Sam Bush

Charles Samuel Bush (born April 13, 1952) is an American mandolinist who is considered an originator of progressive bluegrass music. In 2020, he was inducted into the International Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame as a member of New Grass Revival.

This article is about the musician. For the member of the Bush political family, see Samuel P. Bush.

Sam Bush
Sam Bush performs in June 2012.
Background information
Birth nameCharles Samuel Bush
Born (1952-04-13) April 13, 1952
Bowling Green, Kentucky, U.S.
GenresProgressive bluegrass
Occupation(s)Musician, singer
InstrumentsMandolin, fiddle, banjo, guitar
Years active1963–present
LabelsFlying Fish, Sugar Hill, Ridge Runner
Associated actsBluegrass Alliance, New Grass Revival, Strength in Numbers, Nash Ramblers, Telluride House Band, Pete Wernick, Bela Fleck
Websitesambush.com

History

Born in Bowling Green, Kentucky, Bush was exposed to country and bluegrass music at an early age through his father Charlie's record collection, and later by the Flatt & Scruggs television show. Buying his first mandolin at the age of 11, his musical interest was further piqued when he attended the inaugural Roanoke, VA Bluegrass Festival in 1965. As a teen Bush took first place three times in the junior division of the National Oldtime Fiddler's Contest in Weiser, ID. He joined guitarist Wayne Stewart, his mentor and music teacher during Sam's teen years, and banjoist Alan Munde (later of Country Gazette) and the three recorded an instrumental album, Poor Richard's Almanac, in 1969.[1] In the spring of 1970, Bush attended the Fiddlers Convention at Union Grove, NC, and was inspired by the rock-flavored progressive bluegrass of the New Deal String Band.[2] Later that year, he moved to Louisville and joined the Bluegrass Alliance. In the fall of 1971, the band dissolved and reformed as the New Grass Revival.[3]

The New Grass Revival went through numerous personnel changes, with Bush remaining as the sole original member. Bassist and vocalist John Cowan joined in 1974, with banjo ace Béla Fleck and acoustic guitarist Pat Flynn being enlisted in 1981. From 1979 through 1981, the group toured with Leon Russell, opening the shows and backing Russell during his headlining set.[4]

Beginning in 1980, Bush and Cowan periodically jammed with the Nashville-based Duckbutter Blues Band, whose other members were blues guitarist Kenny Lee, drummer Jeff Jones, and bassist Byron House. Bush recorded his debut solo album, Late as Usual, four years later. In 1989, Bush and Fleck joined Mark O'Connor, Jerry Douglas, and Edgar Meyer in an all-star bluegrass band, Strength in Numbers, at the Telluride Bluegrass Festival in Colorado. When the New Grass Revival dissolved in 1989, Bush joined Emmylou Harris' Nash Ramblers, touring and recording with Harris for the next five years.

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 Late Night with Conan O'Brien 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.

Following Howlin' at the Moon in 1998, he released Ice Caps: Peaks of Telluride in 2000, which was a live recording. In 2004, Randall left Bush's band and Brad Davis took over harmony vocals and guitar duties.

In 2006, Bush released Laps in Seven. The release was significant because it marked the return of the banjo to Bush's recordings, played by Scott Vestal. The guitarist, Keith Sewell, performed on the recording, but shortly after took a job with the Dixie Chicks. Bush sought a new guitarist for his recordings and road band and found Stephen Mougin.

In 2007, Bush released his first live concert DVD, titled On The Road. 2007 also marked the first time he had been chosen to host the International Bluegrass Music Association Awards.

Bush contributed to two bluegrass tribute albums to the British Progressive Rock band the Moody Blues – 2004's Moody Bluegrass: A Nashville Tribute to the Moody Blues, and 2011's Moody Bluegrass TWO...Much Love. Bush provided the lead vocal for the Ray Thomas song "Nice To Be Here" on the latter album. [5]

Awards and honors
  • Sam Bush hosted the 22nd annual International Bluegrass Music Association Awards September 29, 2011 held at Nashville's historic Ryman Auditorium. He also hosted the 2007 IBMA Awards, held at the Grand Ole Opry House.[6][7]
  • The Americana Music Association (AMA) presented Sam Bush with the Lifetime Achievement for Instrumentalist award at the 8th Annual Americana Honors & Awards ceremony, presented by the Gibson Foundation at Ryman Auditorium September 17, 2009.[8]
  • The International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) has named Sam Bush Mandolin Player of the Year four times, in 1990, 1991, 1992, and 2007.[9][10]
  • Sam Bush has been awarded a Grammy for ...
  • He was nominated in 2006 for the Grammy for Best Country Instrumental Performance with Jerry Douglas and Béla Fleck for Who's Your Uncle.[11]
  • In March 2010, Legislation passed in Kentucky that officially named Bowling Green the "Birthplace of Newgrass" and Sam Bush the "Father of Newgrass." The Resolution, sponsored by Representative Jim DeCesare, passed the Kentucky Senate 37-0 on March 25. It passed the House on March 3, 99–0.[12]
  • Sam Bush was the subject of the 2015 documentary Revival: The Sam Bush Story , which features commentary from Alison Krauss, Emmylou Harris, Bela Fleck, David Grisman, Ricky Skaggs, and The Avett Brothers, among others. Directed by Wayne Franklin and Kris Wheeler, the film was shown at various independent film festivals throughout 2015.

