Leftover Salmon

BIOGRAPHY

Leftover Salmon celebrates their 35th anniversary as one of the most legendary bluegrass-rooted jam bands with their new studio album, Let’s Party About It. Once again recording at Compass Sound Studio in Nashville, the band is joined by special guests Del McCoury (vocals), Sam Bush (fiddle, mandolin), Jason Carter (fiddle), Jeff Coffin (saxophone), and others for the new project. Over the course of a group writing session with friend and accomplished Nashville songwriter Aaron Raitiere, the band wrote all new songs for this album resulting in some of the most engaging and exciting material in Leftover’s Salmon’s storied history.

Let’s Party About It kicks off with Andy Thorn’s crisp banjo on “Big Wheel,” the album’s first single, which features co-founder Vince Herman on lead vocals exploring the ebb and flow of time. Co-founder Drew Emmitt duets with bluegrass icon Del McCoury on the lonesome “Twisted Pine,” and the whole band showcases the funky, New Orleans side of their Polyethnic Cajun Slamgrass sound on the percolating “Good Dog,” complete with a tight horn section led by Jeff Coffin (Dave Matthews Band) and swampy Dobro from LoS band member Jay Starling.

Everyone gets a step-out on the album’s sole instrumental, Thorn’s “Salmon Scales,” which also features guest Jason Carter on fiddle. The album’s title track, “Let’s Party About It” is a jug band-informed two-step featuring Coffin on clarinet and Sam Bush, the father of newgrass, on mandolin. Other standout tracks include the grassy “Redbird,” which offers a tip of the hat to the band’s bluegrass beginnings, and the anthemic songs “Shine On” and “River Takes Me,” featuring Emmitt’s familiar lead vocals.

Leftover Salmon holds an iconic place in the legacy of jam bands. The band is universally recognized as one of the genre's pioneers of blending bluegrass, rock, and improvisational jams. Formed in 1989 in Boulder, Colorado, Leftover Salmon's sound combines the traditional roots of bluegrass with elements of folk, rock, Cajun, and jazz, creating a dynamic and energetic style that pushes the boundaries of both bluegrass and jam.

Leftover Salmon has influenced a generation of artists with their eclectic approach and dedication to live, spontaneous music-making, counting current trendsetters Billy Strings, Greensky Bluegrass, The Infamous Stringdusters, and Yonder Mountain String Band among those influenced by their music. Over the course of their 35+ year run, they have explored a variety of ‘grass hybrids, creating their own musical culture and earning legions of fans in the process. Their legacy as one of the genre's foundational acts is broad and undeniable.

Recent milestones for Leftover Salmon include their Grand Ole Opry debut in 2024 and recent induction into the Colorado Music Hall of Fame. On Memorial Day, May 26th, the band will celebrate their 35th anniversary and the release of Let’s Party About It (their 13th album) with a headline performance at famed Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Morrison, Colorado. Joined by co-headlining, rising Bluegrass stars Kitchen Dwellers, the event will also feature Clay Street Unit, Bill Payne (Little Feat), Laurie Lewis, Jason Carter, AJ Lee, and many others.