Sam Bush extended the musical capabilities of the mandolin and the fiddle to incorporate a seamless blend of
bluegrass,
rock,
jazz, and
reggae. As the founder and leader of
the New Grass Revival,
Bush pioneered and guided the evolution of modern hill country music. Together with the
bluegrass supergroup
Strength in Numbers, he pushed the traditions even further. During a five-year stint with the Nash Ramblers, he provided a diverse range of textures for the songs of
Emmylou Harris. On his own,
Bush has continued to explore an eclectic musical spectrum.
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Sam Bush extended the musical capabilities of the mandolin and the fiddle to incorporate a seamless blend of
bluegrass,
rock,
jazz, and
reggae. As the founder and leader of
the New Grass Revival,
Bush pioneered and guided the evolution of modern hill country music. Together with the
bluegrass supergroup
Strength in Numbers, he pushed the traditions even further.
During a five-year stint with the Nash Ramblers, he provided a diverse range of textures for the songs of
Emmylou Harris. On his own,
Bush has continued to explore an eclectic musical spectrum.
Bush was exposed to
country music and
bluegrass at an early age through his father's record collection and, later, by
Flatt & Scruggs' television show. Buying his first mandolin at the age of 11, his musical interest was further piqued when he attended the Roanoke Bluegrass Festival in 1965. A child prodigy on the fiddle, he placed first at the national fiddle contest in Weister, ID, three times in a row. Together with childhood friends Wayne Stewart and Alan Munde, later of
Country Gazette, he formed a band and recorded his first album, Poor Richard's Almanac, in 1969. The same year, he made his debut appearance on the Grand Ole Opry.
The New Grass Revival went through numerous personnel changes, with
Bush remaining as the sole original member. Bassist and vocalist
John Cowan joined in 1973, with banjo ace
Béla Fleck and acoustic guitarist Pat Flynn being enlisted in the early '80s. In 1980, the group toured with
Leon Russell, opening the shows and backing Russell during his headlining set. A live performance at the Perkins Palace in Pasadena, CA, was released as Leon Russell & the New Grass Revival: The Live Album in 1981.
In 1995,
Bush worked as a sideman with
Lyle Lovett and
Bela Fleck's Flecktones. He formed his own band, featuring
Cowan and ex-Nash Ramblers
Jon Randall and Larry Atamanuick, shortly before recording his second solo album,
Glamour & Grits, in 1996. He released his next album, Howlin' at the Moon, in 1998, with many of the same players and special guests, including
Harris,
Fleck and
J.D. Crowe.
In the winter of 1997,
Bush and
the New Grass Revival reunited for an appearance on The Conan O'Brien Show as the backup band for
Garth Brooks. On March 28, 1998,
Bush's hometown of Bowling Green, KY, honored him with a special "Sam Bush Day" celebration.
Bush continued to be a much in-demand session player as the 21st century dawned, and continued to release solo projects.
Ice Caps: Peaks of Telluride appeared in 2000 from Sugar Hill, followed by a collaboration with
David Grisman,
Hold On, We're Strummin', from Acoustic Disc in 2003. Two more solo efforts appeared from Sugar Hill, King of My World in 2004 and Laps in Seven in 2006. ~ Craig Harris, All Music Guide
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