Sam Amidon is a singer and multi-instrumentalist (banjo, guitar, fiddle) from Vermont, US, now based in London, England. His new album “Salt River” was released by River Lea / Rough Trade on 24th January 2025. He has previously released seven acclaimed albums of songs on Bedroom Community and Nonesuch Records.

Amidon’s material for these albums often consists of adventurous reworkings of traditional American ballads, hymns and work songs, with the New York Times writing that Amidon “transforms all of the songs, changing their colors and loading them with trapdoors.” The albums have been deeply collaborative in nature, inviting contributions from musicians such as composer Nico Muhly, guitarist Bill Frisell, and on “Salt River,” saxophonist/producer Sam Gendel.

The release of “Salt River” comes on the heels of the premiere of the Teac Damsa show Nobodaddy in Belfast, followed by a sold out run at Dublin Theatre Festival and London’s Sadlers Wells. Nobodaddy is a dance theatre music piece by choreographer Michael Keegan Dolan, centered around Amidon’s songs and Sam was nominated for “Outstanding Creative Contribution” by the National Dance Awards Critics Circle in the UK for his performance. He has also recently finished work on the forthcoming film “History of Sound,” starring Paul Mescal and Josh O’Connor, wherein Amidon served as a consultant and musician. The film will premiere at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival.

Previously, Sam Amidon has recorded or performed as a guest artist with musicians such as Bon Iver, The National, The Blind Boys of Alabama, The Gloaming, Lonnie Holley, Manami Kakudo, Jacob Collier, Marc Ribot, and Beth Orton, among many others. He has appeared internationally as a soloist with ensembles such as the Kronos Quartet, The Aurora Orchestra, the Australian Chamber Orchestra with Pekka Kuusisto, The Scottish Chamber Orchestra, The Oregon Symphony, Roomful of Teeth, and the Britten Sinfonia.