This Sunday, February 22nd, the eclectic, self-proclaimed polyethnic slamgrass band, Leftover Salmon, will be taking over the stage at the Walker Theatre for a night of constantly evolving sound.
The band formed in 1989 after a New Year's show in Boulder, Colorado, where two bands, The Salmon Heads and The Left Hand String Band, joined forces, ultimately choosing the name Leftover Salmon, a play on the two band names.
While the band has had a lot of rotating members over the years, the founding members are Drew Emmitt, Vince Herman, and Mark Vann, often known as the “Big Three,” with Vann sadly passing away in 2002. Their music is a blend of country, progressive bluegrass, roots, Cajun, and zydeco music, while at its core, it's a group built on jam band exploration.
In fact, Leftover Salmon is known for being the architects of the jamgrass genre and are highly respected with a dedicated fan base across the country. In 2022, the group was inducted into the Colorado Music Hall of Fame, a high honor that reflects their influence on the broader music scene in the state.
As the band approached their 30th anniversary, they had a book written about them entitled Leftover Salmon: Thirty Years of Festival! by Tim Newby. The book covered the band's long history and their influential role in the development of the jamgrass genre.
On May 9th, 2025, as part of their 35th anniversary celebration, the band released their eleventh studio album, entitled Let’s Party About It. The album features entirely new material that the band wrote together in one collaborative session, something they had never done prior to that. It also features guest appearances by Del McCoury and Sam Bush.
Hit singles from the celebratory album include “Salmon Scales" and “Twisted Pine,” featuring Del McCoury. Thematically, the album explores the journey of life and the way seasons change and influence us. It is both reflective and introspective, while balancing humor and heart.
While they do occasionally address socio-cultural issues in their music, their sound is predominantly aimed at getting audiences dancing, with playful lyrics that are meant as an invitation to have fun, let go, and celebrate. There are also a lot of meditations in their lyrics on nature and Western landscapes inspired by Boulder too, with an emphasis on environmental awareness and a spiritual connection to the land.
For over thirty-seven years, Leftover Salmon has been creating a unique, high-energy jamgrass soundscape that thrives on improvisation and audience interaction, and as the original pioneers of jamgrass, they have created an enduring legacy that will carry on and continue to influence an entire generation of upcoming jamgrass bands.
Leftover Salmon
- 7:30 p.m. February 22.
- $49-$146.
- The Walker Theatre, 399 McCallie Ave, Chattanooga
- tivolichattanooga.com