Mumford & Sons

Inspired by folk, rock, country, and bluegrass, the London-based Mumford & Sons feature singer/guitarist/drummer Marcus Mumford, vocalist and banjo/Dobro player Winston Marshall, vocalist/keyboardist Ben Lovett, and vocalist/bassist Ted Dwane.

The foursome started playing together in 2007; though they were playing with other bands at the time, they bonded over their shared love of rootsy music.

Mumford & Sons quickly became a part of London's underground folk scene, which included acts like Laura Marling and Noah and the Whale.

By late autumn 2007, the band was writing songs and playing shows frequently, leading to a gig at 2008's Glastonbury Festival.

That June, their self-titled debut EP arrived, followed by the Love Your Ground EP that December.

In May 2009, the Cave and the Open Sea EP was released; meanwhile, Mumford & Sons signed to Island Records and worked with producer Markus Drays (the Arcade Fire, Maccabees) on their first full-length.

That summer, the single "Little Lion Man" became the first taste of their new material; it was named Hottest Record in the World This Week by BBC 1 Radio DJ Zane Lowe in July.

The group was shortlisted for the BBC's Sound of 2009 Poll shortly before its debut album, Sigh No More, was released that winter.

It was issued a year later in America on the Glassnote Records label.

~ Heather Phares, Rovi