From talent show to studio: Riff Wood brings fresh faces to modern rock
Words by McKayla Grace
Photos provided by Riff Wood and hi! hello!
Not many people can say they’ve traveled the world playing sold-out shows, all before graduating high school.
Carson Groves, Hyrum Russon and Shredder Winegar are the exception. These best friends from Davis County, Utah, make up the viral punk-rock trio Riff Wood.
So how did three grade school students go from local talent shows to a sold-out international tour and an album produced by Rob Cavallo of Green Day fame?
Their journey started in the Fall of 2020, with a Netflix musical series of all things. Carson, Hyrum and Shredder saw Kenny Ortega’s one-season comedy-drama “Julie and the Phantoms” and thought, “We can do that.”
And they were right.
They played their first gig ever in front of all of their peers at a junior high talent show. Although they were admittedly terrified, something just “clicked.” Riff Wood was a hit at home. For four years, the trio played locally, honing their craft, and then began testing the social media waters.
“We were getting discouraged. We were kind of naive. We've been posting for, like, a year at that point (and a lot of people post for, like, five years and never did anything), but we had been posting for a year,” shared Hyrum, “and we can't get a single video to get attention.”
But they decided to give it another shot. In October of 2024, they had just written their song “Blur.” They liked the harmonies and thought it might have legs on a digital platform. “We went in his [Carson’s] backyard and just sang it, and at first it didn't do super well. And we were like, ‘oh, it's another one of our bad videos.’” Hyrum laughs.
They actually considered deleting the post, in part because Shredder wasn’t even in it. He had just finished the drum portion of the song, and they hadn’t fully polished the track. Choosing to leave the TikTok alone, they turned their phones on DND, and like any wholesome teenage boys on Halloween weekend, turned on “Ghostbusters” instead. While Riff Wood was tuning out, the world was tuning into them for the first time. When they turned their phones back on, they were overwhelmed by the response.
That first “Blur” post has since amassed over 10 million views on TikTok alone. One of those views made all the difference. Rob Cavallo was watching.
After years of covering and being compared to Green Day, Riff Wood got a DM from the 3x GRAMMY-winning producer behind “American Idiot.” Actually… it was from his wife, Kim.
“I remember sitting on my living room couch, just going through our DMs, and I mean, my jaw just dropped as I was reading it. I knew exactly who this was,” recalls Carson. “I sent it to the guys, and we were kind of freaking out, and then we responded, and we were like, ‘Yeah, we'd love to, let's hop on a call…’ It's been insane. Because if you were to ask us, like two years ago, who our dream producer to work with would be, we would have said ‘Rob Cavallo’ as massive Green Day fans. It's really surreal that we can work with them.”
The group instantly felt a connection with Rob and Kim Cavallo — not just musically. Their humor was a perfect fit too. So perfect that the band is now co-managed by the Cavallos and Carson’s parents. The boys’ humble spirit comes through as they talk about all that they’re learning from Rob’s expertise. “There’s a hard work ethic required in recording music, but he teaches us to get the most authentic part of our sound as a band, not make everything perfect and leave some of the little mistakes, so that way it gets the best parts of the songs while keeping it real,” says Hyrum.
Rob got Riff Wood into the studio, and they laid down their sophomore album “Butterfly in Black and White.” The Green Day influences are obvious, but Riff Wood has still managed to create something entirely their own. The energy is palpable, the harmonies are tight, and the lyrics let you know that the kids are going to be alright. When asked about the name of the album, Hyrum confidently admits, “I’m a major milk lover. I drink a lot of milk. It’s important to the story.”
One day, before the album was finished, Hyrum was doing what he does.. drinking milk. And it spilled. The boys were fascinated by the shape, laughed about it, and ultimately decided that was the vision. A butterfly in black and white. After doing some research, they discovered the concept held deeper meanings across cultures, signifying the contrast between light and darkness, ushering in transitions and rebirth. That solidified it. The butterfly was here to stay.
As their popularity grows, the Riff Wood boys are having the time of their lives. Traveling with their best friends, playing video games on the road and performing for crowds that seem to have a new favorite track every night. But they’re staying grounded. For now, they’re still in high school, and their peers treat them just like they always have. Growing up in a time when COVID made online schooling normal, they can travel and record when needed without skipping a beat back home.
Ultimately, the dream is playing stadiums, maybe even following in Green Day’s footsteps with a Super Bowl halftime show someday. Shredder’s got big dreams. But they’ve got plenty of time to figure that one out. In the interim, they’re focused on sharing and improving their craft. According to Carson, “I just always want to be proud of what we're writing and how we're playing.” Shredder perfectly summarizes the plan: “Always just have fun. That's why we do it.”
So far, so good.
Check out Riff Wood’s newest album “Butterfly in Black and White” available on streaming platforms now. And while you wait to catch them on tour, follow along on TikTok for originals, covers and general band shenanigans, often shot in front of a gorgeous Utah mountain backdrop.