RC & the Ambers: Big Country
R.C. Edwards was the foundation on which the Turnpike Troubadours was built. He was always right in the middle of the stage watching Evan Felker’s back, since the beginning of the band, in 2005. RC & the Ambers has been keeping Edwards busy since the Troubadours went on indefinite hiatus in the summer of 2019.
Edwards wrote or co-wrote more of the Turnpike Troubadours great songs than many realize, but seemed content to remain mostly in the background until his moment to shine came during the encore set. That was when he set the bass down, picked up the acoustic guitar and stepped up to the mic to sing “Drunk, High, and Loud.”
Turnpike fans will be pleased to see that Red Dirt party anthem included on Big Country, as well as “Fall Out of Love,” (originally found on Turnpike’s self-titled 2015 release) reworked here into a duet featuring the dynamic vocals of Amber Watson. Turnpike multi-instrumentalist Hank Early brings his talents on board with several beautiful pedal steel solos and is credited with co-producing the record along with Edwards. He also penned “Oklahoma Beach Body,” one of the more fun songs on the disc. Turnpike fiddler Kyle Nix is featured on the Tahlequah-centric “Assassination of Ned Christie.” Troubadours drummer Gabe Pearson also fills that role for this RC & the Ambers release. The song “Compass” feels like it could have been included on a Turnpike Troubadours record but the arrangement here featuring the trumpet of Cory Graves (Vandoliers) prevents any further comparisons.
The title track is a tribute to former Oklahoma State basketball player Bryant “Big Country” Reeves who played for the Cowboys from 1991-1995. Several play-by-play broadcast clips throughout the track (including one from Dick Vitale) emphasize the connection. Two tracks stand out as representative of the RC & the Ambers sound: “Astronaut,” and “Let the Whiskey Do the Talking.” Both songs are based in traditional country with lyrics that are thoughtful and clever without being too cute. A heartfelt cover of “The Blues Man” by Hank Williams, Jr also features duet vocals and “Gravy and Biscuits” is one of the fun romps for which RC & the Ambers are known to bring to the stage.
Turnpike Troubadours fans will cherish Big Country as another keepsake reuniting members of the legendary band, but the record should also bring new fans to RC & the Ambers with its strong collection of great songs and a fun vibe.
Find out more about RC & the Ambers below:
