Sam Amidon

Submitted by nonesuch on
Sort Name
Amidon Sam
Artist Position
260.00
Artist Genre
Biography (Excerpt)

Sam Amidon's self-titled album, which he produced and considers the fullest realization to date of his artistic vision, comprises his radical reworkings of mostly traditional folk songs. He performs with his frequent band, multi-instrumentalist Shahzad Ismaily and drummer Chris Vatalaro, along with saxophonist and label mate Sam Gendel, guitarist Bert Cools, bassist Ruth Goller, and Amidon’s wife, Beth Orton, who adds vocals on three songs.

Weight
10
Active Artist
No
Facebook URL
https://www.facebook.com/SamAmidonMusic
Twitter URL
https://twitter.com/samamidon
Instagram URL
https://www.instagram.com/samamidon/

Sam Amidon's self-titled album will be released on Nonesuch Records on October 23, 2020, with the vinyl edition due January 22, 2021. The album, which Amidon considers the fullest realization to date of his artistic vision, comprises his radical reworkings of nine mostly traditional folk songs, performed with his band of longtime friends and collaborators. Amidon produced the record, applying the sonic universe of his 2017 The Following Mountain to these beloved tunes, many of which he first learned as a child. “Pretty Polly,” for example, was one of the first traditional tunes he learned to play, and “Time Has Made a Change” is a song that his parents—singers who were on the 1977 Nonesuch recording Rivers of Delight with the Word of Mouth Chorus—sang around the house when he was young.

Amidon and his frequent band of multi-instrumentalist Shahzad Ismaily and drummer Chris Vatalaro were joined in the studio by Belgian guitarist Bert Cools (who played on his last EP), as well as Amidon’s wife, Beth Orton, who adds vocals on three songs. Acoustic bassist Ruth Goller and saxophonist and labelmate Sam Gendel also play on the album, which was mixed by Leo Abrahams. Sam Amidon was mostly recorded live in the studio. Amidon arranged the songs, which are traditional tunes, with the exception of Taj Mahal’s “Light Rain Blues,” Harkins Frye’s “Time Has Made a Change,” and “Hallelujah,” which is an 1835 William Walker shape-note tune using earlier words by Charles Wesley, found in the Sacred Harp collection of early American folk-hymns.

Sam Amidon is Amidon’s fifth recording on Nonesuch and follows the 2019 EP Fatal Flower Garden (A Tribute to Harry Smith). Additional recordings include his 2017 album The Following Mountain and Kronos Quartet’s Folk Songs the same year, on which he was a featured singer along with Rhiannon Giddens, Natalie Merchant, and Olivia Chaney; Lily-O in 2014; and his label debut, Bright Sunny South, in 2013.

Amidon will perform a concert at Kings Place in London on October 3. A limited number of tickets will be available in the venue, as well as tickets to stream the event from home. Further details are available here.

Artist Header Image
Artist Card Image
Artist Spotlight Image

Latest Release

  • October 23, 2020

    On Sam Amidon's self-titled album, which he produced and considers the fullest realization to date of his artistic vision, he performs radical reworkings of mostly traditional folk songs with his frequent band, multi-instrumentalist Shahzad Ismaily and drummer Chris Vatalaro, along with saxophonist and label mate Sam Gendel, guitarist Bert Cools, bassist Ruth Goller, and Amidon’s wife, Beth Orton, who adds vocals on three songs.

News

  • March 12, 2024

    The 2024 Big Ears Festival is next week, taking place in venues throughout downtown Knoxville, TN, March 21–24, with more than a dozen Nonesuch artists past, present, and future performing as part of the label's 60th anniversary celebrations. In addition to all of the music and film offerings, Big Ears also hosts a number of artist conversations with music journalists Ann Powers and Nate Chinen, including talks with Sam Amidon, Laurie Anderson, Darcy James Argue, Rhiannon Giddens, Mary Halvorson, Robin Holcomb, Hurray for the Riff Raff, Brad Mehldau, Davóne Tines, and Yasmin Williams.

