Greensky Bluegrass

Greensky Bluegrass debuted as a trio at a house party on October 31, 2000, in Kalamazoo, Michigan, with Michael Arlen Bont on banjo, Dave Bruzza on guitar, and Paul Hoffman on mandolin, meeting at an open mic night and initially focusing on traditional bluegrass. The group’s musical palette expanded over time as did its roster, with Mike Devol joining on upright bass in 2004 and Anders Beck joining on dobro three years later, completing the five-piece lineup that defines the band’s sound today. A quintet blending bluegrass, jam band, and progressive Americana, Greensky describes their own sound as mixing the acoustic stomp of a string band with the rule-breaking spirit of rock and roll. Their diligence paid off after winning the Telluride Bluegrass Festival’s band competition in 2006, earning a main-stage slot the following summer, and the band went on to release the bluegrass chart-topping breakout If Sorrows Swim in 2014. Marking a quarter century together in 2025, the band celebrated with their new album XXV, featuring guests including String Cheese Incident drummer Jason Hann and Trey Anastasio Band horn players, continuing their reputation as one of jamgrass’s most inventive live acts.