Watching The Lil Smokies set up their acoustic instruments before a show, you'd expect some gentle front-porch picking to follow. In fact, a Smokies extravaganza carries the punch of arena rock filtered through bluegrass. The five-member group from Missoula captured their live-wire onstage act in the recording studio with the recent album Tornillo, melding soulful songwriting and well-honed bluegrass chops into a uniquely sweet, cohesive sound.
The group's genesis came in 2009 with pick-up busking around Missoula. Their 2020 lineup is Scott Parker, bass; Jake Simpson, fiddle; Matt Rieger, guitar; Matt Cornette, banjo and Andy Dunnigan, dobro. The band won the 2015 Telluride Bluegrass Band competition and the 2016 IBMA Momentum Band of the Year award. They’ve also wowed fans at High Sierra, Telluride Bluegrass, DelFest & FloydFests.
(Broadcast: Musician's Spotlight, 2/25/20 and 6/30/20. Listen on the radio Tuesdays, 7 p.m., or via podcast.)