The Devil Makes Three has always thrived in the spaces between genres, where the grit of folk, the soul of blues, and the rebellious spirit of punk collide. Their music doesn’t just follow the American storytelling tradition—it redefines it. For over two decades, this genre-defying trio has carved out a place in the American roots scene, delivering high-energy performances that leave audiences captivated and wanting more.

Formed in 2002 in Santa Cruz, California by Pete Bernhard and Cooper McBean, the trio—now featuring longtime collaborator MorganEve Swain on upright bass and vocals—has continued to evolve musically while staying rooted in their core sound. They’ve released seven studio albums and three live recordings, with their latest, Spirits, marking a return to their stripped-down acoustic roots.

Produced by Grammy-winning producer Ted Hutt (Old Crow Medicine Show, Dropkick Murphys, The Gaslight Anthem), Spirits was recorded at Dreamland Studios, a converted church nestled in the woods of Woodstock, New York. The album delves into deeper, more personal themes of grief, mortality, and reflection. Tracks like “Lights on Me” and the title track “Spirits” address loss and death, inspired by Bernhard’s own experience of losing close friends and family members in recent years.

“There’s a theme of ghosts and death running through this album,” acknowledged Bernhard, who lost his mother, brother, and closest childhood friend while making the record. “It also has a good amount of political material, a reflection on how divided people are these days, just trying to find common ground.”

While Spirits circles back to the band’s acoustic roots, it doesn’t shy away from contemporary commentary. Tracks like “Half as High” and “Divide and Conquer” weave observations about America’s widening economic divide with a sense of personal resilience, urging listeners to push through life’s trials.

Known for their live performances that pull audiences into a rollicking, unrelenting groove, The Devil Makes Three continues to blend Americana’s vast traditions with a punk spirit that refuses to be tamed. With influences ranging from Tom Waits to Robert Johnson, Willie Nelson to Bill Monroe, the band continues to be a torchbearer of the Great American Tradition of Storytelling—taking classic musical genres and turning them into something that lives and breathes anew.

“When we first started the band in Santa Cruz, we wanted to play traditional folk music with an aggressively punk approach,” Bernhard explains. “Folk music should be about what’s happening, just as it was when Woody Guthrie and Bob Dylan did it.”

The Devil Makes Three has built a devoted fanbase by embracing the raw, unpolished edge of acoustic music. Their music remains a place where tales of hardship are met with wry humor, where bad news is often packaged in an upbeat rhythm, and where every show feels like a gathering of kindred spirits ready to dance away the troubles of the day.