Sam Bush comes full circle

Sam Bush has traveled a long road during his four decades in the music business. From his early days as a member of the newgrass to his days as an in-demand session man and solo artist, Bush has been in constant motion, both literally and figuratively.

His legendary band New Grass Revival have inspired and influenced generations of musicians since their 1971 inception. Alongside like-minded artists like John Hartford and JD Crowe and the New South, Bush helped shape a new form of music.

Using bluegrass as a jumping off point, they fused centuries old instrumentation with the progressive sounds of jazz, rock, pop, funk or anything else that caught the player's fancy.

Bush helped push traditional music kicking and screaming into the modern age.

Now, all these years later, Bush has returned to the newgrass sound on “Circles Around Me,” his latest album from Sugar Hill Records.

He also branched out into the digital world in new ways during 2009.

SBTV

In addition to the album, Bush recently launched Sam Bush TV, a unique series of videos that allows fans a peek into the artist’s world.

“We just think it’s a better way to get the word out about having a new project,” Bush said.

The first episode featured a performance of the new album’s title track intercut with interview clips. Bush said his band performed several songs in a four-camera video shoot and plans to release the footage in installments.

“Our idea was to sort of space it out in episodes were we could give people more interesting things to see,” Bush said.

The first few videos also offer a glimpse into Bush’s private world. One clip documents the album’s release party Oct. 20, which just so happened to be Sam and Lynn Bush’s 25th anniversary.

“It’s a more immediate source we can give the fans,” Bush said.

“Circles Around Me”

The most obvious nod to a more traditional sound on “Circles Around Me” is the acoustic instruments used.

“John Hartford said a long time ago, ‘What a thrill it is to put new strings on an old instrument,’” Bush said. “I wanted to keep the instrumentation acoustic this time and, except for Byron House playing on the electric bass occasionally, we kept it all acoustic.”

Far from a one-man show, Bush was quick to praise his band as well as those behind the scenes.

“We got these great musicians in the band,” Bush said. “Scott Vestal on banjo is just a wizard, and in my opinion, the hero of record.”

Steven Mougin played guitar, and although he has toured with Bush for years, this marks Mougin’s first time on record.

“He’s very versatile in many types of music, but he’s really superlative in bluegrass, and I guess we kind of wanted to show that off,” Bush said.

House, who Bush calls the ‘premier upright bass player in Nashville,’ handles the low end, while Chris Brown rounds out the band with his jazz drumming chops.

Bush served as producer, but credits his engineer for helping capture the music.

“David Sinko is a master at making these instruments speak and sing,” Bush said.

The songs

Bush said he originally considered an album of duets, but he quickly found himself going in another direction.

“I got more interested in the bluegrass side of life and realized there were some tunes that I had known since I was a kid, such as “Diamond Joe” and one called “You Left Me Alone.”

The album features artists like Edgar Meyer, Jerry Douglas and even a posthumous appearance from Courtney Johnson. Johnson plays on “Apple Blossom,” a banjo and fiddle duet recorded in 1976. Johnson passed away in 1996.

“Courtney was one of my best friends, and I loved to play with him, and it really brings a smile to my face to hear his banjo picking on one more tune,” Bush said.

Del McCoury also stops by for a set of Bill Monroe songs, “Roll on Buddy, Roll on” and “Midnight on the Stormy Deep.”

“The two duets with Del McCoury were a special thing for me, because if there is a king of bluegrass, his name is Del McCoury,” Bush said.

That firm sense of history is tempered by the forward-looking new originals, in typical new grass fashion. Meyer and Douglas help out on “Junior Heywood.”

“We have an occasional trio we play with,” Bush said. “This was a tune Edgar and I wrote. I just think it’s a beautiful tune, and I’m really proud it’s on there.”

Bush has certainly traveled a long road to get here. He said the title track’s lyric says it best.

“It’s kind of a song of thank - that we are all still here able to play music together and meet new friends. It says it in the lyric, ‘Thank you for all the good friends I’ve found.’”