This page is mostly for people who have booked Sam to perform at one kind of event or another, and have asked for some biographical information. If you're one of those folks, scroll down to find three different bios. We hope that one of them will serve. But If you need more specific information, feel free to click on the "contact" button in the navigation bar. We can likely provide whatever you like.
Sam Payne: Bio
Short Bio
Payne's performance of his original jazz-inflected folk music has turned the heads of critics and audiences around the west. Alone or backed by his band (The Sam Payne Project), Payne's arresting stage presence, his craft as a poet/storyteller, and his soaring tenor voice have established him as an enduring and engaging performer; the songwriter's songwriter.
General Bio
Sam Payne’s contemporary folk recordings and live performances have established him among the premier acts of the Intermountain West and beyond. Playing to audiences large and small, as a solo act or with his band The Sam Payne Project, Payne has brought his peculiar jazz-inflected folk tunes to halls in Canada, Bulgaria, Tokyo, and from coast to coast in the United States.
Payne also writes and produces for radio, and his clients have included Glenn Beck, the popular syndicated radio and television host. Payne is the program director for YourLDSradio.com, the popular online home for contemporary LDS music, and the creator of the Radio Family Journal, a widely-broadcast radio segment featuring thoughts on family and faith.
Find more information about Sam and his work at www.sampayne.com
“Let's talk about storytelling: Sam Payne is a master at it.”
--Carma Wadley, Deseret News
"Listening to the lyrics--that song about his grandfather; Holy Cow! Some of the best lyrics I've ever heard."
--Glenn Beck, the Glenn Beck Program
"Payne, known for his jazzed folk tunes and flair for good stories, is a 'must see' show full of entertainment that's just right for audiences across the board."
--Rich Panessa, Southern Utah Songwriters Association
“Hence, as a public service to anyone who enjoys thoughtful, energertic, jazz-inflected folk -- and even to people who think "jazz-inflected folk" sounds iffy, but who enjoy a good guitar sound and strong vocals -- I am opening the bag, and letting out the cat: Sam Payne rocks.”
--Cody Clark, The Daily Herald
"He's one of the best in his field … the consummate performer. The connection he makes with people onstage or in person is a rare thing that many artists don't have the ability to do."
--Earl Madsen, Sounds of Zion
“The songwriting is fun, sublime, and masterful. The lyrics are poetic and profound. There are life lessons hidden in his songs, and when found they are more powerful than just stating the truth. More true than truth. Highly, highly recommended.”
--Tim Jones, Deseretbook.com
"Payne delivers his riveting folktales with passion, emotionally stirring hooks, and an almost supernatural ability to tell a story."
--Kevin Jones, "The Independent" magazine
"Payne is one of those few musicians who can successfully combine both songwriting and stage performing. He can write poignant and meaningful lyrics, combine them with a melodic hook, and perform them in a voice that makes you want to close your eyes and drift away."
--The Spectrum
If you've asked me to speak at a youth conference or singles event, this is likely the most useful bio for you to use.
Sam Payne was born in Provo, Utah and raised in the shadow of the Wasatch Mountains. The son of folk singer and actor Marvin Payne, he grew up to serve a mission to Argentina, after which he returned to marry Kristie Lott, his high school sweetheart. He studied jazz and theater in college, which took him to stages from West Coast Universities to the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. Brother Payne served as a full-time Seminary teacher from 1995 to 2006, teaching most recently at Tuacahn (pronounced “TOO-uh-con”) High School for the Performing Arts. He holds a degree in English from Weber State University, and a Masters of Education degree from Southern Utah University. Brother Payne writes books for elementary school students, and has recorded a growing catalog of original music, which he performs before audiences large and small. Brother Payne hosts “the Sounds of Sunday,” a popular weekly inspirational radio program, and created YourLDSradio.com, an online LDS radio station. Clients of his radio writing include Glenn Beck, the popular syndicated radio and television host. He and Kristie, together with their four boys, live in Lindon, Utah.