The Black Lillies

The Black Lillies

The Black Lillies are a band for the ages, not the slick, soulless music that seems to get most of the radio airplay, but rich, rootsy tunes performed with as much heart as technical virtuosity. This commitment to authenticity has earned them accolades from outlets as diverse as Rolling Stone, who calls them one of “the most buzzworthy new acts in country and Americana,” and the Wall Street Journal, who praised their “rootsy flair…a winsome hybrid traditional enough to appeal to an Opry crowd and expansive enough to ensnare a broader audience.” The Black Lillies is comprised of founder and frontman Cruz Contreras, Trisha Gene Brady with vocals, Jonathan Keeney on pedal steel, Bowman Townsend with percussion, Mike Seal on electric guitar, and Sam Quinn on bass. In anticipation of their upcoming Southwest Montana performances, the Rolling Zone was able to get Contreras on the phone to talk defining an assorted sound and potentially filling some pretty big shoes.