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Sam Amidon

New Mix: Maren Morris, Sam Amidon, Palberta, Gulfer, More

Clockwise from upper left: Purple Witch of Culver, Sam Amidon, Palberta, Gulfer, Maren Morris Courtesy of the artists hide caption

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All Songs Considered

New Mix: Maren Morris, Sam Amidon, Palberta, Gulfer, More

NPR Music's Bob Boilen and Marissa Lorusso share songs that call for unity and self-reflection in turbulent times.

New Mix: Maren Morris, Sam Amidon, Palberta, Gulfer, More

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A Poet, Two Bands And A Five-Year-Old Make A New Song

Tourmates Sam Amidon and San Fermin collaborated on "Shiver," based around lyrics taken from the poem "Against Winter" by Charles Simic. Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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All Songs Considered

A Poet, Two Bands And A Five-Year-Old Make A New Song

Sam Amidon's son played the drum pattern that eventually served as the beat for this collaboration between his father and the band San Fermin.

Shiver

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Sam Amidon On Mountain Stage

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Mountain Stage

Sam Amidon On Mountain Stage

Hear a freewheeling live set from a multi-instrumentalist whose latest record features his trademark reimagining of traditional folk melodies.

Sam Amidon On Mountain Stage

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Re-Compositions, Not Covers: Sam Amidon's Personal Folk Collages

Sam Amidon's new album is titled Lily-O. Piper Ferguson/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Review

Music Reviews

Re-Compositions, Not Covers: Sam Amidon's Personal Folk Collages

On his new album, Lily-O, the folk musician approaches the genre with a sense of adventure, not reverence. In the process, he makes parts of our musical past viscerally present to us.

Re-Compositions, Not Covers: Sam Amidon's Personal Folk Collages

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Sam Amidon And Bill Frisell On World Cafe

Sam Amidon (right) & Bill Frisell. Kelsey Stanger/XPN hide caption

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World Cafe

Sam Amidon And Bill Frisell On World Cafe

XPN

A London folksinger and a decorated jazz guitarist play songs from their new collaborative album.

Sam Amidon & Bill Frisell On World Cafe

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Sam Amidon On World Cafe

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World Cafe

Sam Amidon On World Cafe

XPN

On his new album, the folksinger weaves traditional material into his own mesmerizing compositions.

Listen To Sam Amidon On World Cafe

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Sam Amidon: Reshaping An American Folk Tradition

Sam Amidon's new album is titled Bright Sunny South. Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Music Interviews

Sam Amidon: Reshaping An American Folk Tradition

Shape-note singing is a communal form of music that began in New England 200 years ago, mostly from townsfolk without any musical training. Sam Amidon says the melodies of shape-note hymns are some of the "deepest-seated for me."

Sam Amidon: Reshaping An American Folk Tradition

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Sam Amidon: A Haunting Murder Ballad

"How Come That Blood" is an old song, but in Sam Amidon's hands, it springs to life as if newly born. Samantha West hide caption

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Samantha West

Review

Song Of The Day

Sam Amidon: A Haunting Murder Ballad

"How Come That Blood" predates Amidon's existence, but in his hands, it springs to life as if newly born. The song concerns an unnamed man with a mysterious and incriminating red stain on his shirt who is repeatedly questioned by his mother.

'How Come That Blood' by Sam Amidon

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Sam Amidon On World Cafe

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World Cafe

Sam Amidon On World Cafe

XPN

Working with composer Nico Muhly, Amidon has taken an experimental approach on his latest album, I See the Sign. In a session from World Cafe, Amidon's interpretations feel relaxed and intimate, but also far-reaching in their ambitions.

Sam Amidon On World Cafe

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