Sam Bush
Sam Bush | |
---|---|
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
History
Born in
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
In the winter of 1997, Bush and the New Grass Revival reunited for an appearance on
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
In 2007, Bush released his first
Bush contributed to two bluegrass
He lives in Nashville, Tennessee.
Awards and honors
- Sam Bush hosted the 22nd annual
- 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]
- 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.[11]
- Sam Bush was the subject of the 2015 documentary Revival: The Sam Bush Story [1], 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.
- Bush was inducted into the International Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame in 2020 as a member of New Grass Revival. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame for the second time in 2023 for his solo career, making him the sixth performer to have been inducted twice.[12]
Grammy Awards
The
Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
---|---|---|---|
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 |
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".
Sam is one of the main attractions at the annual
, and Sam Bush.Strength in Numbers was a collaboration born from jam sessions at the
Sam Bush Band tours extensively, appearing at many small venues and large festivals such as the
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 | — | — | |
2022 | Radio John | 2 | — | — | Smithsonian Folkways |
DVDs
- On the Road (2007) Sugar Hill
Specialty projects
- Down South - Doc & Merle Watson - Sugar Hill 1984
- Riding The Midnight Train - Doc Watson - Sugar Hill 1986
- Drive – Béla Fleck – Rounder Records 1988
- supergroup Strength in Numbers – MCA1989
- Sony Classical1999
- (Mike Marshall)
- Bluegrass Mandolin Extravaganza – Acoustic Disc1999
- (w/ David Grisman, Ronnie McCoury, Jesse McReynolds, Ricky Skaggs, others)
- The Bluegrass Sessions – Warner Bros.1999
- Soulgrass – Bluegrass and Jazz Fusion 2005
- Goin' Home: A Tribute to Fats Domino 2007, performing "Rising Sun" with Marc Broussard
New Grass Revival
- New Grass Revival (Hollywood, 1972)
- Fly Through the Country (Flying Fish, 1975)
- When the Storm Is Over (Flying Fish, 1977)
- Too Late to Turn Back Now (Flying Fish, 1977)
- Barren County (Flying Fish, 1979)
- Leon Russell & New Grass Revival (Paradise, 1981)
- Commonwealth (Flying Fish, 1981)
- On the Boulevard (Sugar Hill, 1984)
- Live in Toulouse (Sugar Hill, 1984)
- New Grass Revival (Capitol, 1986)
- Hold to a Dream (Capitol, 1988)
- Friday Night in America (Capitol, 1989)
- When the Storm Is Over/Fly Through the Country (Flying Fish, 1992)
References
- ^ Fabian, Shelly. "Sam Bush: A King of Acoustic Music". Retrieved October 7, 2008.
- ^ Harris, Craig. "Sam Bush Biography". Allmusic.com. Retrieved October 7, 2008.
- ^ Hartman, Gary S (2008). "Bluegrass Alliance". Archived from the original on July 5, 2008. Retrieved October 7, 2008.
- ISSN 0006-5137. Archived from the originalon March 30, 2016. Retrieved December 28, 2009.
- ^ "Moody Bluegrass TWO...Much Love". Archived from the original on July 6, 2015. Retrieved September 6, 2015.
- ^ Sam Bush to Host 22nd International Bluegrass Music Awards International Bluegrass Music Association official webpage.
- ^ "Sam Bush to Host IBMA Awards" CMT News; August 13, 2007.
- ^ "Sam Bush Among Americana Honors & Awards' Lifetime Achievement Recepients(sic)" by Travis Tackett, Bluegrass Journal; September 14, 2009.
- ^ "Great Mandolin Players: A list of great mandolin players in folk and bluegrass music" by Kim Ruehl, About.com.
- ^ RECIPIENT HISTORY – IBMA AWARDS International Bluegrass Music Association official webpage.
- ^ Thomason, Andrew (March 25, 2010). "Sam Bush is named father of newgrass". Daily News; Bowling Green, Ky. Retrieved March 31, 2010.[dead link]
- ^ "SEE THE FULL LIST OF 2023 IBMA AWARDS NOMINEES AND BLUEGRASS MUSIC HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES". July 19, 2022.
- ^ "Sam Bush". July 22, 2023.
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.