Samuel Acus

Samuel Acus has been playing music for his entire life. He first picked up the mandolin at age 5, fiddle at 6, and a whole host of instruments since then, including guitar, bass, etc. He enjoys music from all genres, most notably bluegrass, jazz, and classical. In his time as a mandolinist, he has taken lessons from countless incredible teachers, including Jacob Jolliff, Tom Cleary, Will Patton, and Jamie Masefield. He has been singing his whole life, but in the last few years has pursued classical vocal technique, which has taken his voice to a next level. Sam calls Vermont his home, but travels frequently for music. 

As a bluegrass mandolinist, Sam’s list of contributions to the bluegrass scene is extensive. Bluegrass was his first love, and he spent the first years of his time playing mandolin on bluegrass alone. He has also shared the stage with Rhonda Vincent, the Po’ Ramblin’ Boys, the Gibson Brothers, and Jacob Jolliff. In addition, he played for a few thousand people on the GreyFox Main Stage (Video on YouTube) and has enjoyed thousands of festival jams. Most recently, he became a member of Breakin’ Strings! 

Sam also plays a lot of jazz. His favorite artists for mainstream jazz include Charlie Christian, Benny Goodman, Miles Davis, Django Reinhardt, and Stephan Grapelli. He also loves crossover, including Invisible (from Argentina), Chris Thile, and Bela Fleck. He enjoys performing at venues such as Radio Bean, Zenbarn, and One Longfellow Square.