Trampled By Turtles

Formed in the early 2000s in Duluth, Minnesota, Trampled By Turtles plays acoustic bluegrass that intersects with folk, alt‑country and indie rock energy. The band is built around Dave Simonett on vocals and guitar, with mandolin, banjo, fiddle, bass and sometimes cello. They perform without drums, which highlights the liveliness of the strings and their vocal harmonies. The group’s early albums, including Songs from a Ghost Town (2004), Blue Sky and the Devil (2005) and Trouble (2007), established a framework of brisk tempos and introspective songwriting; Duluth (2008) and Palomino (2010) helped place them on the American folk and roots circuits. With Stars and Satellites (2012) and Wild Animals (2014) they broadened their palette so slow ballads sit alongside edgier, more nervous tracks, followed by Life Is Good on the Open Road (2018) and Alpenglow (2022). Regularly touring the US and internationally, Trampled By Turtles moves between small venues, club stages and festivals dedicated to reimagined American traditional music.