Greensky Bluegrass will mark a major milestone later this year with the release of XXV, a special album arriving on October 31st—the exact date of the band’s 25th anniversary. The new record, set to drop via Big Blue Zoo Records/Thirty Tigers, will feature a mix of reimagined fan favorites and notable guest appearances. To coincide with the album announcement, the band has shared a fresh take on the song “Reverend” featuring Grammy-winning bluegrass phenom Billy Strings.
Dobro player Anders Beck reflected on the spirit behind XXV, noting that the project gave the band a chance to revisit some of the songs that have defined its journey. “We’ve called on some dear friends to breathe a touch of new life into some classic Greensky songs for your listening pleasure,” Beck explained. “We’ve reinvented the sounds of some of our (dare I say) ‘hits’ because after a quarter century of Greensky Bluegrass, with plenty of new music on the horizon, we believe it’s worth celebrating what the five of us have created together… and we want you to have a damn good time listening to it.”
“Reverend”, the album’s lead single, holds special meaning for mandolinist and vocalist Paul Hoffman, who called it “quintessential Greensky.” The song dates back to a pivotal moment in the band’s history. “When we were about to record ‘five interstates,’ our producer and long-time friend, Tim Carbone, told me he thought there was one more important song missing. Something I still needed to write,” Hoffman recalled. “Shortly after, I spent a night talking songs with a Michigan musician named Seth Bernard, affectionately referred to as ‘the reverend’. He uses his music for community and activism… the next morning this song kind of fell out of me.
“Keeping the song in its Michigan roots, we asked Billy to play and sing on this,” he continued. “I love the way he relates to this song and how he participates when he performs with us. His love for our band has always been generous, so why not have a quintessential Greensky fan participate on the quintessential song?”
In addition to Strings, XXV includes contributions from an impressive roster of guest artists, each representing key moments in the band’s evolution, including Sam Bush, Lindsay Lou, Nathaniel Rateliff, Aoife O’Donovan, Holly Bowling, and more.
Listen to Greensky Bluegrass and Billy Strings team up on “Reverend”, the first single from GSBG’s upcoming album, XXV, below or on your preferred streaming platform, and scroll down to view the album tracklist.
Greensky Bluegrass is currently in the midst of an extensive North American tour celebrating their 25th year, with upcoming stops in cities like Charlotte, Milwaukee, Miami Beach, Jacksonville, and Madison. Highlights include the band’s 20th performance at the legendary Red Rocks Amphitheatre and a pair of special anniversary shows at Wings Event Center in Kalamazoo on October 31st and November 1st.
Click below for a full list of tour dates and head here for tickets.
Greensky Bluegrass – “Reverend” Featuring Billy Strings
XXV TRACK LIST:
1. Can’t Stop Now (feat. Sam Bush)
2. In Control (feat. Lindsay Lou)
3. Reverend (feat. Billy Strings)
4. Broken Highways
5. Old Barns
6. Last Winter in the Copper Country (feat. Holly Bowling)
7. Past My Prime (feat. Nathaniel Rateliff)
8. 33443
9. What You Need (feat. Jennifer Hartswick and Natalie Cressman)
10. Who is Frederico? (feat. Jason Hann)
11. Lose My Way (feat. Aoife O’Donovan and Ivan Neville)
12. Windshield (feat. Holly Bowling)
13. Drink Up and Go Home