Virginia-based Americana pioneers The Steel Wheels return with new single “Easy,” released via the band’s own Big Ring Records label. With a placid sound that reinforces the song’s title and an earworm of a chorus, the track is deceptively profound, as it finds the band asking whether it’s worth the cost to have the world waiting for us on the other side of our screens.
Listen to “Easy”
Listen to/embed “Easy” via YouTube
Watch the official music video for “Easy”
On the new song, frontman Trent Wagler shares: “We live in the future now. Everything can be discovered and solved with the push of a button. It’s so easy! And we’re so lonely. And it’s not easy. But still, we have it pretty good, right?”
Produced by D. James Goodwin (Goose, Bonny Light Horseman, I’m With Her), who mixed the band’s 2019 album Over The Trees, the song was recorded at Goodwin’s new Shenandoah Valley studio during a snowy Virginia winter. “Easy” follows a series of one off tracks and their critically-acclaimed 2024 LP Sideways, which garnered praise from Billboard, No Depresersion, Relix, The Bluegrass Situation and many more.
This summer, the group celebrated another successful year of their Red Wing Roots Music Festival with a lineup including Joy Oladokun, Hurray For The Riff Raff and many more. Taking place in the band’s home state and founded in 2013, the festival has featured performances from Lucinda Williams, Billy Strings, Dawes and many more. Ever the road warriors, the band is currently on an extensive tour that will take them through Memphis, Denver, Portland and more over the next few months. Find a full list of tour dates below or visit http://thesteelwheels.com/tour.
The Steel Wheels is Trent Wagler (vocals/guitar/banjo), Jay Lapp (guitar/mandolin/vocals), Eric Brubaker (fiddle/vocals), Kevin Garcia (drums/percussion/mallet keyboards), Jeremy Darrow (bass).
The Steel Wheels 2025 Tour Dates
August 20 – Harbor Springs, MI – Nubs Nob Ski Resort
August 22 – Three Oaks, MI – The Acorn
August 23 – Berwyn IL – Fitzgerald’s
August 30 – Front Royal, VA – Appaloosa Festival
August 31 – Martinsville, OH – Nowhere Else Festival
September 6 – Eureka Springs, AR – City Auditorium
September 7 – Memphis, TN – The Hi-Tone Cafe
September 9 – Asheville, NC – The Grey Eagle
September 11 – Ashland, VA – The Ashland Theatre
September 12 & 13 – Bridgewater, VA – Sipe Center
September 25 – Kansas City, MO – Knuckleheads
September 27 – Oklahoma City, OK – The Blue Door
September 28 – Belle Plaine, KS – Bartlett Arboretum
September 29 & 30 – Wray, CO – 4th & Main Downtown Grille
October 1 – Fort Collins, CO – Armory Event Center
October 2 – Pueblo, CO – Brues Alehouse Brewing Co.
October 3 – Denver, CO – Swallow Hill Music
October 22 – Portland, OR – Polaris Hall
October 23 – Seattle, WA – Sunset Tavern
October 24 – Port Angeles, WA – Field Arts & Events Hall
November 7 – Owensboro, KY – Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame & Museum
November 11 – Carrboro, NC – Cat’s Cradle
November 13 – Decatur, GA – Eddie’s Attic
November 14 & 15 – Elkin, NC – The Reeves Theater & Cafe
