Sam Lewis & Scott McMahan Perform at Isis Music Hall on Thu 8/29

Sam Lewis & Scott McMahan Perform at Isis Music Hall on Thu 8/29

Sam Lewis  @ Isis Restaurant & Music Hall
Also performing is Scott McMahan
Thursday, August 29, 2013

Doors 8pm, Show 9pm; $8 adv/ $10 dos
Limited seating, dinner reservations recommended
828-575-2737
743 Haywood Road Asheville, NC 28806
www.isisasheville.com

Since his successful debut of his self-titled album, Sam Lewis has been busy crafting songs the next one. A soulful songwriter, Sam sings with raw emotion, inviting you into his life and love stories; he has a way of touching deep into the heart of listeners with his straight-forward and captivating music. “There’s so much soul pouring out of this guy’s pores you could bathe in it. It’s like hearing Al Green for the first time,” writes No Depression’s Grant Britt.

Sam debuted four new songs on Daytrotter.com this July. To listen in to the new tunes, please visit -> http://bit.ly/18S1S55.

 

Six years of constant writing, performing and touring have become the nexus of Lewis’ music. In March of 2012, Sam released his self-titled debut with the help of co-producer Matt Urmy, Sam has woven ten songs into a conversation, between himself, the band, and his listeners. Urmy, himself an accomplished singer/songwriter, assembled a group made up of Nashville’s top session and touring players, including guitarist Kenny Vaughan, keyboard player Reggie Bradley Smith, Derek Mixon on drums and bass player Dave Jacques. Making a surprise appearance on the album is soul chanteuse Jonell Mosser, providing backing vocals on “I’m A River”.

Music was one of the few constants in Sam’s life. His family never stayed anywhere for long, which meant that friendships were forged between himself and the music he absorbed, from Roy Orbison to Van Morrison to Willie Nelson. The influence of Ray Charles can be felt from the first note to the last beat, making Sam’s debut a complimentary companion to Charles’ own,  two-volume Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music. Leaving home as soon as the opportunity arrived, Sam landed in Knoxville, and later Nashville.

Sam has spent hours, in fact years, collecting and arranging the relationships and experiences he has forged. To the average person, they seem like an amalgamation of time and happenstance, but to him, they are the moral of the story. “I never once felt, in this whole process that someone just kind of pointed. No one took me by the hand, but almost every single one of these connections were very personal. I was introduced to these people that helped make this record. These are gonna be people that I’m going to know the rest of my life.” Lewis has drawn us a clear picture of where he’s going, and thankfully, he has invited us along for the ride.

“Sounding a bit like James Taylor, but bluesier and more country … often about human flaws, weaknesses, and some of the facets of love.” –Tom Geddie, Buddy Magazine

“The complete artist is one that everyone should be reminded of from time to time – the one who writes, sings, performs and handles every aspect of the form of expression found in music. And this is where you find Sam Lewis, blending a mix of country and soul in a manner such as Van Morrison or Ray Charles. He has a story to tell that is relevant to all” –Travis Swann, Mufreesboro Post

“The realness … instantaneously creates a link between Lewis and other famous singer/songwriters like Amos Lee, John Prine and Henry McCullough.” –Greenberry Taylor, Fishbowl Records

For more about Sam Lewis, please visit: samlewistunes.com

 

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More about Scott McMahan:
Scott McMahan blurs the lines between Soul & Folk. Honest and direct – he sings of longing, loss, and the hope of redemption. His warm, gritty baritone is at times weary and emotion-laced, bringing to mind artists like Otis Redding and Van Morrison.

“Somewhere within Scott McMahan’s wounded, tender voice there’s a tremor that makes women want to take him home, make him some stew, smooth the worry from his brow and put him to bed. His soulful, self-effacing songs are about long drives home when you’d really hoped to stay the night; they’re about unanswered phone calls, and love too-long unreciprocated.” –Metro Pulse

For more about Scott McMahan, please visit: www.facebook.com/scottmcmahansongs

 

 

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Sam Lewis’ Self-Titled Americana/Country/Soul Album Releases TODAY Featuring Kenny Vaughan & Co.

Sam Lewis Debuts Self-Titled Americana/Country/Soul Album Featuring Kenny Vaughan And Co. March 13th

Listen to the First 3 Tracks Free & ORDER HERE

samlewis.bandcamp.com

The album is also available on iTunes and Amazon

Sam Lewis. Photo by Susan Urmy

Sam Lewis releases his self-titled debut March 13th. In it, he pulls together some of Nashville’s most seasoned musicians, who have helped put the breath into a body of songs that are as straight-forward and captivating as the man who sings them.

Five years of constant writing, performing and touring have become the nexus of Lewis’ self-titled debut. Along with co-producer Matt Urmy, Sam has woven ten songs into a conversation, between himself, the band, and his listeners. Urmy, himself an accomplished singer/songwriter, assembled a group made up of Nashville’s top session and touring players, including guitarist Kenny Vaughan, keyboard player Reggie Bradley Smith, Derek Mixon on drums and bass player Dave Jacques. Making a surprise appearance on the album is soul chanteuse Jonell Mosser, providing backing vocals on “I’m A River”.

