"...he already has one leg up on Keb' Mo'..."
-Chicago Sun Times
"In an era when popular music is becoming increasingly perfect sounding, and robotic, "Songs Famed for Sorrow and Joy" provides a much needed alternative."
- Allmusic Guide
"All muscles, model good looks, tattoos, and sepia-tinted pouting... if the Wu Tang Clan covered Robert Johnson it may sound a bit like this."
- Americana UK
"Samuel James is Keb' Mo' on steroids!"
- Oracles Music Network
"Samuel James is like a time machine- the same one that keeps bringing Son House and Mississippi John Hurt traveling back to the public consciousness."
- Portland Phoenix
"He made something (Songs Famed for Sorrow and Joy) timeless."
- Boston Phoenix
I think the people of Portland have spoken, and what they've said is, "Samuel James should join Sly-Chi!" Think about it, you, a horn section, a kick-ass rhythm section, female vocalist...Oh yeah, so good, and I'll be your manager. What do you say? Ok, congratulations to be Best Blues Act second year running! ...but think about it...
HOW RANDOM ! I waded into the local Bank of America Corona California branch, whilst time wasting on my lunch break. After transacting with little Miss Suzy Teller I got back into my new-to-me Honda Accord. The radio dj from my favorite local college radio station, KSPC 88.7 the Space, was calling off the bill of names to her recently played music block. As she drabbly mumbled through her usual art sophistic titles one caught my attention, "Running from My Baby's gun, whilst Previously Watchin' Butterflies From My Front Porch" by Samuel James off his album entitled Songs Famed for Sorrow and Joy. I gave a "HA! Get the fuck outta here she just played Sammy.." and sped back to work to write this comment. Go to http://www. kspc. org they have an archive of every song they've ever aired since they created their archive. 05/09/2008 02:15 pm Samuel James was played, I missed it but it was played. Look out Sammy's takin over.
So every couple years I find a great new artist at Memphis in May. This year it was Samuel James. Only a half an hour before finding him, I was the Gibson factory shop, just "up the bluff" in downtown Memphis for you Cash fans, searching for the right sounding dobro/resonator. Then I found it, being torn to shreds and rocking the house by Samuel James.
Thank you sooo much for playing at my birthday bash :)))) It meant sooo much to me I cried!!!! I wish I had recorded it though...So I could listen to it over and over again!!!
Haha sure Bumly, I would but I dont have a week of holidays left :( Im goin to Peru for two weeks and a music festival for a few days , yay!, and well after all that thers not much left! But ill take a sick day or two! My sister is in Austraillia until the end of the summer :D
If you write a song about an outlaw, and put it on your space, I will send you 30 four leaf clovers, two small tumble weeds, six magnifing glasses, and eight bottles of sparkling mineral water.
