'So much soul': top young folk talent to play in Nottingham

The musician, singer, songwriter and producer from Norfolk has been described by legendary folk broadcaster Mike Harding as “one of my favourite singers ever” and by Cara Dillon as “an amazing singer with so much soul”.

Sam’s band The Lost Boys are festival favourites across the UK and beyond, and as an accompanist on guitar and Irish bouzouki, his portfolio includes playing with the likes of Kate Rusby, Seth Lakeman, John McCusker, Phil Beer and Katherine Priddy. Sam has become respected by peers and audiences alike as a unique and innovative arranger and pioneer of traditional folk song, and has produced albums by The Changing Room, Kitty Macfarlane, Chris Cleverley, Ainsley Hamill and more. He is also is a published songwriter, with his music being used on Sky Sports, Sky Arts, Channel 4 and Channel 5, as well as BBC Radio 1, 2 and 3. A captivating and versatile performer with impressive prowess as both a vocalist and instrumentalist, Sam showcases varied material from all the projects he has been involved with, with a sound that is strongly influenced by his Irish heritage. He sings songs in the English language as well as Cornish and Gaelic, and is known for his self-deprecating, cheeky humour and amusing anecdotes in between songs.

Sam's debut EP, Your Way Home, was released in March 2013. It swiftly created a buzz of interest in the folk scene. He followed this up with the release of the widely acclaimed Spokes EP in February 2015, landing him a nomination in the Best Singer category at the 2015 Spiral Earth Awards, and grabbing the attention of BBC Radio 2's Folk Show. Touring as a trio with Jamie Francis (banjo) and Evan Carson (percussion), Sam gained a reputation for a high-class and dynamic live show, and the group rapidly became firm favourites at venues and festivals in all parts of the country. After a barnstorming performance to a completely rammed Club Tent at Cambridge Folk Festival 2015, the band were invited to play their first session on Radio 2 live from the festival.

Not content with resting on his laurels, Sam enlisted the extraordinary talents of new band members Ciaran Algar (fiddle) and Graham Coe (cello) and went straight back into the studio to record his debut album. The Lost Boys came out in November 2015 to a storm of rave reviews, cementing Sam's place as one of the most rapidly rising stars on the UK folk scene, and enticing Radio 2 to invite them into the BBC studios as the featured live session guests on the Mark Radcliffe Show - an honour usually only bestowed upon much more established musicians. The album also landed Sam the Horizon Award for emerging artists at the 2016 Radio 2 Folk Awards, and was championed by numerous legends of folk broadcasting, including Mike Harding - who played tracks from the album for four weeks in a row on his online radio podcast.

Sam and The Lost Boys' critically acclaimed 2021 album The Wishing Tree was recorded at Kate Rusby's Pure Records studio, and saw the band develop their sound with more introspective songwriting and darker undertones to the production, with more of a focus on original music rather than traditional. Sam has announced his new album, Dreamers Dawn, to be released in June.

Sam plays at Nottingham Bodega on June 5. Visit bodeganottingham.com to book.