***

Early Praise for Sam Lewis:

“There’s so much soul pouring out of this guy’s pores you could bathe in it. It’s like hearing Al Green for the first time.” –Grant Britt, No Depression

***

“With his rich soulful vocals, well-crafted songs, and passel of hot pickers, Sam Lewis’ first album is a treasure trove of roots country and blue-eyed soul. Kenny Vaughn’s electric guitar twang combines with Reggie Bradley Smith’s keyboard and accordion to form the harmonic core, while Dave Jacques bass and Derek Mixon’s drums do the rhythmic heavy lifting.” –Steven Stone, Audiophile Review

***

“It shows on Lewis’ new self-titled album that he learned from the sources, rather than a copy of a copy; he’s deeply committed to both soul and country streams, and the combination fits him like a second skin.” –Jewly Hight, Nashville Scene

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“Lewis takes simplicity from Willie Nelson, poetry from Bob Dylan, soul from Ray Charles, stage presence from Leon Russell, rich delivery from Van Morrison and combines them to create one authentic, solid message.” –Sarah Garrett, Fishbowl Records

***

“Sounding a bit like James Taylor, but bluesier and more country, Sam Lewis shares 10 songs on his self titled debut CD. It’s a consistently good, cleanly produced listen, often about human flaws, weaknesses, and some of the facets of love.”–Tom Geddie, Buddy Magazine

***

“The complete artist is one that everyone should be reminded of from time to time – the one who writes, sings, performs and handles every aspect of the form of expression found in music. And this is where you find Sam Lewis, blending a mix of country and soul in a manner such as Van Morrison or Ray Charles. He has a story to tell that is relevant to all in the wake of his new self-titled album.” –Travis Swann, Mufreesboro Post

***

“The realness … instantaneously creates a link between Lewis and other famous singer/songwriters like Amos Lee, John Prine and Henry McCullough.” –Greenberry Taylor, Fishbowl Records

***

“This one stands up to repeated listening, cut after cut, time after time. It’s time to pay attention to Sam Lewis. He deserves it, and so do you.” –Grant Britt, No Depression

***

Early Radio Spins:

WDVX – Knoxville, TN

WNCW – Asheville, NC

KRFC – Fort Collins, CO

WETS – Johnson City

WTJU – Charlottesville, VA

WFDU – Teaneck, NJ

WNTI – Hackettstown, NJ

Fat Music Radio – Grass Valley, CA

Wildman Steve Radio – Auburn, AL

WUSB – Stonybrook, NY

WUSC – Columbia, SC

WQFS – Greensboro, NC

WCOM – Carrborro, NC

WHEO – Floyd, VA

The Songwriter Lounge @ East Nashville Radio

Please call and request to hear more of Sam Lewis
from your favorite Americana DJ’s!

samlewistunes.com

twitter.com/samlewistunes
youtube.com/samlewistunes
facebook.com/samlewistunes
reverbnation.com/samlewistunes

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Free Download of “I’m A River” From Sam Lewis’ Debut Self-Titled Album

Release Date Tuesday, March 13th!  

The album is NOW available on iTunes, Amazon and Bandcamp

samlewistunes.com

“I’m a River has vocal echoes of a country cousin version of John Prine, backed by ethereal background vocals courtesy of Jonell Mosser” –Grant Britt, No Depression

When asked what inspired this song, Sam says, “Temptation. I was feeling a bit broke down when I wrote this. Sometimes I wish I could give more and take less. This song is a combination of admittance -that I can sometimes ‘bite off more than I can chew’, an acceptance- that ‘yes, I am aware of this’ and simply a warning.”

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“The album is no doubt a presentation of the artist, but the subject matter weaves a patchwork and tells a story that is relevant to all and the human condition.” –Travis Swann, Mufreesboro Post

“The incredible storytelling … really blossoms into something personal and soulful in I’m a River… shows the depth Lewis went into in creating these 10-songs, never skimping on details, but at the same time never overwhelming listeners with too much, creating an emotional imagery that isn’t too common today. The realness packed into this track, along with the others, instantaneously creates a link between Lewis and other famous singer/songwriters like Amos Lee, John Prine and Henry McCullough.” —Fishbowl Records, Greenberry Taylor

~~~ ~~~ ~~~

Lyrics:  I’m A River

There’s a valley not far from here, beyond the dam where all the water runs real clear you’ll find everything you’ve been looking for, there was a time when I could offer you much more, would you believe it if ever you were told once I was worth more than my weight in gold, where dreams and promises once flowed with such grace, have all been washed up and dried on these banks

you’d run into me and I’d save your life, I’d have you singing I saw the light, but I’m a river full of heart ache that you’ll never swim, take one step closer and I’ll pull you in I’ve seen trouble and I’ve seen pain, I got beat by the sun and I have drowned in the rain and I’ve found it hard to look straight ahead, all I’ve wanted lies on this riverbed, it’s the gospel I heard a man say, you can’t get back what you don’t give away, with every seed I’ve sewn and love I’ve made stay lord knows that I’m ready for the levy to give way

PRE-ORDER  & Listen to the First 3 Tracks:

samlewis.bandcamp.com

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