Sam Bush brings his legendary ‘New Grass’ to Second Street

review by Peter Lewis
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Sam Bush is one of the truly great musicians of the past 40 years. Whether as a member of the New Grass Revival, a sideman, or a solo artist, he has continually left audiences in awe of his virtuoso performances and compelling songs.

However, when I spoke with the legendary Sam Bush recently, we were immediately at odds: he’s a Cardinals fan and I bleed Cubbie blue. Despite that, we quickly found common ground in Harry Caray (Bush grew up listening to Caray announce the Redbirds on the radio in Bowling Green, KY while I was a WGN acolyte) and a mutual admiration of the Hawk, Andre Dawson.

It occurred to me that this affable common ground is something Bush has been finding with audiences and, perhaps most importantly, fellow musicians throughout his career. From his days in the New Grass Revival to his winning solo work and onto his countless appearances alongside luminaries like Emmylou Harris, Leon Russell, and Doc Watson, Bush forges a captivating common bond with our ears.

Sam Bush began playing music at an early age.

“I grew up in a household that listened to the Grand Ole Opry.”

His father was a lover of fiddle and would frequently listen to Tommy Jackson records. The interplay between fiddle and mandolin on those early records caught his ear and a deep love of the mandolin developed, leading him towards bluegrass.

“Great mandolin players played bluegrass music. From there, I began to appreciate the rhythm and interplay of the instrument,” Bush explained.

Throughout his teenage years, Bush continued to play mandolin, winning competitions along the way. After moving to Louisville, Bush formed the New Grass Revival in 1971. Despite the revolutionary nature of the band, the members did not have a true conception of the importance.

“At the time we were just looking for a way to express ourselves.”

Fans of extended jams, they regularly listened to jazz albums by John Coltrane or Dave Brubeck and rock bands like the Dead, Allman Brothers, and Cream.

“We began incorporating those rock songs into our act, playing them in a bluegrass style and writing our own songs as well.”

Despite the conservative bent of traditional bluegrass music, Bush contends that there wasn’t that much push back from audiences.

“We tended towards the progressive format — festivals, college campuses — we didn’t pay attention to it (criticism). We were just happy to play music for a living.”

It is that love of music and performing live that continues to drive Bush today. With 100-plus performances each year, he is a true road warrior. And despite undergoing foot surgery this past fall, Bush doesn’t seem to be flagging at all.

“The music is the reward. I love the interplay with the band and the audiences. That’s the reward. All audiences are important. Our job is to entertain them and not the other way around.”

Those in attendance on Friday night should expect nothing short of a masterful performance by one of the true living legends of the music industry.

And, for the record, Bush has his Cardinals defeating the Red Sox in six games this year.