Catch Of The Week: Sam Robbins
Meet: Sam Robbins from Portsmouth, NH (now Boston)
Soulful swagger. Thoughtful verse. Sam Robbins has a way with his words. A confident, seasoned way of storytelling and conveying his emotions that is far beyond his years. Sam Robbins is an old soul living inside of a Berklee College of Music student. His soul may be old but his execution is modern and fresh. Robbins grew up in New Hampshire but has been honing his singer/songwriter skills in Boston, at Berklee, the past few years, in class and on the stage gigging all over. Recently Sam took an even bigger step, and bigger stage; The world stage! He made in onto the blind auditions round of the popular NBC TV show, The Voice. He didn’t get a chair turn, but he did get a second chance, thanks in part to Kelsea Ballerini. This year’s show featured “The Comeback Stage,” where a select few who didn’t get a chair turn, got to battle it out on this digital series streaming on YouTube, Instagram TV, Facebook and NBC.com. Sam didn’t advance from there but had a life-changing experience and some valuable advice from Kelsea.
Armed with talent and charm, Sam is certainly on his way to bigger stages (literally and figuratively) and plenty of head-turns in his future. One listen, and you’ll agree.
Sams Sounds Off
Sam Robbins shared some of his recent original music in our Country 1025 studios. Having some time off from gigging has led Sam to have an “explosion of creativity” in his writing. Listen to where it has led him.
Check out “Remind Me”
Here’s “Addicted”
The Robbins Report
- What lead you to music: From a young age I found myself drawn to music but I wasn’t sure why – I tried many different hobbies and once I was able to take drum lessons, I found myself completely in love with it. I would practice at least an hour and a half a day, and I found music to just be the best obsession. I carried over this obsession into what I have for a career today.
- How old when you started: I took piano lessons when I was 8 – they didn’t last long, and soon after that I decided to try playing drums and became quickly obsessed. I played in a (not great) punk band from ages 12-15 and picked up guitar casually on the side. I always thought of it has a side hobby until I was 16, and I read Bob Dylan’s autobiography and realized that I could be a singer/songwriter too, and that I would start working every day on it.
- Instruments played: Guitar, Piano, bass, ukelele, drums
- Describe your sound: James Taylor meets Jason Isbell -basically I want to be the young James Taylor!
- Biggest influences: James Taylor, Jim Croce, John Denver, Jason Isbell, John Mayer, Kacey Musgraves
- All- time favorite country song: “The House that Built Me” – Miranda Lambert
- Favorite country concert: Margo Price @ Paradise Rock Club, Boston
- First Country Concert: I honestly can’t remember!
- What songs do you like now on Country 102.5: “Tequila” by Dan + Shay is one of my favorite country songs I’ve ever heard! “She Got the Best of Me” by Luke Combs – I’m a big fan of that guy too
- If you weren’t a musician, what would you be doing: Tough one! I love talking to people and meeting people, so I would maybe be a teacher or
something that allows me to work with lots of different kinds of people - Most proud moment: Definitely being out in LA to do The Voice! Being able to have my parents and brother flown out to be there was a huge
point of pride for me – even though it didn’t go super well, it was a big step for me - Craziest thing that happened in your music career: I played an MIT frat party where I was the soundtrack to a bunch of frat guys destroying a car with sledgehammers -definitely the craziest gig I’ve ever done!
- Frivolous fun facts: I LOVE Star Wars – ask me any kind of Star Wars trivia and I guarantee I know it. I dressed up as Batman for an entire year when I was five!
Sam On Social
See Sam Robbins
- Friday January 4 @ 8:00 pm: Dedham Square Coffeehouse, Dedham, MA with Gracie Givertz
- Saturday January 12 @ 8:00pm: 3S Art Space, Portsmouth, NH with Abrielle Scharff
Every week, Kruser’s Local Catch highlights New England’s homegrown country music talent, and tells you where to catch them locally and in Nashville. Click here to view previous catches.
The Local Catch is powered by Shiner Bock,independently brewed in Texas, for Boston’s independent spirit. Boston is Shiner country!
Singer/songwriters with original music: Please submit for consideration on The Local Catch by emailing Kruser at carolyn.kruse@bbgi.com
