Start Listening To: Sam Burton

For those unfamiliar with your music, can you tell us who you are, where you’re from and about the music you make?

My name is Sam Burton and I’m from Utah. I moved to Los Angeles about 7 years ago. I’m interested in songwriting and how I can use it to connect to myself. Dear Departed is a collection of songs I recorded with Jonathan Wilson who I can’t say enough good about. I hope people can find themes in it for themselves.

What was the creative process like working with producer Jonathan Wilson and the studio players in LA?

We recorded as a band live including the vocal then Drew Erickson would start working on strings and usually Jonathan would go back and add some extra percussion or an extra guitar ect. We recorded the songs one at a time like that and it was fairly quick due to playing it live. I was happy to try and keep some of that raw spontaneous energy on the record, especially with all the strings. It could have easily been overdone and too polished.

Your music has been compared to big names like Campbell, Orbison, and Nilsson. How do you feel about these comparisons and the influence of the Laurel Canyon sound?

I don’t think about comparisons like that very much. I think most of the time they are just saying stuff like that to market the music. I personally don’t like inviting the comparison for obvious reasons. I really don’t even consider myself a singer. As far as Laurel Canyon goes again I’ve never thought about capturing that. However I do take a lot of inspiration from Neil Young. I love his guitar and piano playing and how simply his band plays.

Can you tell us more about the inspiration behind your songs ‘Maria’ and ‘I Don't Blame You’?

Every time I’ve given background to my songs I’ve regretted it. I think they are best to be interpreted by the listener.

How has your upbringing in a "truck stop town" outside of Salt Lake City influenced your music and song writing?

 I really couldn’t say. It’s hard to know how a life is put together. I spent a lot of time alone there and developed my imagination because of it.

You've had the opportunity to tour with notable artists like Loving, Jose Gonzalez, and Weyes Blood. How have these experiences shaped your own musical journey?

Playing for big crowds of people that don’t know who you are is much different than other shows. I’ve learned to be professional, prepared and to be openly gracious and warm with the crowd.

The album artwork for Dear Departed is intriguing. Can you share the story behind it and its connection to the album's themes?

I didn’t want to work with a professional photographer so I went home to Utah and got together with a couple of my closest friends and we went out to the foothills and took it. 

With your upcoming headline shows and festival appearances, what can fans expect from your live performances?

When I have the money I’ll have a band and when I don’t I’ll be playing stripped down or solo. 

How do you balance the timeless quality of your music with making it feel fresh and relevant in today's music landscape?

 That’s something I don’t think about. It’s not so calculated. I’m not sure what makes something retro/pastiche or modern. I just think about the song and what it’s asking for. I try and produce it to sound like something I would listen to and that’s it.

Are there any specific songs on the album that hold personal significance to you? If so, could you share why?

All of the songs contain something of myself as well as something other. I try not to put any on a pedestal.

Dear Departed is your second album following the success of I Can Go With You. How has your approach to song writing and recording evolved since your debut?

I don’t know if it’s evolved. My process has been the same. I write all of the songs and then I record them live with a band. I try and write songs that have some of the production written in. 

Your music often evokes a sense of nostalgia and introspection. How do you hope your listeners connect with your songs on a personal level, and what message or emotions do you aim to convey through your music?

Respectfully of course.. I don’t care how people connect with it. Like I said before it’s not so calculated, it’s obviously lovely if people enjoy it and connect with it but I don’t have any aims as to how they should feel. I just want to write songs and in doing so discover more about my life. You can hold an intimacy with life when creating at times and that’s why I keep going back. Thank you so much for having me