Jon Stickley Trio

Jon Stickley formed the trio in Asheville, North Carolina, building it around his own flatpicked guitar playing, which starts from bluegrass but pulls in jazz phrasing, surf-rock tones and elements of hip-hop rhythm. The group works entirely without a singer, filling sets with original instrumental pieces and the occasional reworked cover.

The lineup pairs Stickley's guitar with violin and drums, an unusual configuration for acoustic string music that gives the trio a percussive drive closer to a rock band than a traditional bluegrass outfit. Violinist Lyndsay Pruett has been a longtime member, with drummer Hunter Deacon rounding out the current lineup.

Beyond bluegrass, the trio's material draws on Gypsy jazz and folk-punk, giving the group a broader, more progressive feel than a straight string band. The combination lets Stickley's fast picking sit against violin lines and drum patterns pulled from outside traditional acoustic music.