I’ve got a terrible knack for mismatching people to their voices.  Samantha Crain was no exception.  I first stumbled upon this soulful folksy gem while waiting for Murder by Death to play at a recent show.  To me, Samantha Crain was just another nondescript opening act that would be all but forgotten by the nights end.  However, as luck would have it, the barely five-foot tall Crain had a different plan in mind for her performance.  I was blown away.  She knew what the hell she was doing, and I knew I had to find more of her.

Fast-forward to me returning home and writing down the name so I’d be sure to look up later.  And lo and behold, Crain has been quite busy these past few years.  After dropping out of school to go on tour with Chicago-based band, Berry, Crain put together an EP of her own, which just so happened to steal the attention of folk great, Ramseur Records.

Since then, Samantha has released two full-length records and shared the road with the likes of everyone from Ingrid Michaelson and Murder by Death, to the Avett Brothers and Kaki King; not to mention some long running stints with a personal favorite of mine, Frontier Ruckus.

Samantha Crain tours and records with her ever-changing patchwork of a backing band, The Midnight Shivers.  Her debut album, Songs in the Night, scored praise from Paste and Rolling Stone, who note, “Her band plays with jaunty sweetness, shuffling and bouncing through sorghum-sticky melodies.”

Crain’s sophomore album, You (Understood), has been sufficiently successful in giving critics something to rave about as well.  Both NPR and Paste have been strewn with all things Samantha Crain.  And she was even asked back to a second session at Daytrotter, which you can find

I’ve got a terrible knack for mismatching people to their voices.  Samantha Crain was no exception.  I first stumbled upon this soulful folksy gem while waiting for Murder by Death to play at a recent show.  To me, Samantha Crain was just another nondescript opening act that would be all but forgotten by the nights end.  However, as luck would have it, the barely five-foot tall Crain had a different plan in mind for her performance.  I was blown away.  She knew what the hell she was doing, and I knew I had to find more of her.

Fast-forward to me returning home and writing down the name so I’d be sure to look up later.  And lo and behold, Crain has been quite busy these past few years.  After dropping out of school to go on tour with Chicago-based band, Berry, Crain put together an EP of her own, which just so happened to steal the attention of folk great, Ramseur Records.

Since then, Samantha has released two full-length records and shared the road with the likes of everyone from Ingrid Michaelson and Murder by Death, to the Avett Brothers and Kaki King; not to mention some long running stints with a personal favorite of mine, Frontier Ruckus.

Samantha Crain tours and records with her ever-changing patchwork of a backing band, The Midnight Shivers.  Her debut album, Songs in the Night, scored praise from Paste and Rolling Stone, who note, “Her band plays with jaunty sweetness, shuffling and bouncing through sorghum-sticky melodies.”

Crain’s sophomore album, You (Understood), has been sufficiently successful in giving critics something to rave about as well.  Both NPR and Paste have been strewn with all things Samantha Crain.  And she was even asked back to a second session at Daytrotter, which you can find here.  Take a listen to her single “Lions” below.