http://state-journal.com/news/article/4768704
Sam Bush playing sold-out show at the Grand Theatre
The State Journal
Frankfort, KY
February 14, 2010
By Brian Baker
Multi-instrumentalist Sam Bush returns to Frankfort Thursday for a currently sold-out concert at the Grand Theatre. His performances at the Kentucky Folklife Festival have drawn thousands of enthusiastic fans to share his intense, high-energy shows.
Opening for Bush will be Frankfort’s own Jeri Katherine Howell, a superb singer/songwriter who has already accomplished more in her 16 years than many fine artists do in a lifetime. Jeri Katherine is a natural talent and a prolific songwriter with a beautiful voice and a kind spirit, endearing to all who have heard her.
For anyone who has followed Bluegrass and Americana music, the name Sam Bush has become, in a word, legendary. Sam was born in Bowling Green and has, since a young age, been a sensation in the realm of music, taking first place three times as a teenager at the National Old-time Fiddler’s Contest.
He is perhaps best known as a founding member of New Grass Revival, a group that created an entirely new style of music. This genre-bending sound first came on the scene in the early ‘70s and has inspired countless musicians.
The New Grass sound is rooted in Bluegrass but has elements of vocal range and instrumental energy that are not normally associated with Bluegrass, having influences from gospel, rock, pop, reggae, jazz, country and folk.
The International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) recognized Sam Bush as the Mandolin Player of the Year in 1990, 1991, 1992 and 2007. In 2009 he was honored with the American Music Association Lifetime Achievement Award for Instrumentalist. Sam has also won Grammy Awards for his work with Emmy Lou Harris in 1992, with Bela Fleck in 1996, and in 2007 for his work on “Down from the Mountain,” the sound track for “O’Brother Where Art Thou.”
Bush is also known for the impressive lineup of folks he has partnered with over the years, including Bill Monroe, Earl Scruggs, Doc Watson, David Grisman, Lyle Lovett, Tim O’Brien, Darrell Scott, Guy Clark and John Cowan, to name just a few. He has performed with just about every top notch Bluegrass and Americana artist who has ever taken the stage in the last several decades.
He has released seven solo recordings, with the latest being “Circles Around Me” in 2009. Over the years there were at least 15 New Grass Revival recordings, many of which would now be highly prized collectibles. Music aficionados also know Sam for his groundbreaking work with “Strength in Numbers” where he joined with Bela Fleck, Mark O’Conner, Jerry Douglas, and Edgar Meyer.
For many years, Sam has been a regular on the national radio show “A Prairie Home Companion,” but is almost certainly best known for his appearances at the biggest and best Bluegrass and Americana festivals around the country such as Telluride (where he is affectionately known as The King of Telluride), Merlefest and Rockygrass. At such events he is almost certain to be given preferential billing and his performances are often the liveliest.
Although he has surely earned star status, Sam is clearly a musician who loves to share his music, whether backing up other musicians, playing music around a bonfire or in a circle of new and old friends. It is obvious that Sam has never tired of sharing his music, nor has he been content with staying musically in one place.
Bush’s band members are Scott Vestal (banjo), Stephen Mougin (guitar), Byron House (bass) and Chris Brown (drums). Scott Vestal won the 1996 IMBA Award for Banjo Player of the Year and in 1998 received the same distinction from Bluegrass Now. Byron House, also a Bowling Green native, received a Grammy nomination for his work with Mark O’Conner.
For information about upcoming shows at the Grand Theatre, check the website at www.grandtheatrefrankfort.org. Holders of Grand Theatre season tickets are reminded if they have ticket(s) for the Sam Bush concert that won’t be used by anyone, they may exchange their tickets for a charitable donation letter in the amount of the ticket purchase that can be used for Federal tax deduction purposes.
