Folked-Up Friday: Sam Payne

Introducing our new "Folked-Up Friday" column, written by A. McKell who currently resides in Nashville, TN. Every Friday, he will update you on what's happening in the folk/country scene with CD reviews, live show reviews and hot Nashville gossip. Be sure to check back every Friday for this awesome new column.


CD Review: Sam Payne – Father to Son Live

For those of you who have had the opportunity to hear Sam Payne, whether at a live show or recording, you understand what I’m talking about when I simply say "Wow!" We first introduced you to Payne when we interviewed him last summer. This time, Payne has simply out-done himself on his fourth full-length record; it keeps getting better and better. When I first listened to the record I felt like I was transported to his live concert, sitting with Sam and the other musicians, listening to the stories and songs. It's electric.

Payne does something on this album that he has not done before: he tells the story that accompanies each song. When I asked him why he did that, he simply stated, "Folks wanted to know why I wrote what I wrote. For a long time, audiences at the merch table have been asking for the album 'with the stories on it.' Recorded for an intimate studio audience, this is the album.”

This emotionally-charged album takes you on a journey of tears, laughter and thought. From the first cut, "These Are My People," to a song about a new born's struggle for survival “Baby Echo,” you will be drawn in by the simple folk melodies and timeless stories. In a world full of digitally-charged devices - meant to simplify our over-stimulated lives - this album is a breath of fresh air. All we have to say is: Wow!

Look for the album on iTunes, LDSaudio, Facebook or Payne's website.