Buffalo Commons, a popular Steamboat-based band that focused their artistic energy on soul, bluegrass and similar genres of music, has announced they are on a hiatus from future performances together. 

The band made the announcement Monday via social media. The announcement featured a high level of gratitude toward the fans who have sustained the band over the years.

“Thank you to everyone that has been in our corner, come to our shows and sang our songs,” the announcement read. “Thank you to everyone that has supported us along the way, lifted us up, believed in us and gotten us as far as we have.”

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“I’ve come to a point in my life where I need to step back from BC, and I truly appreciate y’all’s grace and understanding while we navigate this change together,” Lead singer Tyree Woods said in the announcement. 

Buffalo Commons will hold one last “Farewell for Now” show at the Old Town Pub on New Year’s Eve.

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The band last performed Nov. 3 at the Old Town Pub & Restaurant, 600 Lincoln Ave., in downtown Steamboat Springs for a benefit for Reaching Everyone Preventing Suicide, or REPS.

The fundraiser featured Eric Delaney as the opener. The crowd cheered when Buffalo Commons came to the stage following the playing of an anonymous recorded testimonial by an individual who had benefited from the services that REPS offered. 

The band did not mention the suspension of their performances at the event.

In an Oct. 6 interview, Woods, the lead singer and guitarist, opened up about his experiences in the formation and evolution of the group and the reasons the band is ceasing their collective energy. 

Buffalo Commons was formed by Woods when he left the military following an injury in 2014. Due to the large amount of time on his hands, and an effort to reconnect with who he was before he became “Sgt. Woods,” he sought to return to his musical roots.

“I thought I might have lost some of those more creative, artistic, sensitive parts of myself to become a war fighter,” Woods explained. “One of the things I had always really been in tune with was playing music and writing songs.”

Woods identified the fact that his upbringing in a multi-racial household led to a diverse level of musical inspiration, including him being a part of the Baptist church. Owing to these facts, Woods listened to “everything” and was able to transition into the wide range of musical styles that would become the foundation of Buffalo Commons. 

The band name was inspired by a biology teacher at Colorado Mountain College who presented the idea of the “buffalo commons” to a class that Woods was attending. “Buffalo commons” was a concept to open large tracts of prairie land back to the bison herds. That same class was also where Woods met the second member of the band, banjo player Gabe Riding. Their first gig was through CMC as well. 

“Colorado Mountain College was really a platform for us to get going,” Woods recalled. “That was the beginning of Buffalo Commons.”

Woods had no background in bluegrass, but many of the individuals he was in contact with had experience in the genre, including Denton Turner, who was at the time playing double bass with Old Town Pickers. Turner shared a vision for the future of Buffalo Commons and joined the group as the Pickers dispersed. 

The next addition was the current mandolin player, Eric Baker. The fiddle player, Randy Kelley, was then introduced to the group by Scotty Stoughton, who is the brain behind the WonderGrass festivals. Following Riding’s departure, Danjo Harris joined the group on banjo. Shortly after that, Tyler Cain began to play the drums in Buffalo Commons.

Past members of the band include Jonathan Huge, who played dobro when the band was first founded. Baker stepped away for a spell and Colby Smith (mandolin) filled in. During that same seven month period of time, Fritz Boniface also stepped in on dobro. 

As they enter hiatus, the band consists of Tyree Woods, Denton Turner, Eric Baker, Randy Kelley, Danjo Harris and Tyler Cain.

Since their inception, Buffalo Commons has graced the Yampa Valley with their unique sound, energy and power. The communities throughout the area, and the individuals in them, played a large role in sustaining the band. 

Owing to that fact, the band’s rapid rise can be traced to the grassroots support of their fans around the nation. As their popularity and fan base grew, so did the frequency of their performances outside the area. Woods pointed out that no matter where they performed, that they always boasted that they were from Steamboat Springs.

“It has been incredible being part of the Steamboat Springs music scene,” Woods said. “I couldn’t imagine trying to do this anywhere else. I feel like all of Routt and Moffat counties really had our back and were supportive of us. It’s been incredible.”

The community also deeply supported the group with their first studio album, “Patterns,” and with their hit single, “Bottom Dollar,” both of which were released in 2022. 

One major apex for Buffalo Commons was when they got to play the mainstage at the WinterWonderGrass Festival in 2023. Though they had played in previous years at the event, getting to play music that they had written on the main stage was “a special thing,” Woods noted. They also played the RiverWonderGrass and BajaWonderGrass events as well. 

Regarding the reason the band has decided to go on hiatus, Woods was not willing to elaborate. However, he did say that most of the band members intend to continue playing music and he plans on going in a different direction musically himself.

Woods also said Turner was instrumental in bringing a certain energy to the stage that inspired all the members. His unique style of playing the bass taught Woods confidence and to “not always be a perfectionist” when on stage. 

Despite several attempts, Turner was not available for comment regarding the band’s history or the decision to stop performing together. 

“The people of the Yampa River Valley have had our backs since day one,” Woods said. “That’s what gives us energy and helps us to believe in ourselves.”