Blending virtuosic instrumental acrobatics with riveting lyrical craftsmanship, The Lil Smokies have earned a reputation as one of the most electrifying acts in modern American roots music thanks to their exhilarating live show and critically acclaimed studio output. Since forming on the streets of Missoula, Montana, where the group got its start busking back in 2009, the band has performed everywhere from Red Rocks to The Rialto and captivated festival audiences at Telluride, High Sierra, LOCKN’, Freshgrass, FloydFest, and countless more. Their latest album, 2020’s Tornillo, showcases the hard touring four-piece at its most adventurous, teaming up with producer Bill Reynolds (The Avett Brothers, Band Of Horses) for a genre-bending joyride from the hills of Laurel Canyon to the wide-open deserts of West Texas.
The Lil Smokies are:
Andy Dunnigan – Dobro, Vocals
Matthew Rieger – Guitar, Vocals
Jake Simpson – Fiddle, Vocals
Jean-Luc Davis – Upright Bass
High Pine Whiskey Yell
Born out of a desperate need for craft beer, deep powder, plastic jug moonshine, fast-moving rivers, and a deep-seated fear that artificial intelligence will ruin hard-driving bluegrass… High Pine Whiskey Yell came together as a band in 2018 and released its first EP (The Orchard Sessions) in 2019. They followed up with the full length “Garden City Double-Wide” released June 202. Currently the band is releasing singles from its upcoming album, “Parachuting Beavers” which due out Spring 2026.
This five-piece group of modern-day rounders focuses on telling true stories about robots taking your job, banksters robbing from the poor, the trials of gold panning in Idaho, skiing/riding deep powder, UFOs, and a few other traditional bluegrass subjects (such as murder, drinking, and dogs).
Bringing experience from a multitude of projects, this Idaho string band is sure to win you over with its take on bluegrass and the Americana tradition. Its members have played in numerous bands and projects throughout the years incorporating those experiences into Idaho storytelling that is High Pine Whiskey Yell. Providing support for groups such as The Lil Smokies, Pixie and the Party Grass Boys, Laney Lou and the Bird Dogs, Boot Juice and numerous others… these fellas know how to bring the party.
Scotty Tyler’s mandolin playing is aggressive enough to land an Idaho brown trout, yet soothing enough pacify a wookie in a festival hammock. Austin Clark’s wielding of the fiddle is nothing short of broadsword-esque and captures the true essence of the fiddle’s spirit animal (jaguar-rattlesnake). Don Hurda’s guitar flat-picking could woo even the most elusive of Idaho sasquatches out of the woods. Mike Murry’s dobro playing has been known spin festival goers into a three day dance-trance. And Chad Lamer’s upright bass playing… well let’s just say they sometimes give him water, beer, and let him ride inside the truck.
With all that in mind… if you like having a damn good time… then High Pine Whiskey Yell is your new band!
