Three local boys graduated from Rock Canyon High School, went to CU Boulder and then started a band: The Dirty Turkeys. Guitarist Justin Hansen, his older brother and vocalist Brad Hansen, and Justin’s childhood best friend, Sam Baker, the bassist, were the original three. Then, Ty Tullar, a drummer from San Diego, came along to complete the troupe.

“The three guys in this band are my best friends. Even without the music, they’d be my best friends,” said Ty, a senior at CU Boulder, and also the band manager.

With world-music influences alongside 1970s psychedelic-rock, The Dirty Turkeys describe themselves as “a high-energy, fun, rock-and-roll band.” Justin, the main lyricist, poetically ascribed their unique sound as “being in the middle of an ocean during a storm. Ty is thunder, I am the lightening, Sam is the tidal wave and Brad is the ship navigating the storm.”

The origin of the band happened one night in Boulder, when Ty, who was with another band at the time, asked Sam to fill in at a show. The two kept jamming after the show ended, realizing they had a natural chemistry. Before long, Justin, Sam and Ty were all playing together and then Brad joined in after his studies abroad. Something just clicked between the foursome and a band was born.

At a fateful Thanksgiving spent together in 2022, a thermometer exploded in the turkey, and they finally claimed their name. Justin and Brad’s mom, Biz, came into the kitchen and said, quite infamously, “That’s one dirty turkey!”

Justin recalled one of their first shows at a fraternity house, where he opened the set with a solo performance on an Indian bansuri flute. Since then, The Dirty Turkeys have played all over the state, the country, and even booked a gig while visiting Barcelona. The band is inspired by travel, world music, and nature—drawing on experiences and connections with land and culture to give their music its unique depth. From Justin’s witnessing of the “cool, retro rock scene in Thailand,” to Ty’s childhood of surfing in sunny Southern California, to the band’s creation of Electric Honey, a music festival in Moab’s desert, their artistic process has always stemmed from wandering the globe and the great outdoors.

For Justin, his love for nature began in The Village at Castle Pines growing up with Brad surrounded by forests. Sam lived in Surrey Ridge, nestled in woods and rolling hills. Justin and Sam first met at Ms. Linda’s preschool and have been inseparable ever since.

While The Dirty Turkeys gain traction, their growing popularity is secondary to the lasting experiences of exploration. Their favorite memories are jamming outdoors and trekking into the wilderness wherever they tour. Ty said his stand-out memory is, “One night in Carbondale, Colorado, on tour last year, we went up into the mountains on a backpacking trip, summited Mount Sopris, came back down and played a sold-out show.”

So, what is next for the Dirty Turkeys? Their album, Cowboy Caravan, will be released on April 11. They are taking it on tour this summer, with a kickoff on May 7 at the Fox Theater in Boulder. Recorded by Aiden Roberts, also from Castle Pines, a few singles from the album have already been released.

Listen to their music, see their videos and find more information about their upcoming shows at linktr.ee/thedirtyturkeys.

 

Article by Marly Holsman; photos courtesy of Ty Tullar