Turnpike Troubadours – “Just Like Old Times”

Turnpike Troubadours are an American country music band from Tahlequah, Oklahoma, recognised for their distinctive blend of Red Dirt, honky-tonk, Americana and roots-based country rock.

Founded in 2005 by singer-songwriter Evan Felker and bassist R.C. Edwards, the six-piece group also includes fiddle, guitar, steel and drums, and has built a reputation on authentic storytelling rooted in rural life, character-driven lyrics and electrifying live performances.

The band established their own label imprint, Bossier City Records, and released several acclaimed albums, including Goodbye Normal Street, The Turnpike Troubadours and A Long Way from Your Heart; their 2015 self-titled album reached the Billboard 200. After a hiatus beginning in 2019, they reunited in 2021, returning with new music and continued touring.

Review

Turnpike Troubadours honour the late Todd Snider with a moving, roots-steeped cover of Just Like Old Times, paying tribute to one of the most singular storytellers in American songwriting. Stripping the song back to its narrative bones, the band leans into the vivid character work and emotional nuance that made Snider’s original so beloved. Evan Felker’s vocal brings a weary warmth, carrying both admiration and lived-in familiarity, while the band’s understated arrangement lets the storytelling take centre stage. More than a cover, it’s a heartfelt salute to an artist who shaped their early sensibilities and helped define a generation of Americana writing.