Well-travelled and settled, Erinn Peet Lukes is leading Thunder and Rain to bluegrass stardom
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If you’ve heard much thunder around the bluegrass space of late, it’s likely due to the growing presence of Thunder & Rain. Erinn Peet Lukes’s new grass band has been around for more than 10 years. It has shape-shifted through a few different members, inner-circle romantic relationship issues and Lukes’s move from Denver to Nashville.
But now Lukes is settled in Music City and Thunder & Rain’s latest four-piece, all-female bluegrass roster is primed for the big time. Lutes (vocals and guitar) is joined by Amelia Ransom on fiddle, Laura Ray on banjo and the newest addition, Amanda Accari on upright bass.
Lukes joined Frank and Falls this week to talk about the group’s evolution, world travel, engineered virality with strategic cover songs and more. Frank and Falls saw the band live at Crossroads Acoustic Fest in April and couldn’t stop talking about their on-stage energy and playing chops.
The group’s latest album Storybook Sessions is a beautiful blend of country and bluegrass influence. They’re probably best known for their bluegrass cover of Guns & Roses’s “Sweet Child o’ Mine”. Lutes says the group is anxious to get back in the studio to record another album with the full, four-person lineup soon.
Frank and Falls also have their normal pickin’ the grinnin’ choices for music recommendations this week. Frank chose the Aaron Kelly Band and Aaron Kelly, who is a John Prine-inspired singer-songwriter. Falls offered up a book this time after coming around on Wilco. He read Greg Kot’s history of Jeff Tweedy’s career, Wilco: Learning How To Die.
Find the picks on Spotify and Amazon. Thunder & Rain can be found online, on Spotify, Instagram, TikTok, Facebook and YouTube.
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Notes and links:
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Pickin’ the Grinnin’ picks:
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Theme Music: Sheepskin & Beeswax by Genticorum; Copyright 2026 – Falls+Partners. All music on the program is licensed by ASCAP, BMI and SESAC. Roots Music Rambler is a member of the Americana Music Association.
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