Sam Bush
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Sam Bush performs in June 2012.
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Charles Samuel Bush |
| Born | (1952-04-13) April 13, 1952 (age 72) Bowling Green, Kentucky, U.S. |
| Genres | Progressive bluegrass |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, singer |
| Instrument(s) | Mandolin, fiddle, banjo, guitar |
| Years active | 1963–present |
| Labels | Flying Fish, Sugar Hill, Ridge Runner |
| Website | sambush |
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. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame a second time in 2023 as a solo artist.
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 FestivalinColorado. 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]
He lives in Nashville, Tennessee.
The Grammy Awards are awarded annually by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. Bush has won 3 awards from 14 nominations.[13]
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
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| 1987 | "Seven By Seven" | Best Country Instrumental Performance | Nominated |
| 1990 | "Big Foot" | Nominated | |
| 1993 | "Scotland" | Nominated | |
| At the Ryman with Emmylou Harris | Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal | Won | |
| 1997 | "The Sinister Minister" | Best Pop Instrumental Performance | Won |
| 1999 | "Reuben's Train" | Best Country Instrumental Performance | Nominated |
| Home Sweet Home with Doc and Merle Watson | Best Bluegrass Album | Nominated | |
| 2000 | Bluegrass Mandolin Extravaganza with David Grisman, Ricky Skaggs, Jesse McReynolds, and Frank Wakefield | Nominated | |
| Meyer: Short Trip Home (In the Nickn of Time; BP; Concert Duo, The Prequel, Etc.) with Joshua Bell, Mike Marshall and Edgar Meyer | Best Classical Crossover Album | Nominated | |
| 2002 | O Brother, Where Art Thou? with various artists | Album of the Year | Won |
| 2005 | "Puppies N'Knapsacks" | Best Country Instrumental Performance | Nominated |
| 2006 | "Who's Your Uncle?" | Nominated | |
| 2011 | Circles Around Me | Best Bluegrass Album | Nominated |
| 2024 | Radio John: The Songs of John Hartford | Nominated |
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".
Sam is one of the main attractions at the annual Telluride Bluegrass FestivalinTelluride, 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, MerlefestinWilkesboro, North Carolina. Sam Bush is known as one of the liveliest performers at these festivals, and makes many guest appearances with the other artists.
| Year | Album | Chart Positions | Label | ||
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| 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 | — | — | |
| 2022 | Radio John | 2 | — | — | Smithsonian Folkways |
| Awards | ||
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| Preceded by | AMA Lifetime Achievement Award for Instrumentalist 2009 |
Not Yet Awarded |
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