Biography

Sam plays a unique role in the British music scene. He’s an acclaimed, award-winning inventive singer, a folksong collector, conservationist and promoter of live events as founder/director of The Nest Collective who’ve helped shake up the music scene and injected life back into the folk trad and world acoustic scene. His 1st release, ‘Ground Of Its Own’ in 2012, was short-listed for the Mercury Music Prize. His sophomore release saw lead track 'Lovely Molly' win a BBC Radio 2 Folk Award for Best Traditional Track. Sam was named Artist of the Year at the 2016 Songlines Magazine Awards, the year in which he wrote and performed the lead song for Guy Ritchie’s Hollywood film ‘King Arthur: Legend of the Sword’. ‘Old Wow+’, released in September 2021, sees Sam update his 3rd album released on the eve of the pandemic and which now features 6 new bonus tracks. On ‘Old Wow’ he includes electric guitar for the first time, played by the album’s producer Bernard Butler (Suede). Special guest appearances are provided by Elizabeth Fraser (Cocteau Twins, Massive Attack), Cosmo Sheldrake & Caoimhin O’Raghallaigh (The Gloaming) and the new version features performances recorded for English Heritage at Stonehenge as well as on site during his annual ‘Singing with Nightingales’ events. Sam is a founding member of Music Declares Emergency, and is closely involved with Extinction Rebellion.