Let's rename this venue the Sam Bush Telluride Newgrass Festival. Over the decades -- all the bands, players, and guests at this venue -- I ask you, "Who's been there, playing more sets, year-in and year-out, sitting in with most bands at Telluride, setting the Newgrass table?" One man has clearly been at the tip of this spear head. It's Sammy Bush. This isn't about who's the best. I'll name a few others from early Newgrass... John Hartford, Norman Blake, Vassar Clements, Clarence White, Richard Grisman, Tony Rice, Jerry Douglas, Ricky Scaggs, JD Crowe, Breakfast Special. Point is, Telluride "is" Sammy. Sammy is Telluride. This is Newgrass Music.

I lived at Harry Bickel's place in Louisville in 1976. So did the Bluegrass Alliance. Harry Sparks hung out there. Sparky repaired Sam's instruments. I met Sam many times. I watched him and many of the best musicians jamming day and night, in Bickel's house. I was sitting right there. I helped the Alliance with their PA system at gigs, doing sound. I shared an apt with Vince Gill that summer. I was doing sound work for a band named Lazy River. They formed their own newgrass band by quitting the Bluegrass Alliance in 1976. Sam, Ebo, Curtis, and Courtney also quit the Bluegrass Alliance, about 1970. Those boys formed the legendary Newgrass Revival. I saw the Revival playing at The Mason Jar, and the Great Midwestern, in Louisville, probably 25 times at least. And I've seen all these folks playing at many festivals in the 70s. Last time I saw everyone was the Telluride festival in 1986. I worked backstage there on a gig as a video engineer. That was the last time I saw John Hartford. John should be the god-father. He's probably the most influential person here, perhaps the most magical character of them all. Ask Sammy.

I ran across the Cheese for my 1st time while searching the LMA for Sammy. I hit on Merlefest 2000. I had a meltdown when I heard what was being played. It was the first Merlefest for SCI. Sammy sat in for the entire set. They did Aeroeplane and Birdland. Followed it with Round the Wheel. I heard Sammy play what might be the best mandolin solo I've ever heard him belt out, during Wheel. I had tears in my eyes. So I looked up Telluride. Looks like this is the first time here for SCI.

Telluride is the best Newgrass Music venue there ever was, spanning 35 years, from 1973 to now. This is *NOT* Bluegrass Music, or Bill Monroe stuff. "This" is Newgrass Music, or Sam Bush stuff. We need to rename it for Sammy. Look at Telluride's website (www.bluegrass.com). Whose pic is on the top of their home page? Sam Bush. Listen UP! copy and paste my review, and e-mail it to the Telluride Bluegrass Festival marketing people, right here:
marketing@bluegrass.com

Sam Bush does not play in this set. SCI shines on this one. The playing here is tight as hell. Sound quality is superb. Telluride is magical and festive. Here's a link to next year's Telluride. SCI plays there again. another great set:
http://www.archive.org/details/sci1997-06-19.sbd.shnf

Sam Bush on Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sam_Bush

"Newgrass" on Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Progressive_bluegrass

"Bluegrass" on Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bluegrass_music

2 epic shows with Sammy sitting in:

a) String Cheese Incident at Merlefest 2000
http://www.archive.org/details/sci2000-04-28-bush

b) Leftover Salmon and Friends, Fillmore, Denver 12-31-1999
http://www.archive.org/details/los1999-12-31.shnf

Last point why Sammy is king. Banjo instrument. Try to grasp what Sammy's influence had on Bela Fleck -- unlimited freedom to create on banjo. After just a few years of playing with Sammy and the Newgrass Revival, Bela Fleck was over the top, in this early Telluride set in 1985, Bela Fleck and Friends. Sammy sits in for one tune. Mark O'Conner plays on two. Tony Trischka plays with Bela at the end. Banjo instrument is nailed.
http://www.archive.org/details/bfleck1985-06-22.shnf

Sammy, how I marvel at life, along with many millions of others -- through the magic of the music -- because of you and Jerry Garcia. These 2 guys regularly executed more musical energy -- converted into pure magical sound -- along with their bands, perhaps better than any 2 people in my 50 something years. I saw the Grateful Dead 25 times in 1973. It was during the best year of their Wall of Sound era. Now I have the honor to be amongst all this music on the Live Music Archive. The folks at archive-dot-org and at etree are just like me. They are music lovers. Make sure to thank these amazing people.

Bro I hear you lound n clear. Let me tell you after reading your review I DL'd the show w/ out even previewing a second. The show sounds aweseom great history behind it. Long live the Newgrass! So much thanks to the people of the LMA who give me new music everyday.