Cruz Contreras: The Black Lilies Frontman Who Came Home to Blount County

Описание: Lee and Scott sit down with Cruz Contreras, and if you've been following East Tennessee music for the past couple decades, you know this man's resume. From studying jazz piano at UT to fronting the Black Lilies, to his trippy solo album "Cosmico" (seriously, check that one out), Cruz has been all over the musical map. But guess what? He's back in Blount County to stay.

We're talking about life between Butterfly Gap and Montvale, where there's no cell service but there is internet (priorities, people). Cruz breaks down why he went solo, how he recorded "Cosmico" on a houseboat in Idaho with beat machines and iPhones, and why the Black Lilies are back as "Cruz Contreras and the Black Lilies."

He's got shows coming up at the Shed in Maryville (February 28th) and New Year's Eve at the Down Home in Johnson City. Plus, he debuts two brand-new songs live in the studio – including one his wife asked him to write that's definitely not as dirty as advertised. Don't worry, it's still PG for our virgin-eared hosts.

Cruz talks about growing up in a musical family (his brother Billy Contreras is a fiddle legend), remembering when gas was $1.13 and 411 was two lanes, and why East Tennessee keeps calling musicians back home. Even when you're touring 200 shows a year, sometimes you just need to find your way back to the hay barn with your guitar.

Real talk from a real musician who's been there, done that, and decided home is where the heart is – even if the cell service sucks.