The band is fronted by lead vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Grace Potter, who is known for her vocal qualities—evocative of blues rock singers like Janis Joplin, Bonnie Raitt, or Koko Taylor—as well as for her vibrant energy on stage.

Besides playing with the Nocturnals, Potter has also released solo material and collaborated with other artists including Kenny Chesney and The Rolling Stones.

[2] The band was originally formed in late 2002 when Burr saw Potter perform folk songs in a student-run venue called The Java Barn on the St. Lawrence campus.

In the spring of 2003, Burr invited guitarist Tournet to join the group, thus cementing the founding members of the band that would become Grace Potter and the Nocturnals.

The group independently recorded and released one album, Nothing but the Water in 2005 with Charlotte, VT, sound engineer Lane Gibson.

Following extensive airplay on Vermont Adult Album Alternative radio stations WNCS and WEBK, the band signed a deal with Hollywood Records in December 2005 and re-released Nothing but the Water on May 23, 2006.

[5] Potter played Hammond Organ and sang lead vocals alongside Joe Satriani, Steve Kimock, Reed Mathis, Willy Waldman, and Stephen Perkins during that appearance.

Hollywood Records released the news on May 11, 2009 that T-Bone Burnett would be producing a new project with Potter, tentatively scheduled for fall of 2009.

During the 2009 Bonnaroo Music Festival, Grace Potter and the Nocturnals, along with playing their own set, joined Gov't Mule and moe.

Potter appeared as a guest on stage with The Preservation Hall Jazz Band, singing vocals for "St. James Infirmary Blues" and joined Gov't Mule on a cover of "Gold Dust Woman".

On the eve of their eponymous album release date, the band announced on Facebook and Twitter that they were going to perform a free concert on Burlington, Vermont's Church Street Marketplace the following day.

On February 9, 2012, Grace Potter announced the title of their upcoming fourth studio album, The Lion the Beast the Beat, noting that they collaborated with The Black Keys member Dan Auerbach.

This song was performed by The Band accompanied by many guest stars such as Ringo Starr and Bob Dylan in "The Last Waltz" concert held on November 25, 1976 at the Winterland Ballroom in San Francisco.

[19] Recorded between tours during the summer and fall of 2004 at the band's Waitsfield rehearsal space, Depart So Slow featured the songwriting of singer/guitarist Scott Taylor with Grace Potter and the Nocturnals providing musical backing.

In addition to this collaboration, Potter also served as guest composer in the seventh episode of the show's sixth season, "Messin' With the Kid".

In 2009, Potter was featured on the track "Ordinary Man" by fellow Vermont singer-songwriter Gregory Douglass on his album Battler.

Potter sang on the track "You and Tequila" on the 2010 album Hemingway's Whiskey by country music singer Kenny Chesney.

The song debuted on September 5, 2013, when Potter performed with Gov't Mule at the first annual Lockn' Festival in Arrington, VA.[23] On June 3, 2015 (in Minneapolis, MN), and June 6, 2015 (in Arlington, TX), Grace Potter opened for the Rolling Stones during the Zip Code Tour, and joined them onstage to perform "Gimme Shelter".

In the spring of 2019, the song "The Lion the Beast the Beat" was featured in the season 2 episode of Cloak & Dagger entitled "Vikingtown Sound".