By: Daniel Mertz
For Utah Burgess, the road is more than the space between one Noble Hops performance and the next. It is where commitment is tested, chemistry is strengthened, and the purpose behind the music becomes unmistakably clear.
Over the past year-plus, Noble Hops has performed 89 shows at 52 venues, traveling across a substantial stretch of the country, from Franklin, Tennessee, to Erie, Pennsylvania. That schedule would challenge any independent band, especially when some nights require a three-hour drive for a 30-minute set. Yet Burgess sees those demands as proof of the group’s shared dedication.
“Finding people to form a band with that share that dedication…you know, driving three hours to play a 30-minute set, is not all that commonplace,” Burgess says. “So we are very fortunate to have that shared mindset.”
That effort follows Noble Hops onto the stage. When the band has invested hours in travel, preparation and setup, there is no interest in treating the performance casually.
“If you are going to go to all that effort, we are going to pour it out,” he says.
That philosophy helps explain the persistence behind Noble Hops, a band whose music blends American rock and roll with the rougher edges of Americana and alt-country. Burgess has never been especially interested in fitting the group into one convenient category. His own listening habits cross musical boundaries, and those varied influences naturally find their way into his songwriting.
He also believes the music must serve the story.
“I think it is equally important that the musical style fits the lyrics,” Burgess explains. “I appreciate that we can play on multiple types of bills because of our diversity in genres.”
That versatility has helped Noble Hops share stages with different kinds of artists while expanding its audience beyond its Western Pennsylvania home base. Whether the band is playing a small room, a festival, or a larger stage, Burgess measures a memorable show through the relationship between performance and audience response.
“It’s the band’s performance and what happens between the crowd and us,” he says. “They go hand in hand. We love absolutely crushing a set and seeing people take notice of that.”
Burgess understands the depth of the regional music scene better than most. Since July 2012, he has hosted The Grass Roots Show on The Rock Station 97.7, using the program to spotlight independent musicians from Western Pennsylvania and the surrounding tri-state area. That role has given him a rare perspective as both a working artist and an advocate for his peers.
The experience has also eliminated any temptation to become complacent.
“That front seat has shown me that we as Noble Hops can’t just coast by or take anything for granted if we wish to gain any kind of traction in this sea of talent,” Burgess says. “We need to give it our all and stay active.”
After spending years promoting other artists, however, Burgess admits there have been moments when the lack of reciprocal acknowledgment has been difficult. He has sometimes wondered why the people he supports fail to recognize his own work. Rather than allowing that disappointment to turn into bitterness, he has tried to keep his attention on the larger purpose.
That makes Noble Hops’ recognition from the Josie Music Awards especially meaningful. The band received two nominations last year and earned three this year.
“Getting recognition from such a prestigious organization like the Josie Music Awards is incredibly rewarding,” Burgess says. “It does recognize what we have accomplished as a band, and the hard work I have put into keeping this band moving forward.”
Keeping the band moving has required resilience. Noble Hops has endured lineup changes, health problems, disappointments, and the pressures that routinely dismantle independent groups. When asked what has sustained his commitment through those difficulties, Burgess offers an answer that is brief but revealing.
“I remain committed to Noble Hops because I still have things to say.”
Those things often concern working people, struggle, perseverance, and the unpolished realities of American life. Burgess says his core values have remained steady, but his perspective continues to evolve. He is willing to learn, reconsider, and discover new ways of examining the subjects that have always mattered to him.
That balance, between conviction and openness, gives Noble Hops its identity. The band’s songs are grounded without becoming static, familiar without feeling manufactured. They carry the experience of musicians who know that careers are built one drive, one room and one connection at a time.
Looking ahead, Noble Hops hopes to release another single, extend its touring territory and become more established on the festival circuit. The ambition is real, but it is not defined solely by fame or commercial milestones. Burgess wants the band to continue building authentic connections and earning recognition as a meaningful force within independent music.
“We sure wouldn’t mind being recognized as a true voice in the independent music scene,” he says.
After 89 shows, dozens of venues and countless miles, Noble Hops has already demonstrated that it possesses the dedication required to pursue that goal. As long as Burgess still has something to say, and a band willing to travel three hours to say it for 30 unforgettable minutes, Noble Hops will keep pouring everything it has onto the stage.
