After much deliberation over the mystery act atop Telluride Bluegrass Festival’s 2025 bill, festival promoters Planet Bluegrass have put the rumors to rest, announcing the details behind the first-ever Toy Factory Project performance at this year’s Festivarian gathering. Helmed by Marshall Tucker Band drummer and co-founder Paul T. Riddle, the Toy Factory Project is a band created in memory of fellow Marshall Tucker Band co-founder Toy Caldwell and his legendary songs. Joining Riddle is a band of giants, ready to celebrate the southern rock legacy of Caldwell and MTB: Marcus King (Marcus King Band) on guitar and vocals, Oteil Burbridge (Dead and Company, Allman Brothers Band) on bass, Charlie Starr (Blackberry Smoke) on guitar and vocals, Josh Shilling (Mountain Heart, Wynona Judd) on keys and vocals, and Billy Contreras (Lionel Hampton, George Jones, Zach Bryan, Ricky Skaggs, Bela Fleck) on fiddle.
Telluride Bluegrass attendees will be treated to some of Marshall Tucker Band’s great crossover hits like "Can't You See," "Heard It In a Love Song," "Searching For a Rainbow," and "This Old Cowboy," to name a few, and can surely expect a special guest or two for the first-ever set on Saturday, June 21st, for the further exploration of Toy Caldwell’s legendary blending of rock and roll, country, bluegrass, and blues on stage in Telluride’s world-famous Town Park. Check out a preview of Toy Factory Project right here.
Saturday evening’s Toy Factory Project performance rounds out an already-stellar Telluride Bluegrass Festival lineup over the course of June 19-22 in Telluride, Colorado:
Thursday, June 19:
Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit
Gillian Welch & David Rawlings
Thee Sacred Souls
I’m With Her: Sara Watkins, Sarah Jarosz, & Aoife O’Donovan
The Travelin’ McCourys
Mountain Grass Unit
Olive Klug
Chris Thile
Friday, June 20:
Greensky Bluegrass
Lake Street Dive
Dan Tyminski Band
Punch Brothers
Tim O’Brien Band
Rainbow Girls
Water Tower
DUG
Saturday, June 21:
Toy Factory Project
Sam Bush Band
Telluride Troubadour
Kasey Chambers
Yonder Mountain String Band
Béla Fleck, Edmar Castañeda, Antonio Sánchez Trio
Caleb Kauder and Reeb Willms
Still House String Band
Telluride Band Contest Finals
Sunday, June 22:
Alison Krauss & Union Station featuring Jerry Douglas
Zach Top
Telluride House Band
Rebirth Brass Band
Ken Pomeroy
New Dangerfield
Authentic Unlimited
Tickets and camping passes are still available in limited quantities for Telluride Bluegrass Festival 2025 and can be found right here. For more information, please visit bluegrass.com.
About Telluride Bluegrass Festival: Founded in 1974 and occurring annually during the summer solstice, Telluride Bluegrass has been inviting music fans to the historic mining town in the San Juan Mountains of southwestern Colorado for 4 days of adventurous acoustic music in the stunning Telluride box canyon for 50 years.
Since its early years, the unique genre of “Telluride Bluegrass” has embraced a diverse family of artists including Sam Bush, Robert Plant, Mumford & Sons, Brandi Carlile, Norah Jones, Janelle Monáe, Greensky Bluegrass, Emmylou Harris, and many of the world’s most virtuosic acoustic instrumentalists – the majority of whom have returned to the festival for 25+ years. With music on the main stage, intimate workshop performances at Elks Park, late-night indoor NightGrass concerts, and pickin’ in campgrounds and condos ‘til dawn, Telluride Bluegrass is the “granddaddy of the modern festival circuit” (Relix). Telluride Bluegrass is presented and produced by Planet Bluegrass.
About Planet Bluegrass: For over 30 years, Planet Bluegrass has been redefining the musical festival by creating exceptional experiences that protect the planet through environmental leadership and a strong community.
Fiercely and decidedly independent, their three festivals make a unique musical mark: each takes place in breathtaking natural Colorado environments, each features the world’s finest musicians and songwriters, and each embraces a “Leave No Trace” ethic that defines Planet Bluegrass as a leader in Sustainable Festivation. Planet Bluegrass presents Telluride Bluegrass, Rockygrass, and Rocky Mountain Folks Festival, bucket list musical gatherings for artists and fans alike. Planet Bluegrass is invested in the next generation of songwriters and musicians as evidenced by Rockygrass Academy and Song School.
