quite like the Turnpike Troubadours' frontman.
We all know the story by now. A few years back, Turnpike went on "indefinite hiatus" while Felker sorted out some personal issues. Then in November of last year, we got some new social media posts from the Oklahoma country band hinting that a comeback was imminent.
Fast forward to now, and Turnpike Troubadours are back in action. They're back on tour and we just know that some new music has to be on the way. This past weekend on May 7th, Turnpike stopped by the White Oak Music Hall in Houston, Texas. It was here that Felker played an acoustic version of a new song called "Cat in the Rain." It presumably addresses some of his personal issues in the past:
“You can try to put the past behind,
It’s on your clothes like burning pine,
Is it gin or turpentine you keep in your canteen,
If pressure makes a diamond babe, we still might come out clean…”
Like most other Turnpike fans, I'm ecstatic about their return and new music(hopefully) on the way.