About the Band

Into the Fog is a genre defying bluegrass band based in Raleigh, North Carolina, known for blending bluegrass roots with rock, funk, and improvisational jam elements. They unite tight harmonies with progressive instrumentation to create a sound that's both rooted and boundary pushing.

Originally forming in late 2017 around the opportunity to compete in the Telluride Bluegrass Festival band competition, Brian Stephenson (Banjo), Winston Mitchell (Mandolin), Jesse Stockton (Guitar), Will Maxwell (Fiddle) and Greg Howell (Bass) formed the very first iteration of Into the Fog in Wilmington, NC. The band's early journey was documented in Band #7: The Ride to Telluride, a film by Mason Godwin.

Watch the Ride to Telluride film by clicking here.

The band continued to hone in their sound and shift members during the coming year. Derek Lane joined the band as bass player in late 2018 and the band played for a few months before scaling down to a trio; leaving only Brian Stephenson on Guitar, Winston Mitchell on Mandolin and Derek Lane on Bass; traveling, recording, and performing shows.

"After building momentum across North Carolina — frequently playing breweries, venues, and regional stages — they released their debut album Wishin' It Would Rain in 2019."

-The Southern Cafe and Music Hall

The album featured previous member Will Maxwell on Fiddle who would continue to play with the band on stage when the opportunity fit. The album was also blessed by an old friend of the band, Jack Snyder, lending not only his vocals harmonies on a few tracks but also his design talents for the album artwork.

"Into The Fog's rise in the roots music scene was marked by their win at the 2021 MerleFest Band Competition, a prestigious recognition that helped elevate their profile and led to performances at major festivals and the IBMA World of Bluegrass."

-Raleigh Magazine

The band continued to expand on their sonic space and flex their songwriting muscles in the following years. Upon adding a full-time fourth member, Michael Malek (Banjo), the band continued to solidify their position as a formidable force by recording and releasing their lengthy double LP Runnin' Blind and Chasin' Time during the height of the shutdown in 2021. The album attempted to showcase the bands wide range of sonic capabilities with ventures into darker and more spacey sounds.

Although the band has always functioned as a team, the contributions of Brian Stephenson as the bands primary Manager and Booking Agent cannot be ignored. His vision, focus, and drive to push a regional independent band to something more cannot be understated or undervalued.

2022 led to many new opportunities for the band, including performing at Floydfest for the first time among other festivals. After raising the highest amount in donations during a charity campaign for the SIMS foundation, Into the Fog won the opportunity to film a Jam In The Van live session in Austin, TX during South by Southwest festival. The night before the band was meant to depart for Texas, Brian had a fall and injured his strumming arm. This led to a beautiful collaboration and friendship as Mason Via was able to step in to join in on guitar, flying into Austin the night before the recording session and nailing every part first try.

Watch the Jam In The Van performance here.

Into the Fog continued to grow and tour over the next few years. The band's sound evolved once again when the lineup changed in 2023, adding full-time member Connor Kozlosky on Electric Guitar. This marked a shift in the band's sound toward more a more psychedelic and rock centered approach while still retaining the songwriting stylings that fans were familiar with.

January 2024 marked the release of Searching for Sanctuary, the bands first official release of a full live show including a full-length concert video. Momentum grew during 2024 as the band put on their Fog-Out festival at Easy Wind Farm then returning to MerleFest shortly after.

The band quietly worked on their next album, Carolina Moon, during the summer of 2024 before officially announcing the release date to be Aug 2, 2024. The band began to focus heavily on touring in new regions and expanding their reach outward to new audiences.

On June 16, 2025, Into the Fog announced that they will be going on an indefinite hiatus with no future plans to tour or record.

Along with releasing multiple albums and live records, Into the Fog has shared stages with renowned acts such as Sam Bush, Keller & The Keels, Town Mountain, and Daniel Donato, and played festivals including FloydFest, Grey Fox, Rooster Walk, and Earl Scruggs Music Festival. Their live shows are celebrated for memorable songs, extended jams, and spirited musicianship.

As the members explore separate creative ventures while on hiatus, Into The Fog's legacy as one of North Carolina's most adventurous acoustic acts continues to draw fans and respect across the roots music community.

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