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CIRCLES AROUND ME
Sam Bush
(Sugar Hill Records)
Sam Bush admits that Circles Around Me is the most traditional bluegrass album he’s released to date. Now, whether that makes you more or less excited about the October 20th release from the King of Newgrass is up to personal preference, but there is no denying the album’s near perfection.
Sam and his phenomenal band of Byron House (bass), Chris Brown (drums), Scott Vestal (banjo), and Stephen Mougin (harmony vocals, guitar) offer up some delicious pickin’ (and no doubt grinnin’) on the album’s 14 tracks. Jerry Douglas and Edgar Meyer also guest on the record.
Bush still tours nation and worldwide and this album is a testament to the talent he has for both fiddle and mandolin; he’s unparalled.
The standout tracks are the title track, “Circles Around Me,” a looking back and being thankful for the life you’ve been able to have and those that aren’t so lucky, “Blue Mountain,” a rip-roaring instrumental, and “The Ballad of Stringbean and Estelle,” a heart-breaking real story of the former Hee Haw cast member.
For those not familiar with Sam Bush, Bush has been making music since he was 14 years old in his Kentucky home. Raised on bluegrass radio and Opry trips, Sam began playing fiddle and took up the mandolin shortly thereafter. While still a teen, he caught the attention of bluegrass stalwarts and played with a who’s who of traditional bluegrass veterans. In his twenties, Sam founded the Newgrass Revival and after his discovery, the bluegrass and jam band world was never the same.
Bush also arranges a handful of traditional tunes, which round out the mix of originals for the disc with all gems. Every single song on Circles Around Me is polished and true to music fans of traditional and “new grass” persuasions.
A must for mando fans for sure!
Tags: circles around me, edgar meyer, jerry douglas, sam bush
