The Steel Wheels Release New Album and EP For 20th Anniversary
To coincide with their 20 year anniversary as a band, Virginia-based Americana pioneers The Steel Wheels have released their new self-titled album on CD + vinyl, as well as via full mp3 download.
They've also shared the Need The Help EP, which previews the record with a selection of four songs. The rest of the LP will hit streaming on March 14, 2026. Order the album here and stream the EP here
Also today, the band announced a slew of 2026 dates including their annual Red Wing Winter Roots performance in Harrisonburg, VA, as well as shows in Tampa, New Orleans and more.
On the album and its rollout strategy, primary singer/songwriter Trent Wagler shares: "This record means a lot to us. It marks our 20th anniversary, and we made it back home in Virginia, where the band first took root. We wanted to present it as a complete body of work, not just a collection of singles dropped over time. That's why we're releasing it on CD and vinyl and making it available as a full album download first, with streaming to follow later. We want people to experience the whole record from start to finish in a way that feels intentional and immersive. Our fans have always supported us by showing up and buying records, and we wanted to honor that relationship with something tangible and whole."
Their ninth studio album, The Steel Wheels was co-produced by D. James Goodwin (Goose, Bonny Light Horseman, I'm With Her), who mixed the band's 2019 album Over The Trees. The project was recorded at Goodwin's new Shenandoah Valley studio during a snowy Virginia winter, and the process was fluid and swift. Sessions were punctuated by peals of laughter and occasional tears as the group embraced vulnerability and leaned into every emotion as it came. The album that resulted captures a band at its creative apex: honoring their roots as a harmony-centric acoustic ensemble but fully leaning into the folk rock that they've grown into over the last 20 years.
This is the band's first record since their critically-acclaimed 2024 LP Sideways, which garnered praise from Billboard, No Depression, Relix, The Bluegrass Situation and many more. They've been busy since, releasing a series of standalone singles and celebrating another successful year of their Red Wing Roots Music Festival this summer with a lineup which included 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 Nashville, Carrboro and more over the next month.
2025 Tour Dates
November 7 - Owensboro, KY - Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame & Museum
November 8 - Pilot Knob, IN - Concerts at the Clubhouse
November 10 - Nashville, TN - Eastside Bowl
November 11 - Carrboro, NC - Cat's Cradle
November 13 - Decatur, GA - Eddie's Attic
November 14 & 15 - Elkin, NC - The Reeves Theater & Cafe
2026 Tour Dates
January 17 - Fernandina Beach, FL - Tigre Island Room
January 18 - Gainesville, FL - Heartwood Soundstage Indoor
January 19 - Tampa, FL - Orpheum
January 20 - Boca Raton, FL - Funky Biscuit
January 22 - New Orleans, LA - Folk Alliance Official Showcase
January 24 - Harrisonburg, VA - Red Wing Winter Roots
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