I’ve had the good fortune to have seen Sam Bush perform a number of times over the years. Â It started with the New Grass Revival back in their heyday, then his stint with the Nash Ramblers, and finally his solo act. Â I’ve come to realize that every time I’ve seen him, it’s exceeded my expectations. Â The last few years, those expectations have been pretty high, and he still tops them. Â Watch the new documentary, Revival: The Sam Bush Story, and you’ll begin to see why that’s true.
The film covers all of Sam’s career, from a kid who heard Bill Monroe for the first time to present day.  There’s particular emphasis on Bush’s early years and the time in New Grass Revival.  I hadn’t realized he, while still a teenager, turned down an opportunity to play in Roy Acuff’s band when Roy was the king of Nashville.  There are also some fun clips of NGR when even men had big hair.  And I’d kind of forgotten that Friday Night In America was a big hit on the country music scene.
There’s quite a bit of interview footage with all the New Grass members and it seems they all still have an appreciation for each other’s talent and for what they did to the world of bluegrass. Â There are also plenty of gushing interviews from the likes of Del McCoury, Chris Thile, Alison Kraus, Greensky Bluegrass and others. Â It’s pretty obvious the producers had no problem finding people who would talk with the greatest admiration for Sam. Â Maybe that’s the synopsis of the movie. Â Sam Bush created a wide wake in the music business and everyone it’s touched has been happy about it.
About the author: I've actually driven from Tehatchapee to Tonopah. And I've seen Dallas from a DC-9 at night.