Leftover Salmon Introduces New Set: Will It Grass?
02/25/2026 12:39PM ● By Skylar Leeson
For 35 years, Leftover Salmon has been a cornerstone of Colorado’s jamgrass scene. Formed in Boulder in 1989, the band helped pioneer a high-energy blend of bluegrass, Cajun, rock and extended improvisation – a free-spirited sound they famously dubbed “Polyethnic Cajun Slamgrass.” Decades in, they remain festival staples, known for collaborative sets and a loyal, multigenerational fan base.
When Steamboat Magazine caught up with banjoist Andy Thorn, he was sitting on his deck in Boulder, soaking up the Colorado sun – an appropriately laid-back setting for a musician who has spent the last 15 years helping carry the band into its modern era. A North Carolina native and former member of the Emmitt-Nershi Band, Andy grew up a fan of Leftover Salmon; today, his inventive banjo work and easygoing enthusiasm help keep the music fresh while honoring its deep mountain roots.
Steamboat Magazine: How many times have you played this festival and what are you bringing this year that you haven’t before?
Andy Thorn: Gosh, I'm not totally sure but at least six or seven times. We started doing it in Vail and that was really fun there, but the move to Steamboat has just made it better. We love being in Steamboat. It's been an awesome move for us and I hope it has for the town as well. And this year is going to be a little different. We are doing a special set, called Will It Grass? Like will it become bluegrass, and we’ll let the fans request songs that they think we should do bluegrass style. So that's going to be on Saturday; that’ll be kind of fun. And then there is always a lot of collaborating with all the musicians there – that’s one of the best parts.
SM: You’ve been performing for decades – how has the festival scene changed since you first started, and how does WinterWonderGrass fit into that evolution?
AT: I’ve been there about 15 years, so I haven’t seen the changes as much as the other guys. But to me festivals have just gotten better and better over the time that I've been doing it. They've really figured out festivals and the best way to do them. But I really love this trend of winter ski festivals, and Scotty was one of the first people to do that. There's always been après music at ski areas but combining a true festival at a ski mountain with the après ski culture, it's so much fun and it's such a cool idea.
SM: How do WinterWonderGrass crowds compare to other festivals you’ve played? Are there specific moments from past winters that stand out?
AT: The WinterWonderGrass crowd is just hardcore snow lovers, lovers of Colorado. They're not going to let the weather scare them. They go out there in a blizzard sometimes, sometimes out there in the sun all day, you never know what you're going to get. But if you're in the sun, you're celebrating because it's nice and warm and if it's a blizzard, you’re happy too because you know you're going to have a powder day the next morning, so people are stoked. It's one of the most stoked crowds we’ll play all year.
SM: After more than three decades together, what still excites you about walking onstage at a festival like this?
AT: I’ve been a fan of this band since I was a teenager back in North Carolina, so every time I walk on stage with them I'm pinching myself. I just love it, it's so much fun. And the band has been around for 35 years but people still want to see us, which is just awesome. The fact that we’re still doing this everyday for a living, we’re lucky and it's awesome.
SM: If this festival could hear you reflect back, what would you want it to know?
AT: We’re still having fun, we’re keeping it fresh, we’re writing new songs, and we are still super stoked on being a Colorado band.