Sam Bush Band

“A wildly talented multi-instrumentalist (mandolin, fiddle, banjo, guitar, pretty much anything with strings), Bush weaves an eclectic blend of bluegrass, country, folk and jazz.” - Rolling Stone

photo by Tony Stack

All hail the King! King Sammy, that is. Sam Bush, also known as King Sammy in the bluegrass haven of Telluride, truly is music royalty. Starting early, as child prodigies do, Bush was already an award winning fiddle player when he picked up his first mandolin at the ripe age of eleven. Playing with childhood friends, the then 17-year-old went on to form a band and record his first album, Poor Richard's Almanac, in 1969. Two years later he founded New Grass Revival, a band “of inventive and aggressive high caliber musicians that for 18 years challenged the preconceived notions of traditional bluegrass instruments by fusing a wide range of styles that included gospel, rock, pop, reggae, jazz, country and bluegrass.” After New Grass Revival, Bush spent five years adding a diverse range of textures for the songs of Emmylou Harris and her Grammy award winning Nash Ramblers. Having spent many years working with many artists, Bush finally set out as a solo artist in 1985. On his own, Bush has continued to explore an eclectic musical spectrum releasing five solo albums to critical and enthusiastic acclaim.

It’s not all work and no play for Sam Bush though. When he is on stage his wide mouthed grin is a sure sign that he loves what he is doing; as his whole body rocks in time with the magic he creates. His energetic live performances are high like the excitement and awe he coaxes from his crowds. And they keep calling him back. This is marked by the fact that Sam Bush is the only artist who has performed at 26 of the 27 Telluride Bluegrass Festival events. It has been said that if he wanted, he could be mayor of Telluride. He is by far the most recognizable figure of the event, and this in demand artist has played and recorded with the likes of Leon Russell, Doc Watson, Garth Brooks, Steve Earle, Leftover Salmon and Pam Tillis, to name only a very few.

A fitting opening to an amazing night of music is the eclectic stylings of The Waybacks, who embrace multiple genres and put their own spin on them, thus creating new sounds. Citing Sam Bush as an inspiration, they infuse their music with newgrass and western swing to jug band and jazz, from folk and fiddle music to improvisational excursions that defy categorization.