Serving Boone, Blowing Rock, Banner Elk, and other towns of the North Carolina High Country
Founded 05-05-05
January 25, 2007 issue
Sam Bush Band Plays the Walker Center Friday, February 2
Story by David Brewer
High Country musical favorite the Sam Bush Band will perform at the Walker Center on the campus of Wilkes Community College in Wilkesboro on Friday, Februaryry 2. Tickets are $16 in advance and $18 on the day of the show. The show will start at 8:00 p.m.
Fans of progressive acoustic music have been following the long and winding trail of Bush’s career since his days with the New Grass Revival in the early 1970s. The mandolin master’s restless creative spirit has placed Bush among the true innovators of roots music in the last 30 years.
Sitting in with countless musicians over the years, Bush has spent time in several bands including the aforementioned New Grass Revival, Emmylou Harris’ Nash Ramblers, Bela Fleck & The Flecktones and bluegrass supergroup Strength In Numbers.
Though Bush has been referred to as the “King of Telluride” because of his appearance at every Telluride Bluegrass Festival since the event’s inception, he has also endeared himself to MerleFest fans with a slew of appearances in Wilkesboro in honor of his friend Merle.
With Bush’s 2006 Laps in Seven, the Kentucky native continues to fluidly combine his loves for a variety of styles of music into what might only be described as “Bushgrass.” Seemingly as comfortable playing rock and roll as he is bluegrass and country, Bush also integrates elements of gospel and funk into his simmering musical stew.
For the recording of Laps in Seven, Bush’s studio band includes longtime collaborator Byron House on bass, Chris Brown on drums, Keith Sewell on acoustic guitar and Scott Vestal on banjo. Guests on the album include Bush’s former bandmate Emmylou Harris, Nashville hotshot Buddy Miller, famed violinist Jean Luc Ponty, gospel group the Do-Right Singers, Little Feat vocalist Shaun Murphy and Andrea Zonn.
As with previous releases, Laps in Seven features squeaky clean production with Bush’s vocals and mandolin riding atop the mix. And though there’s no doubt who the star is, Bush leaves plenty of room for his bandmates to show their skills throughout the disc.
Much like his albums, Bush’s live shows are always an engaging and upbeat affair led by the always-affable artist. Giving his fans tastes of his bluegrass roots and his more adventurous and modern numbers, Bush and his band always give the audience more than their money’s worth.
For more info about the show, click to www.walkercenteronline.org.
Want To Go?
Date: Friday, February 2
Time: 8:00 p.m.
Location: Walker Center, WCC
Cost: $16 in advance/$18 day of the show