Sam Carter

Biography

Job title: Principal Lecturer

Courses taught: BA (Hons) Music (Folk, Roots and Blues), BA (Hons) Music (Popular), BA (Hons) Music (Songwriting)

Specialisms: Guitar, Songwriting

Instruments taught: Guitar

Midlands-born Sam Carter is a BBC Folk Award-winning singer-songwriter and guitarist with over 15 years of experience as a professional recording artist and international touring musician. Over the course of his career, he has earned a reputation for vivid, narrative-driven songwriting ‘as penetrating as Richard Thompson’s best work’ (Uncut). A highly regarded instrumentalist, Sam has been described as “the finest English-style fingerpicking guitarist of his generation” by Bellowhead’s Jon Boden, and as having a ‘killer voice’ by Ivor Novello- winning musician Nitin Sawhney.

Sam has written, arranged, performed, and managed the release of seven albums under his own name and two albums with the BBC Folk Award-nominated folk-rock band False Lights. His impressive back catalogue and captivating live shows attest to his ability to bring together a diverse set of influences from English folksong and American shapenote singing through to hard rock. In 2012 he gave a spell-binding performance on Later… with Jools Holland, playing songs from the shape-note influenced album The No Testament, accompanied by fiddler Sam Sweeney.

Sam’s albums have been reviewed in Acoustic Magazine, Financial Times, fRoots, The Guardian, Guitarist Magazine, The Independent, Songlines, Mojo, Uncut, and more. They've all garnered national radio play, and Sam has performed live sessions on BBC Radio 2, 3, 4, and 6 Music.

As a touring artist with an international profile, Sam has performed in Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, and The Netherlands. Closer to home, he has played at some of the UK's most prestigious venues and festivals, including The Barbican, Cambridge Folk Festival, Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, Glastonbury Festival, Queen Elizabeth Hall, Royal Festival Hall, and Shrewsbury Folk Festival.

A classically trained guitarist, Sam has studied with Richard Hand (recipient of the Julian Bream Prize) and Graham Anthony Devine (Head of Guitar at Trinity Laban), as well as folk and blues virtuoso Martin Simpson.

‘One of the most gifted acoustic guitarists of his generation’ - Mike Harding, BBC Radio 2

'An English acoustic virtuoso… there’s a thread of bittersweet romanticism and cold realism that’s occasionally reminiscent of John Martyn, and like Martyn, his guitar parts may be complex and musically intricate but they serve the songs. Fans of acoustic music rejoice, the UK ‘s proud tradition of folk singer-songwriters is in safe hands.’ - Guitarist Magazine

‘Sam Carter is a brilliant guitarist and songwriter who combines the observational with social comment and personal reflection’ - Songlines Magazine