BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards 2019 – Nominated Musician Of The Year
“The fiddler with the Midas touch… an English equivalent of the great Irish fiddle player Martin Hayes.” **** – The Guardian
“Sweeney’s playing is unearthly at times: the singular focus of this set and the level of its performance makes this an outstanding and deeply moving experience.” ***** – Songlines
After embarking on a solo career, releasing his debut solo album The Unfinished Violin and touring to sell-out crowds on the album launch tour, Sam released his highly anticipated second solo album Unearth Repeat in March 2020.
Moving on from his five year connection to the First World War – which inspired his first album and captured the nation’s hearts through appearances on Antiques Roadshow and BBC Breakfast, alongside BBC Radio 2, BBC Radio 3, BBC Radio 4 and 6Music – Sam is moving on to making music on his own terms, with three of his favourite musicians and with a totally fresh approach and a big sound.
Sam and his new band have put something into English music that has never been there before – the swagger and groove of traditional English music with the huge sound, flare, energy and festival spirit of bands coming out of the Celtic and Scandinavian music scenes. The new album occupies a very different sound world to The Unfinished Violin, leaving string sections, piano and harmonium behind, the new band features acoustic and electric guitars and double bass.
Sam Sweeney is a veteran of the mighty Bellowhead, former artistic director of the National Folk Youth Ensemble, founder member of the acclaimed instrumental trio Leveret, and a superb instrumentalist at the forefront of the revival in English traditional music.
We’re looking forward to welcoming you back to The Stoller Hall and have a range of safety measures in place. You can explore our See it Safely measures here.
