David Grisman Returns To Stage With Sam Grisman Project In Seattle

Sam Grisman Project delivered a run in the Pacific Northwest last weekend. On Friday, November 15 at the Tractor Tavern in Seattle, the band clocked a special one as David Grisman made a return to the stage to sit in with his son and band.

Legendary mandolin player David “Dawg” Grisman last took the stage with the Sam Grisman Project on January 22, 2023. His last extended tour took place in late 2021, a joint run with Hot Tuna.

SGP is a tribute band to the work of David Grisman and his close friend/collaborator Jerry Garcia. As per Sam Grisman Project’s website:

My goal in starting Sam Grisman Project is to build a platform for my friends and me to showcase our genuine passion and appreciation for the legacy of Dawg and Jerry’s music. By playing some of their beloved repertoire and sharing the original music that our own collective has to offer, we will also show the impact that this music has had on our own individual musical voices. Ultimately, there is nothing that makes me happier than playing great songs with my best friends and my hope is to share that happiness with audiences all over!

In Seattle last Friday, SGP — Sam Grisman, Chris English, Logan Ledger, Victor Furtado, Max Flansburg and John Mailander — went it alone to begin the concert with “Jackaroo” and also included “Rosalee McFall” early in the first set.

Dawg made his return to the stage about halfway through the frame beginning with the Grisman/Garcia arrangement of the traditional “Two Soldiers” followed by “Grateful Dawg.” It was truly a family affair as Sam’s mother Tracy Grisman joined in on “Jenny Jenkins” before the Grateful Dead classic “Ripple” brought the first set to a close.

Dawg then emerged with SGP to kick off the second set with the Jimmie Rodgers standard “Blue Yodel #9.” Check out that performance below:

The second set also contained a favorite from the Grisman/Garcia catalog “Shady Grove.” David Grisman’s sit-in came to a close with a new Dawg tune, “Blue Samba.” SGP would go it alone for the rest of the show, which included beloved Grateful Dead song “Althea” and closed with Garcia solo standout “Cats Down Under the Stars” ahead of an encore performance of The Beatles’ “Why Don’t We Do It in the Road.”

Check out photos, the setlist and a note from Sam below:

Sam Grisman Project, members of The Infamous Stringdusters and others will perform tonight (November 22) at the Bluegrass Hall of Fame in Owensboro, Kentucky. SGP will then make a run through the Southeast. Scroll down for the band’s itinerary and ticket info.