Since the release of Chilly Submersion in 2000, Hot Buttered Rum has attracted a multi-generational audience with its folksy combo of bluegrass, rock 'n' roll, reggae, and acoustic music. Based in the California bay area, the 5-piece bands tours the country in a bus fueled by recycled vegetable oil and biodiesel, stopping by dumpsters to refuel their tank after their high-energy shows. It's a lifestyle as unique as the band's progressive sound, and it's helped solidify Hot Buttered Rum's position as one of the nation's most innovative roots-based acts.

2006 saw the release of Hot Buttered Rum's sophomore studio record, the appropriately titled Well-Oiled Machine. Produced by Mike Marshall and featuring a guest peformance by string-master Peter Rowan, this album continues the quintet's modernized take on bluegrass traditions.