sam howard

Sam Howard is a bassist, vocalist, multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, arranger, producer, and composer based in Nashville, TN. He has spent more than twenty years touring the globe, making music with friends, and working to sow the seeds of joy and peace.

Sam has played and sung with many of the top names in Americana/Roots music today including bluegrass superstar Molly Tuttle, acclaimed Juno-winning vocalist and songwriter Ruth Moody, Grammy-winning Americana powerhouse Joy Williams (of the Civil Wars), banjo/slide-guitar master Tony Furtado, and in the groundbreaking ensemble of genre-bending cellist and songwriter Ben Sollee and Kentucky Native.

Sam has appeared on hundreds of recordings, alongside such contemporary masters as Mark Knopfler, Aoife O’Donovan, Chris Thile, and Jerry Douglas. He has worked in the studios of leading record producers including Tucker Martine, Dan Knobler, David Travers-Smith, and Neilson Hubbard.

When not on stage or in the studio, Sam stays busy keeping up with his 6 year-old son, playing piano, composing new music, practicing scales, listening to the birds sing, doing yoga, playing soccer, praying for peace in the world, and roasting coffee.

Contact:

basscity@gmail.com

. . .

Brief Curriculum Vitae:

– BMus ’03 – Studio Music and Jazz Performance – Frost School of Music at the University of Miami

– Toured extensively nationally and internationally, playing venues including The Royal Albert Hall, The Ryman Auditorium, Lincoln Center, Palais-Omnisports de Paris-Bercy, Ziggo Dome Amsterdam, and festivals including Bonnaroo, Telluride Bluegrass Festival, Celtic Connections (UK), Port Fairy Folk Festival (Australia), TakeRoot Festival (Netherlands) and the Winnipeg, Vancouver, Edmonton, Canmore, Hillside, Mariposa, Shelter Valley, Mission, and Newfoundland and Labrador Folk Festivals in Canada.

– Appeared on major television broadcasts on CBS, NBC and PBS, and radio broadcasts on BBC, CBC, ABC, NPR, RNZ, and countless independent stations.

– Performed three times on the historic Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, TN.

– Produced the albums “Animal” by Nathaniel Talbot, and “Eager to Break” by Bennett Sullivan.

– Has shared the stage with special guests including Billy Strings, Sarah Jarosz, Madison Cunningham, Sierra Hull, Rhonda Vincent (The Queen of Bluegrass), Reggie Watts, Dan Tyminski, Skerik, Mike McGoldrick, Lonnie Holley and Jerry Douglas.

– Recorded upright and electric bass, guitar, baritone guitar, keyboards, and harmony vocals on hundreds of recordings while living in Miami, New York City, Portland, and Nashville, TN.

– 2010 musical ambassador to South America and Africa with the U.S. State Department and Jazz at Lincoln Center’s ‘Rhythm Road’ program.

-Released two albums of original instrumental music, 2007’s Out Tonight, and 2010’s The Gettin’ Place.

-Composed and premiered four original works for jazz orchestra with the Portland Jazz Composer’s Ensemble.

– Won a Downbeat Magazine Student Music Award in 2002, studied composition and arranging with world-class instructors, and played in top ensmbles such as the University of Miami Studio Jazz Band, The Monk/Mingus Ensemble, and The Bop Brothers while at The Frost School of Music from 1999-2003.

– Lived and worked playing music in New York City from 2004-2008, where he was a founding teacher at the Brooklyn Guitar School.