The future is bright for this rootsy trio
The Lumineers shine — and climb the charts
Rising roots rockers: With their debut album climbing the music charts and their summer tour selling clubs out across North America, The Lumineers are striking a chord with audiences with their roots revivalism. But while other young bands achieve fleeting fame from Internet singles and viral videos, the Denver trio’s success came about the old-fashioned way: the product of years spent cultivating their craft at open mikes and basement clubs. Surreal success: The band initially captured the public’s attention when foot-stomping breakout single Ho Hey was featured on CW’s Hart of Dixie in December. By January, the band had signed with Dualtone Records. “It’s pretty surreal,” says lead singer and guitarist Wes Schultz, 29. “We’ve had the benefit of failure for about seven years, so when something hits, it feels weird. Fans are a new venture for us.” A lot to love: Newfound fans are falling in love at first listen with the band’s homespun acoustic folk and powerful lyrics. The Lumineers’ selftitled debut, released in April, reached No. 3 on the independent chart and No. 31 on Billboard’s overall album chart, with Ho Hey climbing the iTunes singles charts and being used in a Bing ad. On tour, they’re opening for Brandi Carlile, Old Crow Medicine Show and the Civil Wars. An illuminating loss: The Lumineers’ journey to success began with personal tragedy. In 2002, Schultz’s best friend, Josh, brother of Lumineers drummer Jeremiah Fraites, died of a drug overdose. Out of their grief came collaboration. “There’s a certain level of growing up overnight that happens. As a band, it adds something that’s very elusive — it’s hopefulness, but there’s also some sorrow behind it.”
Seeking their big break: Initially, Schultz and Fraites, now 28, tried breaking through the competitive music scene in New York City but found that the constant struggle to make ends meet prevented them from focusing on what really mattered. “I was living in Brooklyn and working three jobs to pay the rent,” Schultz says. “It was infuriating to move to a city that would help us grow musically but then never have any time to work on music.” The two moved to Denver in search of inspiration. How they became a trio: Looking for a sonic alternative to an electric bassist, Schultz and Fraites posted a Craigslist ad requesting a cellist for their new venture. Neyla Pekarek, 26, classically trained in cello, had just graduated college and planned to teach. Instead, the multi-instrumentalist (she also plays mandolin and piano) responded on a whim, and the three hit it off. “The rest was history,” Schultz says. “It could have been a missed connection.” Hard-won success: From performing on Conan in May to preparing for their first European tour this fall, The Lumineers are enjoying their status as rising stars. But Schultz keeps fame in perspective. “We’ve only recently been able to quit our jobs to make music full time,” he says, referencing his years spent waiting tables and walking dogs for a living. “We’ve had a lot of luck recently, and I would feel greedy to wish for anything more right now. It’s a very fickle industry. But, man, I feel lucky.”
We’ve had the benefit of failure for about seven years, so when something finally hits, it feels weird. Lumineers singer Wes Schultz