Sam Lee (folk musician) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sam Lee
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Lee at Rhythms of The World 2011
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| Background information | |
| Born | 6 July 1980 |
| Genres | Folk |
| Occupation(s) | Singer-songwriter, musician |
| Years active | 2012–present |
Sam Lee (born July 6, 1980) is a British folk singer and expert in traditional music. He is known for finding, saving, and sharing old songs from Britain and Ireland. He especially focuses on music from the Romany Gypsy and Irish Traveller communities.
Sam Lee's first album, Ground of its Own, was nominated for the 2012 Mercury Music Award. He performs with his group, Sam Lee and Friends. He also created and manages The Nest Collective, which organizes folk music events in London and other places. Sam Lee works with the English Folk Dance and Song Society to keep traditional music safe and to teach others about it.
Sam Lee's Story
Sam Lee grew up in North West London. He later studied art at Chelsea College of Art. In 2008, he met Stanley Robertson, a famous Scottish Traveller singer. Robertson became Sam Lee's teacher, sharing many old songs with him before he passed away in 2009.
Sam Lee became more widely known in 2014. He sang "The Tan Yard Side" live with the sound of a nightingale bird for a BBC Radio 4 show. This special broadcast celebrated 90 years since the first time a live wildlife sound was broadcast on the BBC. He continued his radio work in 2019 with two shows called "The Song Hunters." Sam Lee also helped create "Let Nature Sing" for the RSPB. This was a collection of bird songs that even made it onto the UK music charts!
Before becoming a folk singer, Sam Lee was an expert in wilderness survival. He even learned from the famous survival expert Ray Mears. Sam Lee lives and works in Dalston, London. However, he spends a lot of his time traveling around the UK. He promotes folk music events and collects more traditional songs.
The Band
Sam Lee's music mixes old and new sounds. He believes that traditional music needs new ideas to stay alive. His band uses a blend of instruments to create a unique sound.
Band Members
- Sam Lee – He sings and plays the Jew's harp and shruti box.
- Francesca Terberg – She plays the cello.
- Jonah Brody – He plays the Japanese koto and ukulele.
- Steve Chadwick – He plays the trumpet and cornet.
- Camilo Tirado – He plays the tabla, percussion, and cantele.
- Flora Curzon – She plays the violin.
Awards and Recognition
In 2010, Sam Lee's folk music club night, The Magpies Nest, won an award. It was named Best Folk Club at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards. In 2013, Sam Lee was nominated for several BBC Folk Awards. These included Folk Singer of the Year and Best Album for Ground of its Own.
In 2011, the Arts Foundation Award recognized folk music for the first time. Sam Lee was the first folk musician to win this award.
Sam Lee and Friends were invited by the British Arts Council to visit Sudan. They performed at the Khartoum International Music Festival. This festival was happening for the first time in 13 years. Sam Lee also worked with two Sudanese musicians, Omer Ihsas and Dr. Alfateh Hussain.
In 2012, Sam Lee's first album, Ground of its Own, was nominated for the Mercury Prize. This is a very important music award. The album also won the Album of the Year award in the 2012 fRoots Critics Poll. In 2016, his album The Fade in Time won the Songlines Music Award in the Europe category.
Music Albums
- Ground of its Own (2012)
- More For to Rise (EP, 2014)
- The Fade in Time (2015)
- Old Wow (2020)
- Songdreaming (2024)
