Wood Belly with Meadow Mountain

Honest, soulful, and bearing a sound all their own, Wood Belly sprouted from the roots of bluegrass to notch a unique home in the broader Americana scene and continues to captivate audiences across the country en route. With an unrelenting dedication to original songwriting, harmony singing, and artful arrangements, the quintet is forging a sound that is based in newgrass and flavored with alt-country, rock, and just enough jam to glue it all together.

Wood Belly established themselves as a staple of the Colorado and national acoustic music scene by winning the 2018 Telluride Bluegrass festival band competition and being nominated for an IBMA award. Bluegrass Today said “Even now, it’s safe to determine that they’re ones to watch...the freshness and vitality they bear elevates their standing and assures their status as instant contenders”. That freshness continues today as the band takes on a new shape. With a restructuring of the rhythm section, Wood Belly has opened up a world of dynamic range and dimension to be explored.

Adding a drummer was a bold move for a band rooted in Bluegrass tradition, but a creative and adaptive musician like Dylan French was an easy call. The band has always strived to play to the song and give each composition just what it needs, which is why French is a perfect fit. He is well versed in a variety of styles and has quickly made his own imprint on the Wood Belly sound.

Singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Brennan Mackey had been on the band's radar for a long time. Having already carved out a following in Denver and beyond with his own indie rock band King Cardinal, his writing, singing, and bass playing bring a fresh color palette to Wood Belly's already distinguished sound. Wood Belly will be releasing “Cicada”, a collection of singles, throughout 2023. The releases will highlight the bands transition and rebirth, weaving together textures that represent the growth of the group and direction that the band is venturing. One of the longstanding pillars of Wood Belly is creative investment of all members and an unwavering dedication to creating a well-rounded, original sound. This pillar, presented in a new light, remains unbroken.

Since its formation, the band has played an ever-expanding list of great festivals including the Telluride Bluegrass Festival, Winter WonderGrass, Northwest String Summit, Charm City Bluegrass Festival, Palisade Bluegrass and Roots, Sol Grass, the Durango Bluegrass Meltdown, The Ogden Music Festival, Rhythms on the Rio, the Keystone Bluegrass and Beer Festival, Rapidgrass, Tico Time Bluegrass Festival, and many more. Wood Belly has shared bills with The Infamous Stringdusters, Del McCoury Band, The Steeldrivers, Billy Strings, Molly Tuttle, The Lil' Smokies, Front Country, Wood & Wire, Trout Steak Revival, Steel Wheels, and so many others.