The Spark That Lit the Lantern

In the shadow of New Jersey’s suburban sprawl, Wesley Schultz sat in a cramped apartment, strumming chords to drown out the grief of losing his brother. Music wasn’t just a hobby—it was salvation, a way to process pain and find light in the dark. Across the river in New York, Jeremiah Fraites banged on drums, reeling from the same loss—his best friend, Josh, Wesley’s sibling, gone too soon. They met in 2005, bonded by sorrow and a shared love for raw, rootsy sound. “We wanted to make something honest, something that hit you in the chest,” Wes has said, and that ache—to heal, to connect—ignited The Lumineers, a band born from heartbreak that turned folk into anthems for the weary.

The Souls Behind the Sound

Wesley Keith Schultz (born 1982, Ramsey, New Jersey) was the shy kid with a poet’s heart, raised by a single mom after his dad died young. Jeremiah Caleb Fraites (born 1986, Ramsey too) was the restless drummer, a Jersey boy with a wild streak. They grew up middle-class, not poor, but life hit hard—Josh’s overdose in 2001 left a void they filled with music. After years grinding in New York’s open-mic scene, they ditched the East Coast for Denver in 2011, seeking fresh air and a fresh start.

There, they met Neyla Pekarek (born 1986, Colorado), a cellist with a classical edge, rounding out the trio until she split in 2018. Today, Wes and Jer anchor the band, with touring mates like Byron Isaacs (bass) and Lauren Jacobson (violin). Wes married Brandy in 2013—no kids yet—while Jer keeps his love life quiet. At 42 and 39, they’re road-worn romantics, based in Denver, still chasing that raw spark.

The Career That Stomped the World

The Lumineers are The Lumineers—no side projects, just one evolving beast. It started in Denver dive bars, Wes and Jer scraping by, recording in attics. Their 2012 self-titled debut, with Neyla’s cello, exploded thanks to “Ho Hey”—folk-pop gold that stormed charts. Cleopatra (2016) and III (2019) deepened their tale, a trio turned duo-plus after Neyla’s exit to chase theater dreams.

Their core—Wesley Schultz (vocals, guitar), Jeremiah Fraites (drums, piano)—drives the ship, with no fixed bandmates beyond touring pals. They’ve jammed with U2 (Bono’s a fan), Tom Petty (their last tour with him), and Noah Kahan (a 2023 collab). No tabloid romances—just musical kinship. Onscreen, they’ve shined in Game of Thrones (“The Night We Met” in 2017), The Hunger Games (“Gale Song”), and Wes voiced The Ballad of Cleopatra docu-series.

Awards? They’ve nabbed two Grammy nods—Best New Artist and Best Americana Album (2013)—and a 2020 Americana Music Honors nod for III. No Hall of Fame yet—they’re still climbing. Their biggest hits?

• Ho Hey (written by Schultz, Fraites) hit No. 3 on the Hot 100 in 2012, a stomping cry.
• Ophelia (Schultz, Fraites) reached No. 1 on Alternative charts in 2016, a haunting swirl.
• Cleopatra (Schultz, Fraites, Simone Felice) climbed to No. 2 in 2016, a dusty ode.
• The Night We Met (Schultz, Fraites) soared post-13 Reasons Why in 2017, pure longing.

Controversy’s been tame. Their 2012 rise drew “one-hit wonder” snarks—“Ho Hey” overshadowed early work—but they proved doubters wrong. A 2016 plagiarism suit over “Ophelia” (dismissed) ruffled feathers, and Neyla’s 2018 exit sparked fan grumbles—she wanted Broadway, they wanted the road. Their drama’s in the lyrics, not the gossip rags.

The Legacy of the Lantern Bearers

The Lumineers’ story is a phoenix tale—two friends rising from ashes, turning loss into light. With over 20 million albums sold, they’ve made folk-pop a heartbeat for millions, their suspenders-and-stomp vibe a modern classic. In their 40s, they’re no flash—they’re a fire, still touring, still baring souls. Catch them live, and you’ll feel that attic jam, now a roaring glow that warms the world.

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The Lumineers, when they were just starting out.