  • January 24, 2024

    Sam Amidon has announced a headline solo tour of the US this spring, following a North American tour as special guest of This Is the Kit and a weekend at Big Ears Festival in Knoxville. The new shows start in Northampton, Massachusetts, on March 26 and includes stops in New Hampshire, New York, California (with Sam Gendel), Oregon (with Laura Veirs), and Washington. The This Is the Kit tour starts in Brooklyn February 21.

Tour

Thu, Mar 21
Nashville, TN
3rd and Lindsley
Thu, Mar 21
Nashville, TN
3rd and Lindsley
Fri, Mar 22
Knoxville, TN
The Standard
Fri, Mar 22
Knoxville, TN
The Standard
Sat, Mar 23
Knoxville, TN
Visit Knoxville Visitors Center
Sat, Mar 23
Knoxville, TN
Visit Knoxville Visitors Center
Tue, Mar 26
Northampton, MA
The Parlor Room
Tue, Mar 26
Northampton, MA
The Parlor Room
Wed, Mar 27
Exeter, NH
The Word Barn
Wed, Mar 27
Exeter, NH
The Word Barn
Thu, Mar 28
Woodstock, NY
Levon Helm Studios
Thu, Mar 28
Woodstock, NY
Levon Helm Studios
Fri, Mar 29
New York, NY
(Le) Poisson Rouge
Fri, Mar 29
New York, NY
(Le) Poisson Rouge
Sat, Mar 30
Cambridge, MA
Club Passim
Sat, Mar 30
Cambridge, MA
Club Passim
Sat, Apr 06
Santa Monica, CA
McCabe's Guitar Shop
Sat, Apr 06
Santa Monica, CA
McCabe's Guitar Shop
Sun, Apr 07
Los Angeles, CA
Zebulon
Sun, Apr 07
Los Angeles, CA
Zebulon

Photos

About Sam Amidon

  • Sam Amidon's self-titled album will be released on Nonesuch Records on October 23, 2020, with the vinyl edition due January 22, 2021. The album, which Amidon considers the fullest realization to date of his artistic vision, comprises his radical reworkings of nine mostly traditional folk songs, performed with his band of longtime friends and collaborators. Amidon produced the record, applying the sonic universe of his 2017 The Following Mountain to these beloved tunes, many of which he first learned as a child. “Pretty Polly,” for example, was one of the first traditional tunes he learned to play, and “Time Has Made a Change” is a song that his parents—singers who were on the 1977 Nonesuch recording Rivers of Delight with the Word of Mouth Chorus—sang around the house when he was young.

    Amidon and his frequent band of multi-instrumentalist Shahzad Ismaily and drummer Chris Vatalaro were joined in the studio by Belgian guitarist Bert Cools (who played on his last EP), as well as Amidon’s wife, Beth Orton, who adds vocals on three songs. Acoustic bassist Ruth Goller and saxophonist and labelmate Sam Gendel also play on the album, which was mixed by Leo Abrahams. Sam Amidon was mostly recorded live in the studio. Amidon arranged the songs, which are traditional tunes, with the exception of Taj Mahal’s “Light Rain Blues,” Harkins Frye’s “Time Has Made a Change,” and “Hallelujah,” which is an 1835 William Walker shape-note tune using earlier words by Charles Wesley, found in the Sacred Harp collection of early American folk-hymns.

    Sam Amidon is Amidon’s fifth recording on Nonesuch and follows the 2019 EP Fatal Flower Garden (A Tribute to Harry Smith). Additional recordings include his 2017 album The Following Mountain and Kronos Quartet’s Folk Songs the same year, on which he was a featured singer along with Rhiannon Giddens, Natalie Merchant, and Olivia Chaney; Lily-O in 2014; and his label debut, Bright Sunny South, in 2013.

    Amidon will perform a concert at Kings Place in London on October 3. A limited number of tickets will be available in the venue, as well as tickets to stream the event from home. Further details are available here.

Performs On