On a freezing morning in Duluth, Minnesota, in 2003, Dave Simonett found his van and every piece of electric gear inside it gone. The only instrument left was an acoustic guitar in his apartment. This episode traces how that theft accidentally created Trampled by Turtles, a band that recruited acoustic newcomers, including speed metal drummer Ryan Young on fiddle, and played string instruments with the velocity and force of a punk band.

We explain why Simonett rejected the bluegrass label in favor of Americana with string instruments, how the band skipped the polite mandolin chop for a wall of driving eighth notes, and what the 2004 to 2008 grind of Midwest dive bars built. Then comes Duluth cracking the Billboard Bluegrass chart, Palomino hitting number one and staying in the top ten for 52 straight weeks, festival slots at Coachella, Loll ...