Trampled by Turtles

Hailing from Duluth, Minnesota, Trampled by Turtles was initially formed as a side project by frontman Dave Simonett in 2003. At the time, Simonett had lost most of his music gear, thanks to a group of enterprising car thieves who ransacked his vehicle while he played a show with his previous band. Left with nothing more than an acoustic guitar, Simonett began piecing together a new band, this time taking inspiration from bluegrass, folk, and other genres that didn’t rely on amplification.

Simonett hadn’t played any bluegrass music before, and he filled his lineup with other newcomers to the genre, including fiddler Ryan Young (who’d previously played drums in a speed metal act) and bassist Tim Saxhaug. Along with mandolinist Erik Berry and banjo player Dave Carroll, the group began carving out a fast, frenetic sound stemming as much from rock & roll as it does from bluegrass.

Their crossover appeal has landed Trampled by Turtles on the #1 spot of Billboard’s Bluegrass Charts with every record they’ve released, all the while playing festivals like Coachella, ACL Fest, and Lollapalooza. Following this success, the band set out on countless tours with diverse artists including Shakey Graves, Zach Bryan, Wilco, Caamp, Mt Joy, Willie Nelson, Avett Brothers, Lord Huron and more, solidifying a loyal fanbase. Their last full length album Alpenglow was produced by Wilco’s Jeff Tweedy. Trampled by Turtles started 2025 off by releasing a cover of Bon Iver’s “From Emma” with Caamp’s Taylor Meier (aka Sumbuck) on lead vocals.