Trampled by Turtles are from Duluth, Minnesota, where frontman Dave Simonett initially formed the group as a side project in 2003. At the time, Simonett had lost most of his music gear, thanks to car thieves. Left with nothing more than an acoustic guitar, he took inspiration from bluegrass, folk, and other genres that didn't rely on amplification. He filled his lineup with other newcomers to the genre, including fiddler Ryan Young and bassist Tim Saxhaug. Along with mandolinist Erik Berry and banjo player Dave Carroll, the group began carving out a fast, frenetic sound that owed as much to rock & roll as bluegrass. It wasn't until 2008 and the band's fourth release, Duluth, that Trampled by Turtles received recognition by the bluegrass community. Duluth peaked at number eight on the Billboard bluegrass chart and paved the way for a number of festival appearances. Countless tours with bands like Lord Huron, Wilco, Caamp, Mt Joy and Deer Tick have followed.