Meet Magoo: Interview with the Colorado Jamgrass Quartet

Header Photo by Angie Wilder  |  Article by Colleen Murphy (of Denver band Bottlerocket Hurricane)

Who? Magoo — that’s who.

If you’re among the lucky ones who have gotten to know Magoo as they’ve transcended the average band trajectory over the past year, consider yourself fortunate. This Colorado-based band is quickly becoming a staple in the state’s already abundant musical talent.

I’m fortunate enough to call these guys friends, and I truly believe that part of their magic comes from being solid, grounded people. The members of Magoo aren’t just talented — they’re kind, genuine individuals who deserve all the success coming their way.

I reached out to the band to get their take on their origin story, their rapid rise, and what it feels like to grow together on this musical journey.

Magoo is a quartet made up of Dylan Flynn on dobro and vocals, Erik Hill on guitar and vocals, Courtlyn Bills on mandolin and vocals, and Denton Turner on upright bass.

Magoo formed in the fall of 2022 and played their first show in March of 2023, originally as a trio with Dylan, Erik, and Paul Flynn. “We played that way until the fall of 2023, when Courtlyn moved to Colorado from Texas to join the band.”

Magoo describes themselves as a progressive bluegrass band, balancing traditional and jamgrass influences as they grow and develop their unique sound. All four members are deeply steeped in traditional bluegrass. While they embrace extended improvisation, they honor the traditions of the genre in their original music and covers, striving to create an unforgettable live experience with raging peaks, beautiful melodic sections, and tight three-part vocal harmonies.

Meet the Band: Magoo

Erik Hill hails from upstate New York and moved to Colorado in 2017. He’s played guitar since he was ten but only began acoustic flatpicking and playing bluegrass in 2020 during COVID. His first bluegrass show was the Jeff Austin Band in 2018, and he’s been hooked ever since. Erik placed 2nd at the RockyGrass Flatpicking Contest in 2024. He’s played in the Denver area with Mountain Strange, Bottlerocket Hurricane and The Good for Nothing Thunder Mountain Boys, which he still joins on occasion.

Dylan Flynn comes from central Massachusetts and moved to Colorado in January of 2022. He grew up immersed in bluegrass festivals throughout the Northeast. Last year, he placed first at the RockyGrass Dobro Competition in 2024.

Courtlyn Bills moved From Austin Tx to Colorado. From Butt Rock to Bluegrass, Courtlyn has played with a wide variety of genres in Texas. He started playing mandolin in 2024 in order to join Magoo.

The original trio (and I) met Courtlyn at the Telluride Bluegrass Festival in June 2024, in a big camp called The Green Room, where they were picking and hanging out all night. Courtlyn came by with his guitar and mandolin, and there was an instant connection. I later ran into Courtlyn at a mutual friend’s gig in Denver, where he was sitting in. I found out he’d recently moved to Colorado on a gut feeling — and soon after, he joined forces with the band. The synergy was electric, and they’ve been playing together ever since.

Denton Turner moved to Steamboat, Colorado, from the hills of Charlotte, NC, in 1984. He started playing bass at age ten and is well-seasoned in the Colorado bluegrass scene. Denton has played with several successful bands, past and present, including Olde Town Pickers, Buffalo Commons, and Hunker Down, and he remains a strong presence in the local music community.

“Uncle” Paul Flynn played with the band through the end of 2024 and was instrumental in recording the first two EPs made the decision to travel the world and leave the band for his other pursuits of happiness, and amicably passed the torch with his blessing to Denton Turner in 2025.

Colleen Murphy:
What’s been the biggest surprise for the band about your rapid rise to success?

Magoo:
Our listeners on Spotify and other streaming services have increased rapidly — we’re up to almost 8,000 monthly listeners. Just a year ago, we had around 1,000, so that’s a big jump in a short time. It’s always exciting to hear from folks across the country who know us even though we haven’t yet played in their region. Word of mouth has been huge for us, as well as the internet, helping us get our music and name out to new listeners and fans.

CM:
What’s on the horizon for Magoo?

Magoo:
We just released our latest single in April and have plans to record more music for a full album in the near future. We just kicked off our summer tour, playing 34 dates across 12 states. We’ll be playing some big festivals this year, like Revel in the Park in Winter Park, CO, and Small Town for the Cause in Salida, CO, in September, plus free summer concert series shows in Vail and Steamboat — all in our home state of Colorado.

Follow Magoo:

Website: https://www.magootheband.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/magootheband

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/magootheband

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/4lyhbXl

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/magootheband