The Steel Wheels

After two decades on the road and nine studio albums, The Steel Wheels mark their 20th anniversary with a self-titled record that captures the band at a creative peak. Since their formation, the group—Trent Wagler (vocals, banjo, guitar), Eric Brubaker (fiddle), Jay Lapp (mandolin, guitar), Kevin Garcia (drums, percussion), and Jeremy Darrow (bass)—has grown from a harmony-driven acoustic ensemble into a dynamic folk rock band. The Steel Wheels blends those roots with a spirit of exploration, combining energy, humor, and tender restraint into a cohesive and deeply personal work. The journey began close to home: at their 2024 Red Wing Roots festival in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley, Wagler connected with producer D. James Goodwin (Goose, Bonny Light Horseman, I’m With Her), who had recently relocated to the area. He invited the band to his new studio, The Isokon, where they recorded live in one room during a snowy winter. That immediacy is felt throughout the album, from the sunlit hooks of “Easy,” which questions the cost of constant convenience, to “Go Back,” exploring joy and sadness as intertwined, and “Keep On Dancing,” a gentle reminder to slow down. Twenty years in, The Steel Wheels remain driven by curiosity and craft—a band still growing, still pushing forward, and still finding new ways to connect through song.