Adrian Alexander first met George Sepmeier playing at a bluegrass weekend in Granby, Colorado, shortly before music events shut down for a second time due to COVID. Once they opened up again, Mile High Spirits contacted Alexander asking if he could bring a band that week to perform. Without having a band formed, he said yes.

He quickly contacted Sepmeier and asked him if he could show up with a guitar player. Sepmeier did – Evan Shely, who had met Sepmeier as frequent visitors to a weekly bluegrass jam – and Alexander showed up with a drummer. They performed for four hours at Mile High Spirits without having rehearsed once, and Alexander immediately knew that this group was the perfect group to don a name he had kept in the back of his mind for years – Tonewood String Band.

The band has also sought the help of Sepmeier’s sister, Silver, who runs merchandise (as she is already a screen printer by trade), including shirts and posters, and manages the band’s social media and marketing.

A huge inspiration for both Alexander and Sepmeier is Frank Zappa. Along with Tom Waits, Sepmeier cites Zappa as the kind of musician that connected the two. Shely took inspiration from guitarists like Tony Rice, both in his musicianship and in his choice of jewelry. Alexander says that the band connects in the areas “where bluegrass gets weird,” and Sepmeier adds that there are probably not that many bluegrass bands, especially in Colorado, that decide to cover a Frank Zappa tune, like they have.

Shely loves the band’s dynamic, particularly when they’re performing live. He feels he has been able to create music that he would not have been able to create without Tonewood, and his main goal is to allow people to have fun with the music that the band has to offer.

You can see Tonewood String Band performing at Howlin Wind Brewing and Blending, 51 A Main Street in Rollinsville, on Saturday, November 12, 2022, at 4 p.m.

Here are the listings of live music! Check it out and support your local musicians.

Caribou Room

Friday, November 11 at 8 p.m. - Hillbenders & Armchair Boogie

Friday, November 18 at 8 p.m. - Vince Herman Band

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thecaribouroom/

Website: https://www.thecaribouroom.com/

Location: 55 Indian Peaks Drive, Nederland.

Phone: 303-258-3637

Covered Wagon

Every Thursday at 7 p.m. - Karaoke

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/coveredwagonrestaurantsaloon/

Website: https://www.coveredwagonrestaurant.com/

Location: 15 East 1st Street, Nederland.

Phone: 303-258-7578

Gold Hill Inn

Friday, November 4 at 8:30 p.m. - Liver Down the River

Saturday, November 5 at 7 p.m. - Derek Dames Ohl

Sunday, November 6 at 7 p.m. - FY5

Friday, November 11 at 8:30 p.m. - Thom LaFond Band

Saturday, November 12 at 7 p.m. - The NoGo Gilbillies

Sunday, November 13 at 7 p.m. - Montana Sand

Friday, November 18 at 8:30 p.m. - Jake Leg

Saturday, November 19 at 7 p.m. - Cup-a-jo

Friday, November 25 at 8 p.m. - Jeremy Mohney Band

Sunday, November 27 at 7 p.m. - Kate Farmer and Friends

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GoldHillInn/

Website: goldhillinn.com

Email: cfinn@goldhillinn.com; bfinn@goldhillinn.com

Location: 401 Main Street, Gold Hill.

Phone: 303-443-6461

Howlin Wind Brewing

Saturday, November 5 at 4 p.m. - C.P. Meyer

Saturday, November 12 at 4 p.m. - Tonewood String Band

Saturday, November 19 at 5 p.m. - Fast Floyd

Saturday, November 26 at 4 p.m. - Copper Children

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/howlinwindbrewing

Website: https://www.howlinwindbrewing.com/

Location: 51 A Main Street, Rollinsville.

Phone: 309-825-5245

Jamestown Mercantile

Thursday, November 3 at 7 p.m. -

Steven James and Friends with Brian Bez and Jim Sullivan

Friday, November 4 at 7 p.m. - Half Maxx Trio

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jamestown.mercantile/

Website: https://www.jamestownmercantile.com/

Location: 108 Main Street, Jamestown.

Phone: 303-442-5847

Knotted Root Brewing

Every Sunday at 4 p.m. - Jazz Sundays

with Black Dog

Friday, November 4 at 5 p.m. - Derek Dames Ohl

Friday, November 11 at 5 p.m. - River Spell

Website: https://www.knottedrootbrewing.com/home

Location: 250 N. Caribou Street, Nederland.

Phone: 720-248-7129

Last Stand Tavern

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/laststandtavern/

Website: http://laststandtavern.com/

Email: laststandtavern@gmail.com

Location: 32138 Highway 72, Coal Creek Canyon.

Phone: 303-642-3180

Millsite Inn

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/millsiteinn.moyer

Website: https://millsiteinn.wixsite.com/millsiteinn

Email: millsiteinn@gmail.com

Location: 44365 Highway 72, Ward

Phone: 720-547-9438

Ned’s Cafe

Saturday, December 31 at 9 p.m. - Live Music at 9 p.m.

Every Thursday at 10 p.m. - Dam Jam

Every Sunday at 7 p.m. - Karaoke

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/eatatneds/

Website: https://www.eatatneds.com/

Location: 121 N. Jefferson Street, Nederland.

Phone: 303-258-0614

Very Nice Brewing Company

Friday, November 4 at 6 p.m. - Mountain ReVerb

Saturday, November 5 at 5 p.m. - Rick Lobato

Friday, November 11 at 6 p.m. - Arnaz

Saturday, November 12 at 5 p.m. - Stone-Hall

Friday, November 18 at 6 p.m. - A Human Named David

Saturday, November 19 at 5 p.m. - Bruce Lish and Ryan Benthall

Sunday, November 27 at 5 p.m. - Grant Livingston