The Lonesome Trio

The Lonesome Trio consists of Ed Helms, Ian Riggs, and Jacob Tilove. The three met while attending Oberlin College in Ohio. During their time there, they formed a group initially called Weedkiller, where Helms played guitar and banjo, Riggs played bass, and Tilove played mandolin. They all contributed vocals, performing together throughout their college years and continuing to play after moving to New York City. The band maintained their musical collaboration despite individual career developments, including Helms’s rise to prominence as an actor and comedian.

In 2013, The Lonesome Trio began to expand their public presence, performing at the Bonnaroo festival. This period marked a more focused approach to their music, leading to the recording of their debut album. They continued to perform at notable events such as the Newport Folk Festival and made additional appearances at Bonnaroo. Their self-titled debut album was released in June 2015 on Sugar Hill Records. This album featured 12 original songs, all written and recorded by the trio over a two-week period at Echo Mountain studios in Asheville, North Carolina. Gary Paczosa, President of A&R for Sugar Hill, engineered and co-produced the project. The album emphasized the trio’s collective musicianship, with all singing and instrumental parts performed by Helms, Riggs, and Tilove.

The Lonesome Trio embarked on a short tour in June 2015 to support their album release. Tour dates included performances in Alexandria, Virginia; New York City; Nashville; Atlanta; Cambridge, Massachusetts; Chicago; Manchester, Tennessee; and Los Angeles. Their musical style is characterized by a blend of acoustic folk, bluegrass, and country influences, often featuring humorous lyrics. The band’s history reflects a consistent collaboration and shared passion for acoustic music spanning over two decades.