Performance

As well as being an accomplished bluegrass vocalist, Bush also is an accomplished instrumentalist on mandolin and fiddle winning title of National Fiddle champion at fifteen years of age. He was a founding member of the New Grass Revival and has been called a modern day Bill Monroe, or as Sam would tell . .

. . if Bill was the father of bluegrass then I could be the mother because Monroe would say: 'here comes that mother now!'

Sam, affectionately "Sammy", or "Mr. Entertainment", also recalls meeting Mr. Monroe as a young teen. After demonstrating his mandolin technique Monroe offered the advice: "stick to the fiddle".

With Byron House, March 27, 2007.

Sam is one of the main attractions at the annual Telluride Bluegrass Festival in Telluride, Colorado and plays the eight p.m. set on Saturday night as well as many guest appearances throughout the weekend. He is affectionately known as "The King of Telluride" for his perennial appearances there (and Emmylou Harris the "Queen of Telluride"). Sam did tour with Harris' band, The Nash Ramblers. Additional collaborations include recording and live performances with many virtuoso musicians and artists such as Doc Watson, Linda Ronstadt, Dolly Parton, Ann Savoy, Tony Rice, Peter Rowan, Russ Barenberg, David Grisman, Mark O'Connor, Edgar Meyer, and importantly; "Strength in Numbers", a band consisting of Bela Fleck, Mark O'Connor, Edgar Meyer, Jerry Douglas, and Sam Bush.

Strength in Numbers was a collaboration born from jam sessions at the Telluride Bluegrass Festival. The music on their CD release entitled "The Telluride Sessions" was all instrumental and recorded live, showcasing the individual talent of each player and their ability to improvise. During recent years (2000–2008) there have been many variations of the Strength in Numbers band, also known as "Bluegrass Sessions", always including Jerry Douglas, (Dobro), and usually bassist Byron House, also from Bowling Green, KY. Other musicians include Gabe Witcher (fiddle), Bryan Sutton (guitar), Tim O'Brien (fiddle, mandolin, guitar, vocals) and Darol Anger, (fiddle).

Sam Bush Band tours extensively, appearing at many small venues and large festivals such as the Strawberry Music Festival (Memorial Day and Labor Day), Rockygrass (late July), and every spring at the Americana Festival, Merlefest in Wilkesboro, North Carolina. Sam Bush is known as one of the liveliest performers at these festivals, and makes many guest appearances with the other artists.

Discography

Solo albums
Year Album Chart Positions Label
US Bluegrass US Country US Heat
1977 Together Again For The First Time (w/ Alan Munde) — — — Ridge Runner
1985 Late as Usual — — — Rounder
1996 Glamour & Grits — — — Sugar Hill
1998 Howlin' at the Moon — — —
2000 Ice Caps: Peaks of Telluride — — —
2003 Hold On, We're Strummin' (w/ David Grisman) 7 — — Acoustic Disc
2004 King of My World 2 64 — Sugar Hill
2006 Laps in Seven 2 — —
2009 Circles Around Me 3 — 47
2016 Storyman 3 —

DVDs

Specialty projects
(Edgar Meyer & Joshua Bell with Sam Bush and Mike Marshall)
(w/ David Grisman, Ronnie McCoury, Jesse McReynolds, Ricky Skaggs, others)

New Grass Revival

References
  1. Fabian, Shelly. "Sam Bush: A King of Acoustic Music". Retrieved October 7, 2008.
  2. Harris, Craig. "Sam Bush Biography". Allmusic.com. Retrieved October 7, 2008.
  3. Hartman, Gary S (2008). "Bluegrass Alliance". Archived from the original on July 5, 2008. Retrieved October 7, 2008.
  4. Nager, Larry (December 2009). "Sam Bush – Looking For That Joyful Noise". Bluegrass Unlimited. Warrenton, Virginia. ISSN 0006-5137. Retrieved December 28, 2009.
  5. "Moody Bluegrass TWO...Much Love". Archived from the original on July 6, 2015. Retrieved September 6, 2015.
  6. Sam Bush to Host 22nd International Bluegrass Music Awards International Bluegrass Music Association official webpage.
  7. "Sam Bush to Host IBMA Awards" CMT News; August 13, 2007.
  8. "Sam Bush Among Americana Honors & Awards' Lifetime Achievement Recepients(sic)" by Travis Tackett, Bluegrass Journal; September 14, 2009.
  9. "Great Mandolin Players: A list of great mandolin players in folk and bluegrass music" by Kim Ruehl, About.com.
  10. RECIPIENT HISTORY – IBMA AWARDS International Bluegrass Music Association official webpage.
  11. "Sam Bush – 2006 Grammy Award Profile" from Shelly Fabian, About.com.
  12. Thomason, Andrew (March 25, 2010). "Sam Bush is named father of newgrass". Daily News; Bowling Green, Ky. Retrieved March 31, 2010.

Further reading
  • Bush, Sam (1999). Sam Bush Teaches Mandolin Repertoire and Technique (Listen & Learn), Hal Leonard, ISBN 0-7935-9950-4.
  • Rosenberg, Neil V.(2005). Bluegrass: A History, University of Illinois Press, ISBN 0-252-07245-6.
Awards
Preceded by
Larry Campbell		 AMA Lifetime Achievement Award for Instrumentalist
2009		 Not Yet Awarded
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