Biography
Formed in 1972 by four alumni of the Bluegrass Alliance, New Grass Revival thrived during a period when many ensembles experimented with bluegrass conventions to different extents. Their standing as one of the era’s leading and most impactful groups led to the term “newgrass” entering common usage as a descriptor for the style itself. Long hair, occasional use of amplified instruments, and a repertoire that diverged sharply from the approach of Bill Monroe, Ralph Stanley, the Lilly Brothers, and Lester Flatt set the band apart visually and musically. In longevity, audience reach, and visibility, the group—with its countercultural aura—outpaced II Generation, Seldom Scene, the Country Gentlemen, and similar acts.
The ensemble’s roots trace to the Bluegrass Alliance, which Sam Bush (vocals, fiddle, guitar, mandolin) and Courtney Johnson (banjo, vocals) entered in 1970 alongside bassist Ebo Walker and fiddler Lonnie Peerce. Curtis Burch (dobro, guitar, vocals) came aboard within a year. When Peerce departed in 1972, the remaining musicians adopted the name New Grass Revival and issued their first recording, Arrival of the New Grass Revival, on Starday Records.
Walker exited after that debut; Butch Robbins filled the bass chair briefly before John Cowan, from Evansville, Indiana, took over. This configuration remained intact through the 1970s, producing several albums for Flying Fish Records. True to their moniker, the musicians infused rock & roll, jazz, and blues elements into their sound rather than adhering to conventional bluegrass, earning criticism from some traditionalists while attracting listeners drawn to the innovations.
Johnson and Burch departed in 1981, citing fatigue from constant road work. Bush and Cowan recruited banjoist Béla Fleck and mandolinist/guitarist Pat Flynn to continue. The revised lineup moved to Sugar Hill Records and delivered On the Boulevard in 1984. Two years later the band signed with EMI and released an untitled album that marked their commercial breakthrough. Singles “What You Do to Me” and “Ain’t That Peculiar” registered modestly on country charts, while Fleck’s instrumental showcase “Seven by Seven” earned a Grammy nomination for Best Country Instrumental. Hold to a Dream followed in 1987 with comparable success, yielding “Unconditional Love” and “Can’t Stop Now,” each of which approached the Top 40. Friday Night in America appeared in 1989 and again performed well; “Callin’ Baton Rouge” became the group’s first Top 40 single, succeeded by “You Plant Your Fields” at number 58. Despite peak popularity, the members chose to disband after that release.
Bush later spent several years in Emmylou Harris’s band, while Flynn contributed to numerous Nashville sessions—including a hit for Garth Brooks—and both pursued well-regarded solo work. Fleck achieved widespread acclaim with the Flecktones, and Cowan gravitated toward rock and country through the Sky Kings and later the Doobie Brothers. Collectively and individually, New Grass Revival left a legacy of inventive musicianship.
In 1996 Fleck, Bush, Cowan, and Burch reunited for a performance at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium in tribute to Courtney Johnson, who had succumbed to lung cancer earlier that year. A smaller gathering took place in 2007 when Fleck, Bush, Cowan, and Flynn joined forces at North Carolina’s Merlefest to interpret Townes Van Zandt’s “White Freight Liner.”
The ensemble’s roots trace to the Bluegrass Alliance, which Sam Bush (vocals, fiddle, guitar, mandolin) and Courtney Johnson (banjo, vocals) entered in 1970 alongside bassist Ebo Walker and fiddler Lonnie Peerce. Curtis Burch (dobro, guitar, vocals) came aboard within a year. When Peerce departed in 1972, the remaining musicians adopted the name New Grass Revival and issued their first recording, Arrival of the New Grass Revival, on Starday Records.
Walker exited after that debut; Butch Robbins filled the bass chair briefly before John Cowan, from Evansville, Indiana, took over. This configuration remained intact through the 1970s, producing several albums for Flying Fish Records. True to their moniker, the musicians infused rock & roll, jazz, and blues elements into their sound rather than adhering to conventional bluegrass, earning criticism from some traditionalists while attracting listeners drawn to the innovations.
Johnson and Burch departed in 1981, citing fatigue from constant road work. Bush and Cowan recruited banjoist Béla Fleck and mandolinist/guitarist Pat Flynn to continue. The revised lineup moved to Sugar Hill Records and delivered On the Boulevard in 1984. Two years later the band signed with EMI and released an untitled album that marked their commercial breakthrough. Singles “What You Do to Me” and “Ain’t That Peculiar” registered modestly on country charts, while Fleck’s instrumental showcase “Seven by Seven” earned a Grammy nomination for Best Country Instrumental. Hold to a Dream followed in 1987 with comparable success, yielding “Unconditional Love” and “Can’t Stop Now,” each of which approached the Top 40. Friday Night in America appeared in 1989 and again performed well; “Callin’ Baton Rouge” became the group’s first Top 40 single, succeeded by “You Plant Your Fields” at number 58. Despite peak popularity, the members chose to disband after that release.
Bush later spent several years in Emmylou Harris’s band, while Flynn contributed to numerous Nashville sessions—including a hit for Garth Brooks—and both pursued well-regarded solo work. Fleck achieved widespread acclaim with the Flecktones, and Cowan gravitated toward rock and country through the Sky Kings and later the Doobie Brothers. Collectively and individually, New Grass Revival left a legacy of inventive musicianship.
In 1996 Fleck, Bush, Cowan, and Burch reunited for a performance at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium in tribute to Courtney Johnson, who had succumbed to lung cancer earlier that year. A smaller gathering took place in 2007 when Fleck, Bush, Cowan, and Flynn joined forces at North Carolina’s Merlefest to interpret Townes Van Zandt’s “White Freight Liner.”
Albums
Live
