Sam Bush’s appearances on Augusta’s Imperial Theatre stage go back more than two decades, but Bush never tires of the historic venue.
“I’ve loved the Imperial,” said Bush who kicks off his season tour in Augusta Friday while providing the finale for the 2021-2022 Budweiser True Music Southern Soul and Song series, presented by the Morris Museum of Art. “I’ve played three times maybe more.”
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Some of his earliest appearances at the historic Augusta theater weren’t part of a typical concert for the “father of newgrass,” a title he holds for developing a progressive form of bluegrass.
His first appearances at the Imperial were about two decades ago as the musical accompaniment for the Augusta Ballet’s production of “Legend of the Hatfields and McCoys,” an original ballet. That organization is now the Colton Ballet Co.
“That was one of the best experiences of my life,” he said.
Improvisation is a key element in the new grass jams Bush and his band usually participate in. But not with the ballet. Everything had to be precise and technical.
“Playing with the dancers, you can’t alter the music,” he said.
The Kentucky native got his start on the fiddle and was a champion in his teens. He turned Roy Acuff down when the country legend asked Bush to join him in his band. Bush had to make his own way, and in the process, he developed a style called new grass. Not the typical form of bluegrass people may have known.
His early band, New Grass Revival, was formed in the early 70s and took elements of bluegrass and blended them with the rock sound of the day. The music created was a style of its own.
There are five musicians on stage when Bush performs. While they may have some acoustic instruments associated with traditional bluegrass, the musicians also perform with electric ones as well.
“Some people might not realize how difficult it is to play bluegrass and how much musicianship is needed,” he said.
Like other musical styles, bluegrass has evolved over the years, Bush said
“It’s grown a lot over the last 40 years,” he said. “It’s even got its own Grammy category.”
Bush said he’s glad to finally be back on the road and playing as close to full blast as he can.
During the early part of the pandemic, he said he spent a lot of time doing yard work and pressure washing. And that was not how he liked to spend his summers.
“I liked playing festivals better,” he said.
It was in the middle of one of those pressure washing sessions that he learned that the New Grass Revival was a 2020 inductee into the Bluegrass Hall of Fame.
He’s spent most of his life traveling to different cities playing music, but the pandemic taught him a few things.
“I live a life of variety. I like the sights of America, the variety of the country,” he said.
While he’s always been appreciative of the fact that he can make a living making music, he sees playing and performing in a new light these days.
“I think I took for granted playing in Chicago 40 times. I quit paying attention. I find myself appreciating things more, seeing the beauty of the city, the architecture. There’s so much to appreciate,” he said.
The show begins at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $20-$50 and are available at imperialtheatre.com.
Charmain Z. Brackett is the managing editor for The Augusta Press. Reach her at charmain@theaugustapress.com
