Boulder-based bluegrass band Tough Knuckle Teddy joined Meredith Carson for KGNU’s Morning Sound Alternative for a live in-studio session ahead of their show at The Fox Theatre. The band discussed forming through the Boulder music scene after playing in various rock and jam projects before coming together to explore bluegrass.
They performed a mix of a John Prine cover and original songs during the session. The group also mentioned upcoming plans, including a Fourth of July performance at the Dolo Grass festival in Four Mile Canyon and a pause in activity over the summer, with more shows expected in the fall. (Air Date 5/8/26)
Listen to the studio session here:
Transcript:
Meredith Carson:
We have in our studios five extra good-looking guys this morning. Tough Knuckle Teddy. You are a gorgeous bunch, and I listened to you warming up and tuning up. This is going to be so much fun. Tough Knuckle Teddy has a show tonight at The Fox. What time is your show, boys?
Tough Knuckle Teddy:
Show starts at 8:00, and we’re going on about 9:45. We’ve got two of our friends, Hunter Archer and The Quiver, and Red Revival opening up for us.
Meredith Carson:
Cool. I was desperately seeking online information about you guys. I don’t do socials, so all I had was toughknuckleteddy.com. Everything else was about how to get tickets for your shows, which I think is an AXS show.
Tough Knuckle Teddy:
You can get tickets on AXS. If you go on The Fox website or look up “Tough Knuckle Teddy live at The Fox, May 8th,” it’ll be the first link.
Meredith Carson:
Okay, cool. Tell me where you’re from. Tell me a little bit about how you got together.
Tough Knuckle Teddy:
My name’s Addison. I’m from Littleton originally, but I just graduated from Boulder, and I met these guys through the music scene in Boulder, which is super vibrant and fun. We all liked bluegrass, but never really played it together as a group.
I’m Anton, and Fintan over here on banjo and I were in some jam groups out of Boulder. We also played in more straight-ahead rock bands, but we always played bluegrass on the side for fun. Will on stand-up bass and I are in the same rock band called Huck and Pray.
Two of our guys went abroad to study in other countries, and we were bored and thought, “What if we started a bluegrass band?” Four months later, here we are at The Fox Theater.
Meredith Carson:
And so, Mr. Fiddle Player, what is your name?
Tough Knuckle Teddy:
My name is Trace. I know all these guys from the Boulder music scene. They told me they were starting a bluegrass band, and I said, “Yeah. Sign me up.”
Meredith Carson:
All right, great. How about you play a couple numbers for us right in a row?
“Spanish Pipedream” (John Prine)
Meredith Carson:
Tough Knuckle Teddy live in the studio. It’s my favorite John Prine tune.
Tough Knuckle Teddy:
It’s pretty hard to beat. When we were getting the bluegrass band going, I said, “He’s not bluegrass, but we’re going to have to play some John Prine.”
We’ve got one here — this is an original we finished just the other day.
“No Howl” (Original)
Meredith Carson:
Tough Knuckle Teddy live in the studios. For having not been together very long, you’re writing your own songs and doing all this stuff. You sound terrific. What do you have going on this summer?
Tough Knuckle Teddy:
Unfortunately, not too much, because this guitar player over here, Mr. Anton, is heading back to work at a studio in his hometown of California.
Anton:
The entire state of California. Birthplace of California.
I’m interning at a music studio in San Francisco this summer, so I’ll be back home playing some music on my own.
Tough Knuckle Teddy:
Finn and Will on banjo and bass are going on tour with their rock band, so they’ll be gone too. Tonight is going to be our last show for a while, so come out and see us if you want to.
We are playing one Tough Knuckle Teddy show this summer, though — on the Fourth of July at Dolo Grass, a festival up Four Mile Canyon run by Dolores Birbaum, Will’s mom.
Meredith Carson:
That’s a cool festival. Let’s hear another one. You’ve broken my heart that you’re not going to be around this summer, because I can’t come tonight. I’ll be down the street hearing Greg Schochet and Little America at eTown. I didn’t even know about you guys until this morning, so this is really great.
Tough Knuckle Teddy:
For sure. Give me one second. I do play banjo, after all.
Meredith Carson:
Okay, somebody do a little filler here.
Tough Knuckle Teddy:
Well, it’s a banjo. He’s got to tune.
Meredith Carson:
We like it when the banjo tunes.
Tough Knuckle Teddy:
Trust me, you’re going to want it in tune.
Traditional Tune
Meredith Carson:
Tough Knuckle Teddy live on KGNU. What time is your show at The Fox tonight?
Tough Knuckle Teddy:
We’re going on around 9:45 or 10:00. The show starts at 8:00, and we’ve got two openers.
Meredith Carson:
Tickets are available at fox.com probably?
Tough Knuckle Teddy:
Yes — or on the AXS website. Just look up “Tough Knuckle Teddy live at The Fox” on Google.
Meredith Carson:
How can we get in touch with you if I ever decide to learn how to do socials?
Tough Knuckle Teddy:
We’re mostly on Instagram at the moment. Look up Tough Knuckle Teddy on Instagram.
Meredith Carson:
Cool.
Tough Knuckle Teddy:
And TikTok too, though we don’t do as much there. We try not to be too modern for you.
Meredith Carson:
You’re way more modern than I am.
What are we going to close out with?
Tough Knuckle Teddy:
One more original. The first original we played was called “No Howl,” and this one’s called “Keep On Losing.”
This one started about a year ago when me and Finn got together to jam, before there was any bluegrass band. We came up with the chorus first, and it’s fun to finally play the finished product.
“Keep On Losing” (Original)
Meredith Carson:
Tough Knuckle Teddy live in KGNU’s studios. You can see them tonight at The Fox. Tickets are available online, and it’ll be a big fun show before they say goodbye to Colorado for a while and come back next fall.
Tell us once more about the festival up in Four Mile.
Tough Knuckle Teddy:
Dolo Grass — Fourth of July up Four Mile Canyon. There’ll be some great acts and an open mic in the morning. Follow us on Instagram for more information. We’ll be posting about everything there.
We’ll also be back in the fall and looking to play more shows around the end of August and after that.
Meredith Carson:
Cool. Come back to KGNU anytime. This was really fun to see you guys. Thanks so much.
Tough Knuckle Teddy:
Thanks so much for having us. Love you. Thanks very much.
