Sam Lakeman
Encyclopedia
Samuel Charles Lakeman (born 6 November 1975) is an English musician
, songwriter
, and producer
and co-owner of Charcoal Records.
, near Yelverton
, Devon
, with his brothers, fellow musicians Seth Lakeman
and Sean Lakeman
. He currently lives in Frome
, Somerset
, with his wife, the award winning Irish singer Cara Dillon
and their two sons and daughter.
and Sean
at an early age.
As a family band they started playing at festivals, regattas, and village fetes. Sam and his fellow siblings formed The Lakeman Brothers
in the early 1990s - with Sam on piano/keyboards, Seth on fiddle, and Sean on guitar. The brothers toured throughout the UK and Europe during weekends and school holidays performing at festivals and venues winning critical acclaim for their musical abilities, compositions and fresh arrangements of traditional tunes. The trio wrote and produced the album ’Three Piece Suite’ (1994). http://www.brightyoungfolk.com/gigs/sam-lakeman/biography.aspx
In the late part of 1994 they were invited by two Yorkshire based singers Kathryn Roberts
and Kate Rusby
to join them as a backing group on a tour of Portugal
. After the tour the five musicians became a permanent group and called themselves Equation.
The group swiftly garnered much praise and hype and, shortly after Cara Dillon
replaced Kate Rusby in the summer of 1995, signed a major record deal with Blanco y Negro
(part of Warner Music Group
) and recorded an album at Peter Gabriel
's Realworld Studios in winter 1995-'96. The album, entitled Return to Me, was produced by David Bottrill
. There was a single release, "He Loves Me", with an accompanying promotional video. The band performed on MTV
and VH1
, but weeks before the release of the album the record label shelved it. It was not released in 1996, but in 2003 it saw a release under Rough Trade
after Geoff Travis
(the band's former manager) bought its rights.
Sam left Equation along with Cara because of musical differences and together they immediately signed a separate deal with the same label. The duo was known as Polar Star. During this time Sam formed an extremely strong musical partnership with Dillon. They recorded several albums with top songwriters and producers in the UK
and San Francisco, but none of their work was released. By 2000, Sam and Cara had decided that they would never be able to give the label what they wanted. Circa summer 2000, Dillon and Lakeman ended their five-year relationship with Warner Music Group
and signed to Indie
label Rough Trade Records
.
Sam produced, co-wrote, arranged and recorded all four of Cara Dillon's solo albums as well as featuring on piano, acoustic guitar, hammond organ, harmonium and percussion. He was co-producer and musical director on The Redcastle Sessions (DVD) and has produced and mixed for a variety of artists including Seth Lakeman
, Ian Anderson
, Andy Irvine and John Smith. He has toured the world playing on stages in Europe, China, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, South Korea, The USA and Canada.
After completing their record contract with Rough Trade
, Sam and Cara formed Charcoal Records in 2008 and released Cara's fourth album Hill Of Thieves
in January 2009. In Feb 2010 It won the BBC Radio 2 Folk Award for "Album Of The Year".
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
, songwriter
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
, and producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
and co-owner of Charcoal Records.
Biography
He was brought up in the village of Buckland MonachorumBuckland Monachorum
Buckland Monachorum is a village and civil parish in the West Devon district of Devon, England, situated on the River Tavy, about 10 miles north of Plymouth.In 2006 the neighbourhood had an estimated 1,511 residents and 654 dwellings....
, near Yelverton
Yelverton
Yelverton may be:Places* Yelverton, Devon, England* Yelverton, Norfolk, England* Yelverton Pass, a pass on Ellesmere Island, Nunavut, CanadaOther* the Yelverton case, a nineteenth century Irish law case* Henry Edward Yelverton, 19th Baron Grey de Ruthyn...
, Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
, with his brothers, fellow musicians Seth Lakeman
Seth Lakeman
Seth Bernard Lakeman is an English folk singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist, who is most often associated with the fiddle and tenor guitar, but has also mastered the viola and banjo...
and Sean Lakeman
Sean Lakeman
Sean Lakeman , is an English folk musician and producer.-Early life:He was brought up in the village of Buckland Monachorum, near Yelverton, Devon with his brothers, fellow folk musicians Seth Lakeman and Sam Lakeman...
. He currently lives in Frome
Frome
Frome is a town and civil parish in northeast Somerset, England. Located at the eastern end of the Mendip Hills, the town is built on uneven high ground, and centres around the River Frome. The town is approximately south of Bath, east of the county town, Taunton and west of London. In the 2001...
, Somerset
Somerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
, with his wife, the award winning Irish singer Cara Dillon
Cara Dillon
Cara Dillon is an Irish folk singer. In 2001, she launched her career as a solo artist in the UK with the eponymous Cara Dillon album...
and their two sons and daughter.
Career
Sam began playing music with his parents and two brothers SethSeth Lakeman
Seth Bernard Lakeman is an English folk singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist, who is most often associated with the fiddle and tenor guitar, but has also mastered the viola and banjo...
and Sean
Sean Lakeman
Sean Lakeman , is an English folk musician and producer.-Early life:He was brought up in the village of Buckland Monachorum, near Yelverton, Devon with his brothers, fellow folk musicians Seth Lakeman and Sam Lakeman...
at an early age.
