Chattanooga Times Free Press music reporter Casey Phillips spoke with New Grass Revival founder and mandolin god Sam Bush about touring with his power trio, his latest album and getting back on his feet after surgery last year.
CP: You’re currently in the midst of your tour with Edgar Meyer and Jerry Douglas. Where are you guys right now?
SB: We’re out here for four playing dates. We have a trio we do from time to time, which is fun. When I’m done here in Chico, Calif. We go from here up to Arcata, Calif. Saturday is going to be an interesting day, part of that glamour of show business we talk about where we need to drive the van back to the San Francisco Airport. From San Francisco, we fly to Calgary (in Alberta, Canada). Then, we need to drive an hour or so into Banff, Canada, which is one of the most beautiful places in the world, but man, it’s going to be cold. (Laughs.) We’ll have to bring plenty of layers of clothing opportunity here. Then, I guess we’ll fly home Monday and practice a couple of days, and me and my band will get back on the road.
CP: Coming down to the Southeast will be a nice treaty after a jaunt up in the cold white North, I guess.
SB: Oh yeah. It’s just one gig in Banff, and who knows, I don’t plan on being outside that much, but just traveling through it is going to be interesting. I’m glad to get back in the saddle. The night before Chattanooga, we’ll be playing in Frankfurt, Ky. My wife’s family are from around there, so we’ll be surrounded by my wife’s family and friends before we come down to Chattanooga to have some fun there.