Breckenridge Brewery brings beer and music together with Leftover Salmon 12-pack pre-release

Breckenridge Brewery has teamed with Colorado bluegrass band Leftover Salmon to deliver new music to fans exclusively through Breckenridge beers. Leftover Salmon will debut four original songs from July to October, and they will be pre-released exclusively through Breckenridge Brewery’s 12-pack Sampler Packs. Song download codes will be provided on four collector’s item Artist Series coasters packaged within Sampler Packs. And like Breck’s beer, this band rocks:

“These new Leftover Salmon songs are inspired by Breckenridge Brewery’s Fine Colorado Ales, the Colorado lifestyle and the beauty that Colorado has to offer,” said Breckenridge Brewery’s Marketing Director Todd Thibault. “It makes perfect sense to package these songs with our beers and give folks the full Colorado experience.”

National touring act Leftover Salmon was formed in Colorado in 1989. The slamgrass pioneers created one of the first bluegrass bands to add drums and tour rock and roll bars, helping it become a pillar of the jam band scene and an unwitting architect of the jam grass genre.

Each of four song downloads will be released alongside an Artist Series coaster, specially created by four well-known artists from the “Rock Art” community and packaged inside Breckenridge Brewery’s 12-pack Sampler Packs. Gary Houston, Jeff Wood, Nate Duval and Tyler Stout each crafted their artwork with inspiration from Leftover Salmon’s music and Breckenridge Brewery’s beers. In addition to the coasters, each artist is printing a limited run of 100 screen print posters. The posters will be available through select giveaways on social media and at special events across the country.

The Artist Series song download coasters will begin shipping in specially marked Breckenridge Brewery 12-pack Sampler Packs in July. Sampler Pack purchasers will not only receive 12 bottles of Breckenridge beer, but also an Artist Series coaster, a free song download and a chance to win prizes — every download that is retrieved enters that person in a drawing. The grand prize is a trip for two to Colorado for a VIP experience at Leftover Salmon’s Thanksgiving shows, with a behind-the-scenes Breckenridge Brewery tour and a band meet-and-greet. Other prizes include a band-autographed acoustic guitar made by Andrew White Guitars, which builds Vince Herman’s guitars, a set of four Artist Series coaster posters (framed and signed by the band) and much more.

The first Leftover Salmon download song available this month is “High Country.” The song was recorded between March 25 and April 4, 2013, at Mighty Fine Productions in Denver. It was produced by Steve Berlin of Los Lobos, engineered by Mario Casilio and mixed and mastered by Dave McNair. The song features Joey Porter on organ.

“I wrote this song while on a hike in the Collegiate Peaks wilderness,” remembered Leftover Salmon band member Andy Thorn. “It was such a beautiful day up there I just started singing, ‘I wanna be in the high country all day,’ and having fun making up verses about it. By the time we got back to the cabin and grabbed a guitar it was basically finished.”

Gary Houston of Voodoo Catbox created the accompanying artwork. Houston is based in Portland and specializes in scratch board illustrations, which he appreciates as being hands-on and organic. He also screen prints, and scratch board lends itself to this process very well.

“When I was approached to work on this project, my initial thoughts were of outdoors, summer and water and the idea that water is such a pivotal point in making beer,” reflected Houston. “I wanted the image to have a mystical quality… Mountains, trees, churning water and salmon with spawning on their minds, in a mystical setting.”

This summer and fall Breckenridge Brewery is planning promotions in select bars throughout the country that coincide with Leftover Salmon’s tour stops. The events will not only provide fans a chance to collect the Artist Series song download coasters and limited edition Artist Series posters, but also will include special appearances by Leftover Salmon. Dates and cities will be posted online on Breckenridge Brewery’s website.

“Imagine having the opportunity to drink a beer with some of the best musicians to come out of Colorado, pick up a free song download and an autographed limited edition poster,” concluded Thibault. “I can’t think of a better way to spend a summer evening.”