Bledsoe: Glisten of New Grass still shines on Cowan

Former New Grass Revival vocalist John Cowan will present a series of shows at the Time Warp Tea Room.

Former New Grass Revival vocalist John Cowan will present a series of shows at the Time Warp Tea Room.

I've been a fan of John Cowan's ever since I first heard him with New Grass Revival at the Down Home in Johnson City in the early 1980s. Here was a bluegrass-based band with Cowan playing electric rock bass and singing like a white-male version of Aretha Franklin. When he sang Bill Monroe's "A Good Woman's Love" it was one of those rare moments at a concert when you get chills. Granted, the chemistry of the band was altogether brilliant. Leader Sam Bush on mandolin (or sometimes fiddle) with chops that were borrowed from both Bill Monroe and Bob Marley, guitarist Pat Flynn, who was dizzyingly fast and smooth, and banjoist Bela Fleck, who was the most amazing artist on the instrument since Earl Scruggs.

"I don't think anything I've ever done on a solo level has been as exciting and dynamic as that band," says Cowan. "Sam, Bela, Pat and I coming together in that band was just like some sort of cosmic accident thing ... and it's provided me a lifetime of work. That's been my calling card for the last 20 years."

New Grass Revival officially broke up on New Year's Eve, 1989, after opening for the Grateful Dead, and all the members went on to their own groups and solo gigs.

Cowan has just released the new album, "The Massenburg Sessions," a disc that is, arguably, his best release since his days with New Grass Revival. The album is produced by George Massenburg, the man at the helm of some of the best recordings by Linda Ronstadt, Randy Newman, Little Feat, Madeleine Peyroux and many others, and one of music's great sonic engineers. The disc captures Cowan, his band, and guests (including Del McCoury) mostly acoustic and recorded live in one room. Massenburg wouldn't even allow the musicians to wear headphones.

"At the time we recorded this I was still sort of committed to sort of recreate what I'd done with New Grass," says Cowan.

The biggest problem that New Grass had was capturing the energy and presence that the band had on stage in the studio.

On Wednesday, July 28, Cowan will perform on "Tennessee Shines" at the Bijou Theatre.

In addition, on Tuesday, July 27, Cowan will perform on WBIR's "Live at 5 at 4," and at 6 p.m. at the Disc Exchange. He will also appear at noon Wednesday, July 28, on WDVX's "Blue Plate Special."

In addition to performings songs from his new album on "Tennessee Shines," Cowan will take part in a tribute to the late John Hartford. Hartford was a vocal fan of WDVX and, in fact, created a show for the station during the time the station operated out of a camper in Anderson County. And, Hartford's album "Aero-Plain" was almost a template for the station and, in attitude at least, New Grass Revival.

"When I first met Sam he handed me a joint and that album," says Cowan with a laugh.

Like a lot of musicians, Cowan has had some lean times through the years. Sometimes he's taken jobs as a hired gun on vocals and bass. He's currently very happy to be touring as bassist for the Doobie Brothers. During breaks, he grabs gigs to promote "The Massenburg Sessions."

Although Cowan, Bush, Fleck and Flynn have only performed together on stage once since the break-up (one song at Merlefest) and once backing Garth Brooks in a TV appearance, Cowan says three members of New Grass Revival would like to work together again.

"Sam has been the hold-out over the years," says Cowan. "The ball's in his court."

Wayne Bledsoe may be reached at 865-342-6444 or bledsoew@knoxville.com. He is also the host of "All Over the Road" midnight Saturdays to 4 a.m. Sundays on WDVX-FM.

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