STEAMBOAT SPRINGS — Guitarist Tom Rush’s folk and blues plays an important role in American musical history, and his engaging, hilarious storytelling surrounding his songs fits that importance into context. 

Rush’s influence can be heard in an uncountable number of songs and artists from the past half century. James Taylor told Rolling Stone that Rush was both an early hero and a main influence, and Garth Brooks named Rush as one of his top-five musical influences.

Rush’s early recordings helped Joni Mitchell, Jackson Browne and James Taylor find their way into the spotlight. He also is credited with creating a series of musical forums to combine well-known artists with lesser-known ones — musicians including Bonnie Raitt, Emmylou Harris, Alison Krauss and Mark O’Connor participated in these concerts, which have toured the nation and been broadcast across the country.

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Rush takes the stage at The Chief Theater on Wednesday, Aug. 28, with doors and bar opening at 6 p.m. and the show starting at 7 p.m. 

Playing alongside Rush will be Matt Nakoa, a Berklee College of Music graduate and a fellow singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. 

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Tickets to the show cost $30 and are available at chieftheater.com and All That.

Julia Ben-Asher is a contributing writer for Steamboat Pilot & Today.