Earlier this year, Greensky Bluegrass , one of the marquee acts of the jam-grass scene, headlined the Telluride Bluegrass Festival in Colorado. It was a full-circle moment for the quintet: In 2006, Greensky won the fest’s hard-fought band competition.

“It was such an important landmark in the band’s trajectory,” lead singer Paul Hoffman tells Rolling Stone backstage at Telluride during the group’s 15th appearance at the festival. “[Winning the competition] put a lot of wind in our sails. It felt career-defining to be part of this event.”

Greensky is celebrating 25 years together with their latest album, XXV , a record that celebrates their steady climb over a quarter century from pizza shops and dive bars into arenas.

“I think that’s just the key to the success — I feel at home wi

See Full Page