BlackBerry Smoke over base Published July 23, 2014 By Airman 1st Class Lauren Pitts Minot Air Force Base Public Affairs MINOT AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. -- Minot Air Force Base got a taste of Southern Rock when BlackBerry Smoke blew through town during the first stop of their USO tour date, Monday, July 21, 2014. With their roots in Atlanta, Georgia, the five-man group began playing together in small venues around the South East in the early 2000s before they started touring. "We had read about USO tours before and it was definitely something we were interested in," said BlackBerry Smoke drummer Brit Turner. "We all pretty much came from military families." Brit and his brother Richard, the base guitarist for the band, have a personal connection with the Air Force family. Their father was a colonel in the Air Force, and the brothers spent part of their childhood in and around Air Force bases. "We lived outside the air base in the Philippines in Manila," said Turner. "It was an experience that's been stuck in my head ever since." Returning again to an Air Force Base, Turner and his band members were able to experience the unique and crucial mission of Minot Airmen. Touring the uniform-1 training site, the B-52H Stratofortress and UH-1 static displays, BlackBerry Smoke saw firsthand Minot's two legs of the triad. "It was just great to see the bombers, and how all this technology has withstood time," Turner said. "Everything was just so interesting." The band ended their day with a performance at the Base Theater, playing their mix of bluegrass and rock'n'roll for Minot Airmen and their families before they headed out for their next USO stop at Malmstrom Air Force Base, Montana. As far as another USO tour in the future, BlackBerry Smoke said they would definitely do it again. "Working with the USO was great, they really welcomed us, and we would absolutely visit a military base again," said Turner. "Wherever they want to hear us, we'll go." As the band left to continue their tour, the members sent out a thank you to team Minot. "We want to say, just thank you for welcoming us here," said Turner. "And thank you for our freedom."