Noble Hops’ Utah Burgess
With over a decade of gritty, heartfelt performances under their belt, Western Pennsylvania’s own Noble Hops is a band that blends American rock swagger with alt-country soul. Founded in 2010 by Utah Burgess—also known for his work with Shady Lady Studio Productions—the band has carved out a reputation for raw storytelling, road-tested musicianship, and an unwavering passion for the stage. Now signed to MTS Management Group/MTS Records and fresh off the release of their latest single “Kelso Beach,” Noble Hops is poised for a new chapter. We sat down with frontman Utah Burgess to talk about the band’s journey, their latest music, and what fans can expect as they hit the road in 2025.
Americana Highways: Noble Hops was formed back in 2010—how would you describe the evolution of the band over the last decade, both musically and personally?
Utah Burgess: The band really started as an acoustic bar duo. We were orginally called The Bluegrassholes, but the newspaper wouldn’t print that name so I wanted to find something very unique. With an affinity for beer, Noble Hops ended up being the choice. A few years into the project a lot of personal things took place in my life, both good and bad, and turning to my guitar for comfort I found myself writing again. Unfortunately my original music ended up getting lost in the lineups of the band but after losing a very good friend who himself was a songwriter, and paying tribute to him for a full year by playing his music with his old band, I realized I needed to refocus this project and get my words and music out into the world. Time is not something you can add more credits too.
AH: Your latest single, “Kelso Beach,” has a strong sense of place and emotion. Can you walk us through the inspiration and story behind the song?
UB: I was staying a cottage right on the shore of Lake Erie in the middle of Winter. I had gone up to spend some time alone there before friends would be arriving for a weekend visit. It was late at night and a violent Winter storm was rolling in off the lake, just pounding the cottage. It was pretty incredible. It just made me think about all of the things in my life, and after I was about 12 deep into my favorite brew the song came out of me. I named it Kelso Beach because that was the beach the cottage was on in Erie PA.
AH: Noble Hops has a unique blend of American rock and alt-country. How did that signature sound come together, and what influences shaped it most?
UB: We really do, and truthfully it is hard to really pigeon hole us into a specific sound or style. My writing can be very dark and deep to very introspective and even humorous at times. The music that goes with the lyrics is equally all over the place, from hard and heavy, to very soft and poignant, sort of like “Kelso Beach.” I tell my stories from a very real place though, so you are going to get all the human elements. Some might make you want to turn away, and some may draw you in even closer. It’s all real though. I mean, my biggest influence in life has been life itself.
AH: Signing with MTS Management Group is a big step. What does this partnership mean to you at this point in your career?
UB: It’s huge for me. As I had mentioned previously, losing my friend Mo Nelson sucked. But thankfully he left behind his incredible music. Realizing that I have just been sitting on my songs, it was time to get busy and put the music out there. I’ve got a great band, I think the songs are pretty strong, and I trust that MTS is going to help us get heard.
AH: From childhood nostalgia to social commentary, your songwriting spans a wide emotional range. Is there a particular theme or message you find yourself returning to in your work?
UB: A couple of them, definitely. I embrace the ideal of ‘”liberty” very much. There is a lot of “freedom” in being self reliant, being honest, pulling your fair share, being good to people, being reliable and trustworthy. Even at my old age now, I am still learning and growing, and as I’ve grown closer to these simple principles, there has been a lot of introspection. I’ve not always done the right thing, but I’ve always tried to right it after the fact. I think anyone who listens to my music closely will hear these types of themes. Of course, sometimes I just write to be funny, or to tell a particular story that I think needs to be heard.
AH: You’ve taken the band from Michigan to Florida and back home in Western PA. What’s been your most memorable show or tour experience so far?
UB: Well, the band itself hasn’t been all of those places, but I have been fortunate enough to play my music through that area solo. I think my most memorable or perhaps favorite show experience was when Noble Hops was still just a duo and I had started writing again, and debuted a song I wrote called “Grace” as The Strand Theater in Zelienople, PA. That was a powerful moment, and the audiences reaction to that song when it ended breathed a new life into me.
AH: Shady Lady Studio has also been a big part of your journey. How does your background in production influence your approach as a musician and bandleader?
UB: What a great question. Dealing with musicians of all walks of life from a professional standpoint has allowed me to learn what to do and especially what not to do if you are trying to sell yourself to a venue, a festival, promoter, whatever. Additionally, it has exposed me to so many different songs and styles, and I listen. If you are playing, I’m listening, and so I absorb all of these different sounds and styles. It’s been a net positive for sure.
AH: Noble Hops mixes originals with both well-known and lesser-known covers. How do you choose what songs to bring into your live sets, and what do you hope the audience takes away?
UB: If we had our perfect world, we would place ourselves more to where we can just play our own music, however that doesn’t pay the bills for recording, promotions, gas, strings, etc. As far as selecting covers, it is often really about just picking our favorite songs or artists. It has given us incredible flexibility. We can throw down at a hard rock show with anyone, but can also adapt our set list to play to a more basic type setting, family friendly or whatever is required. We can strip it down acoustically, from solo all the way up to the full band, or we can turn our amps up and get down to business! The main thing we want our audiences to take away from one of our shows is the feeling that they can’t wait until they get to see us again.
AH: Looking ahead to the tour dates across Pennsylvania—what can fans expect from a Noble Hops show in 2025? Any surprises in store?
UB: Yes, we’ve got some cool things coming up. We’ve been North and South and this time we are kind of going East to West. We’ll be playing in Mansfield, OH in June and hitting Youngstown on the way back, and then we have a handful of shows with a rising country star named Gary Burk III, and one of those will be in Altoona, PA. Doing the shows with Gary I think helps illustrate how flexible we can be in our style for a show. We have originals and covers that will fit those shows quite well. Being selected as this years headliner for the Music For The Cure event at Sessions at Blueberry Hill in Karns City will be pretty cool. It is such and incredible venue and event.
AH: Finally, for those just discovering Noble Hops—what’s the one thing you’d want them to know about the band and your music?
UB: What you see, and hear, is what you get at face value. It is honest, real, relatable music, and you’ll be able to tell that when you listen and when you see us live and talk to us.
Thanks very much for chatting with us, Utah. Find more information about Noble Hops here on their website: http://www.noblehopsmusic.com
