The Boston Bluegrass Union continues its 34th concert season by presenting one of the principal architects of contemporary bluegrass alongside one of the genre’s fastest-rising young stars. On Saturday, December 12th at 7:30, the Boston Bluegrass Union welcomes the John Cowan Band with special guest Sierra Hull for a unique collaborative evening that will encompass both bluegrass and holiday-themed music, delivered with inventiveness and unmatched virtuosity.

As a member of the boundary-busting band the New Grass Revival, vocalist and bassist John Cowan defined new acoustic music for generations to follow. Matching Cowan’s soaring, rock and soul influenced vocals with a bold, freewheeling instrumental approach, the New Grass Revival (which featured Cowan alongside Sam Bush, Béla Fleck, and Pat Flynn) reinvented acoustic music, becoming crossover stars in the process. When the New Grass Revival disbanded in 1990, Cowan embarked on a diverse solo career that included a two-year stint with the Doobie Brothers and a collaboration with Bill Lloyd (Foster & Lloyd) and Rusty Young (Poco) as the Sky Kings. The John Cowan Band has been his primary creative outlet for the past decade, a resourceful and eclectic ensemble that quickly established itself for dynamic, exhilarating live shows that veered thrillingly from straight-ahead bluegrass to jazz, Celtic, and soul-inflected workouts. The current lineup of the John Cowan Band features guitarist Jeff Autry, fiddler Shad Cobb, mandolinist John Frazier, and percussionist Bryon Larrance. The John Cowan Band’s set will feature holiday material from his new Christmas collection Comfort and Joy.

Prior to their own set, the John Cowan Band will serve as the backing group for young mandolin virtuoso and vocalist Sierra Hull. Currently a student at Boston’s Berklee College of Music, Hull has already established herself as one of the formidable young mandolin masters bluegrass, with a style that is both nimble and profoundly musical. Signed to the Boston-based Rounder Records imprint, Hull released her debut Secrets, produced by Ron Block (of Alison Krauss and Union Station), to widespread acclaim in 2008. The album featured appearances by Tony Rice, Stuart Duncan, Jerry Douglass, Dan Tyminski, and many more, and inspired fellow mandolinist and bluegrass visionary Sam Bush to comment “It’s amazing to listen to her precision and agility, and the potential for musical growth is tremendous. I can’t wait to hear what Sierra comes up with next.”

Tickets are $25 (BBU Members $22) and can be purchased online at bbu.org or by mailing a check (payable to the BBU) with self-addressed stamped envelope to Boston Bluegrass Union, PO Box 650061, West Newton, MA 02465. The National Heritage Museum is located at 33 Marrett Rd. (Route 2A), Lexington, MA 02421. Doors open at 6:30pm and concert begins at 7:30pm. Directions can be found at www.monh.org or call (781) 861-6559.

– From Boston Bluegrass Union