Lettuce & The Motet Members Form MTN Lion, Announce Debut Album

Lettuce & The Motet Members Form MTN Lion, Announce Debut Album

JamBase
JamBaseApr 24, 2026

Why It Matters

The collaboration merges two established funk brands, unlocking a larger combined audience and creating new revenue streams for independent labels and live‑event promoters. It also signals a broader industry trend of pandemic‑originated side projects becoming commercial releases.

Key Takeaways

  • MTN Lion unites Lettuce and The Motet members for new funk project
  • Debut album 'Stealth' drops July 24 on Golden Wolf Records
  • First single 'Turning Up The Heat' showcases analog‑only production
  • Pandemic‑era collaboration highlights artists' desire for pure funk expression
  • Supergroup’s combined fanbases could boost streaming and festival bookings

Pulse Analysis

The pandemic forced many touring musicians into unexpected downtime, prompting a wave of creative collaborations that have now resurfaced as marketable projects. In Denver, drummer Adam Deitch and guitarist Adam Smirnoff of Lettuce joined forces with The Motet’s Garrett Sayers and Joey Porter, recording *Stealth* in a series of home‑studio sessions. Their decision to rely exclusively on real instruments and analog warmth reflects a growing appetite among artists for authenticity, positioning the album as a counterpoint to the AI‑driven production trends dominating mainstream pop.

Releasing *Stealth* through Golden Wolf Records—a boutique label known for nurturing genre‑specific acts—offers MT Lion a nimble distribution channel and greater control over royalties. The July 24 launch aligns with the summer festival calendar, allowing the group to capitalize on live‑performance demand while leveraging the existing fanbases of Lettuce and The Motet. By issuing the album on vinyl, digital, and streaming platforms, the band maximizes revenue streams and taps into the vinyl resurgence that has boosted independent label sales by double‑digit percentages in recent years.

For the broader funk market, MT Lion’s debut could reignite interest in groove‑centric music, prompting playlist curators and festival bookers to spotlight similar acts. The supergroup’s cross‑brand appeal provides a template for other legacy groups to monetize archival collaborations, while independent labels gain a compelling case study in turning pandemic‑era recordings into profitable releases. As streaming algorithms favor niche, high‑engagement genres, *Stealth* is poised to generate sustained listener growth, reinforcing the commercial viability of authentic, analog‑driven funk in today’s digital landscape.

Lettuce & The Motet Members Form MTN Lion, Announce Debut Album

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