Sam Lee in Concert

Sam Lee in Concert at Craswall Church, Herefordshire,
Saturday Feb 4th at 7.30

Entrance will be free with a retiring collection

Sam Lee, folk singer, promoter and animateur will in late 2011 be releasing his debut album “Ground Of Its Own” a musical manifesto recognising the unique artistic journey Sam has taken and the less than conventional route getting there. Although a gifted singer, this was completely unknown to him until his first encounter with folk song some 5 years ago. This discovery of an unheard music compelled him to abandon his then career as a trained visual artist, teacher of wilderness survival and moonlighter as a burlesque dancer and embark on a journey into the songs of The British Isles. Sam is fast becoming accepted as one of the new pioneers defining the sound, sight and texture of contemporary folksong. This was reflected in his winning the 2011 Arts Foundation Award winner, which for the first time this year, honoured folk music amongst its art forms. Likewise his live band carves an new acoustic with their homemade and mongrelised instrumentation and unconventional arrangements that challenge any preconceptions of what ʻtraditionʼ should sounds like.

Sam is also an award-winning promoter and live events producer through his 2010 BBC Folk club of the year ʻThe Magpieʼs Nestʼ. The Nest has played a key role in the resurgence of the creative live folk music scene and is behind many innovative concerts across London, festival stages around the UK and radio and television appearances. He also helped organise (and modelled for) the first ʻfolk featureʼ in Julyʼs edition of Vogue UK.

On an experiential note, Samʼs only real musical training has come via a unique 4 year apprenticeship under the legendary and sadly late Scottish Traveller Stanley Robertson last of the great ballad singers. Sam became the musical ʻnext of kinʼ to Stanleyʼs vast repertoire of songs and an ancient, idiosyncratic Traveller singing craft. While travelling himself he is also to be found creating ground breaking research documenting the music and stories of the Romany Gypsy and Irish Traveller communities.

Sam is a regular teacher at Newcastle University, Goldsmiths College, the EFDSS and despite failings by both Cecil Sharp and Vaughan William’s to gain permission, holds the accolade as the first folk singer ever to teach and sing at the Royal College of Music.