Kristian Bush

Kristian Bush
Kristian Bush at Ramstein Air Base, Germany (2009)
Background information
Birth name	Kristian Merrill Bush
Born	(1970-03-14) March 14, 1970 (age 46)
Origin	Knoxville, Tennessee, United States
Genres	Folk rock Country
Occupation(s)	Musician, singer-songwriter
Instruments	Vocals, Mandolin, Acoustic Guitar, Harmonica, Electric Guitar, Fiddle
Years active	1990–present
Labels	Atlantic Mercury Nashville Streamsound Wheelhouse
Associated acts	Billy Pilgrim Sugarland
Website	www.kristianbush.com

Kristian Merrill Bush (born March 14, 1970, in Knoxville, Tennessee, United States) is an American singer, songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist. Bush is a former member of the folk rock duo Billy Pilgrim with Andrew Hyra, and is one half of the country music duo Sugarland with Jennifer Nettles. In addition to his work in these two groups, Bush has released one solo album, Southern Gravity, via Streamsound Records in 2015.

Bush is the great grandson of A.J. Bush, founder of Bush Brothers and Company; his part of the family sold their shares in the company when Bush was a child, although Kristian's cousin, Jay Bush, continues as company spokesman. Bush was raised outside of Knoxville in Sevierville, Tennessee, a small town at the base of the Smoky Mountains that was also the hometown of Dolly Parton. He was exposed to instruments from an early age, and picked up his first violin at the age of four years. During these early years, Bush, alongside younger brother Brandon, made his musical debut at the local Bush Beans Jamboree performing as Parton's opening act.

Throughout childhood, Bush was enrolled in violin lessons and classically trained under the Suzuki method at the University of Tennessee. The family eventually relocated to Knoxville and by the age of eleven, Bush agreed to play one season in the Knoxville Youth Symphony, before earning the right to lay the violin down for good and start learning the guitar. As a teenager, Bush stuck with the guitar and began to create original music. It wasn’t long before he was writing his own songs and recording homemade albums.

Bush attended Avon Old Farms Boarding School in Avon, Connecticut, graduating in 1988. He then attended Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia, earning a degree in Creative Writing. During college, Bush began to connect with Atlanta’s growing music scene, often begging his way into clubs; witnessing first-hand success from bands like R.E.M. and the Indigo Girls.