Sam Amidon
Sam Amidon is a singer and multi-instrumentalist originally hailing from Vermont. His most recent album, The Following Mountain, was released in May of 2017 by Nonesuch Records. His sixth album overall, it is his deeply personal synthesis of folk-based song form and experimental improvisation.
Prior to The Following Mountain, Sam released five albums of radically reimagined folksongs on the Bedroom Community and Nonesuch labels. Called “part preservationist, part visionary” by the Boston Globe, Amidon’s material for these albums consists primarily of reworkings of traditional American ballads, hymns and work songs, with the New York Times writing that Amidon “transforms all of the songs, changing their colors and loading them with trapdoors.” The albums have been deeply collaborative in nature, inviting contributions from musicians such as composer Nico Muhly, guitarist Bill Frisell, and improviser Shahzad Ismaily among others. Along the way Sam has recorded or performed as a guest artist with musicians such as pianist Jason Moran, indie rock band Bon Iver, and Glen Hansard. Amidon lives in London with his wife, singer and songwriter Beth Orton.
““Amidon is doing to folk what Arthur Russell did to disco and dance music: The components are taken context-free and mixed around. He can recognize the patterns of bluegrass or jazz or indie rock without being bound to them”
– Wondering Sound