Touring History

New Grass Revival evolved from the band Bluegrass Alliance which included Sam Bush, Courtney Johnson, and Ebo Walker. When Curtis Burch joined the band in 1972, they changed the name to New Grass Revival and toured heavily for almost a decade. This included a successful set of tours backing Leon Russell and 6 albums, most released on the Flying Fish label. In spring of 1981, Johnson and Burch decided to part ways, having grown tired of life on the road.

After a brief hiatus, NGR reformed in November of 1981 when Bela and Pat Flynn joined existing members Bush and John Cowan. They toured close to 200 days a year for the next 8 years, releasing 5 albums along the way, 4 studio and 1 live. Their blend of bluegrass, rock n roll, gospel, and country made them tough to classify and thus they struggled with mainstream success. They did manage to break the Billboard country charts with several singles, most notably their 1989 hit, Callin’ Baton Rouge, which peaked at #37 in the US and was later rerecorded by Garth Brooks to become a Top 5 country hit.

By 1989, Bela had started working with the Flecktones and NGR agreed to take an indefinite break starting in 1990 to pursue solo projects. They wrapped up their final tour on New Years Eve 1989 with a show at the Oakland Coliseum opening for Bonnie Raitt and the Grateful Dead.

Bela, Bush, and Cowan have shared the stage many times since, including reuniting with Burch for one night only at a benefit concert for Courtney Johnson after his death in 1996. Brooks also recorded the NGR song Do What You Gotta Do and convinced the band to reform for one night in 1997 to perform it on the Conan O’Brien show. The final NGR lineup has only performed together one other time since the hiatus. In 2007 at the 20th Anniversary Jam at Merlefest where they covered Townes Van Zant’s White Freightliner Blues, a live staple from their heyday.

In 2020 NGR was inducted by Brooks into the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame. Bush, Burch, Cowan, and Bela were on hand for the induction.