The uncertainty of the music business has forced working professionals to take things into their own hands. Musicians of all genres are following the lead of their punk predecessors: Get out of your current contract, find a killer studio, killer friends and do it yourself.

Even bluegrass bands are jumping on the D.I.Y. thing. They are realizing that the American hardcore bands of the early 1980s were the Stormtroopers who started sticking it to the music industry. You didn’t need them in 1982, and you sure don’t need them now.

The Infamous Stringdusters are a perfect example of the modern-day music trial-and-error success story. First, you form a band, start touring, get signed, understand how record labels work and form your own label. Then, you play several festivals, start your own festival. Voila – Infamous Stringdusters Inc.

The Infamous Stringdusters will return to the Community Concert Hall at Fort Lewis College on Thursday. Boulder’s’ Elephant Revival will be the opening band. The Stringdusters are Andy Falco on guitar, Jeremy Garrett on fiddle and vocals, Andy Hall on dobro and vocals, Chris Pandolfi on banjo and Travis Book on bass. The band is still pushing its live-recorded debut “We’ll Do It Live,” which was released on its High Country Recordings label, as well as wrapping up a forthcoming record due in the spring.

Former Durango resident Book said on top of all that’s happening for the band professionally, the members also are adapting to being a five-piece after mandolin player Jesse Cobb resigned in October.

“We thought we were going to miss the mandolin, but we’ve got a dobro, and the fiddle can provide a lot of rhythm elements, and Andy Falco’s guitar player is really rhythmic,” Book said from his new home in central Virginia.

“It made more sense, instead of trying to find someone new to add to that.”

Far from mere side projects, High Country Recordings and “The Festy,” as their Virginia festival is called, are part of growing the organization and staying true to the reason they started making music in the first place.

“We’re taking on as much of this stuff as we can, and doing it all, and doing it ourselves. We’re taking it all back,” Book said.

It’s the experience, and confidence, that gives the Stringdusters the credit, and the know-how to host “The Festy” each fall. But they’ve found that enviable balance that comes when one’s work also is one’s hobby.

“It doesn’t look much like work, and it doesn’t really feel much like it either,” Book said.

“And a big part of it, the people I work with, the people I’m associated with and the rest of the guys in the Dusters, it’s an amazing group of people. Every day we’re in the van is a total blast, and every time we go on stage it feels a lot like when I was first playing music with Anders Beck, Rob Lawrence and Robin Davis in the Salty Dogs (a Durango band from Book’s past).”

Durango remains one of the band’s favorite places to play. Not only was it Book’s home for years, it’s a place that first embraced what they do.

“Durango is one of the first places that got our music and understood it for what it was,” he said.

“People will be happily surprised that we’re continuing to evolve, and we’re loving playing music together more than ever.”

Bryant Liggett is a freelance writer and KDUR station manager. Reach him at Liggett_b@fortlewis.edu.