The Black Lillies November 16, 2012

Led by frontman Cruz Contreras, whose previous band, Robinella and the CCstringband (which included his ex-wife), unceremoniously split up, The Black Lillies were born from the ashes of that painful experience and burst onto the East Tennessee music scene with the acclaimed album, 'Whiskey Angel.' Since then, vocalist Contreras, with bandmates Trisha Gene Brady, Tom Pryor, Jamie Cook and Robert Richards, have made an impact on the Americana scene. The group made their debut appearance on the Grand Ole Opry in June 2011, the first independent artist from the Knoxville area to be featured. They again made history by being invited back five times in four months. Their sophomore effort, '100 Miles of Wreckage,' was a nominee for Americana Album of the Year by the Independent Music Awards.