As a family band they started playing at festivals, regattas, and village fetes. Sam and his fellow siblings formed The Lakeman Brothers
The Lakeman Brothers
The Lakeman Brothers are a folk music trio from England, consisting of Sean Lakeman, Sam Lakeman and Seth Lakeman. They released their debut album Three Piece Suite in 1994. Seth has gone on to have considerable success as a solo artist, particularly with his Mercury Music Prize-nominated second...
in the early 1990s - with Sam on piano/keyboards, Seth on fiddle, and Sean on guitar. The brothers toured throughout the UK and Europe during weekends and school holidays performing at festivals and venues winning critical acclaim for their musical abilities, compositions and fresh arrangements of traditional tunes. The trio wrote and produced the album ’Three Piece Suite’ (1994). http://www.brightyoungfolk.com/gigs/sam-lakeman/biography.aspx
In the late part of 1994 they were invited by two Yorkshire based singers Kathryn Roberts
Kathryn Roberts
Kathryn Roberts is an English folk singer, from Barnsley, South Yorkshire.Her first released recordings were on the album Intuition, a collection of songs by various South Yorkshire folk artists which also included her friend Kate Rusby...
and Kate Rusby
Kate Rusby
Kate Anna Rusby is an English folk singer and songwriter from Penistone, South Yorkshire. Sometimes known as The Barnsley Nightingale, she has headlined various British national folk festivals, and is regarded as one of the most famous English folk singers of contemporary times...
to join them as a backing group on a tour of Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
. After the tour the five musicians became a permanent group and called themselves Equation.
The group swiftly garnered much praise and hype and, shortly after Cara Dillon
Cara Dillon
Cara Dillon is an Irish folk singer. In 2001, she launched her career as a solo artist in the UK with the eponymous Cara Dillon album...
replaced Kate Rusby in the summer of 1995, signed a major record deal with Blanco y Negro
Blanco y Negro
Blanco y Negro can refer to* Blanco y Negro in Spain.* Blanco y Negro Music, a record label in Spain.* Blanco y Negro Records, a record label in the U.K....
(part of Warner Music Group
Warner Music Group
Warner Music Group is the third largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry, making it one of the big four record companies...
) and recorded an album at Peter Gabriel
Peter Gabriel
Peter Brian Gabriel is an English singer, musician, and songwriter who rose to fame as the lead vocalist and flautist of the progressive rock group Genesis. After leaving Genesis, Gabriel went on to a successful solo career...
's Realworld Studios in winter 1995-'96. The album, entitled Return to Me, was produced by David Bottrill
David Bottrill
David Bottrill is a Canadian record producer. He has won three Grammys. Currently, he owns Rattlebox Studios in Toronto, Ontario with producer Brian Moncarz...
. There was a single release, "He Loves Me", with an accompanying promotional video. The band performed on MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
and VH1
VH1
VH1 or Vh1 is an American cable television network based in New York City. Launched on January 1, 1985 in the old space of Turner Broadcasting's short-lived Cable Music Channel, the original purpose of the channel was to build on the success of MTV by playing music videos, but targeting a slightly...
, but weeks before the release of the album the record label shelved it. It was not released in 1996, but in 2003 it saw a release under Rough Trade
Rough Trade Records
Rough Trade Records is an independent record label based in London. It was formed in 1978 by Geoff Travis who had opened a record store off Ladbroke Grove...
after Geoff Travis
Geoff Travis
Geoff Travis is the founder of both Rough Trade Records and the Rough Trade chain of record shops. A former drama teacher and owner of a punk record shop, Travis founded the Rough Trade label in 1978.-Biography:...
(the band's former manager) bought its rights.
Sam left Equation along with Cara because of musical differences and together they immediately signed a separate deal with the same label. The duo was known as Polar Star. During this time Sam formed an extremely strong musical partnership with Dillon. They recorded several albums with top songwriters and producers in the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and San Francisco, but none of their work was released. By 2000, Sam and Cara had decided that they would never be able to give the label what they wanted. Circa summer 2000, Dillon and Lakeman ended their five-year relationship with Warner Music Group
Warner Music Group
Warner Music Group is the third largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry, making it one of the big four record companies...
and signed to Indie
Independent record label
An independent record label is a record label operating without the funding of or outside the organizations of the major record labels. A great number of bands and musical acts begin on independent labels.-Overview:...
label Rough Trade Records
Rough Trade Records
Rough Trade Records is an independent record label based in London. It was formed in 1978 by Geoff Travis who had opened a record store off Ladbroke Grove...
.
Sam produced, co-wrote, arranged and recorded all four of Cara Dillon's solo albums as well as featuring on piano, acoustic guitar, hammond organ, harmonium and percussion. He was co-producer and musical director on The Redcastle Sessions (DVD) and has produced and mixed for a variety of artists including Seth Lakeman
Seth Lakeman
Seth Bernard Lakeman is an English folk singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist, who is most often associated with the fiddle and tenor guitar, but has also mastered the viola and banjo...
, Ian Anderson
Ian Anderson (musician)
Ian Scott Anderson, MBE is a Scottish singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, best known for his work as the leader and flautist of British rock band Jethro Tull.-Early life:...
, Andy Irvine and John Smith. He has toured the world playing on stages in Europe, China, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, South Korea, The USA and Canada.
After completing their record contract with Rough Trade
Rough Trade Records
Rough Trade Records is an independent record label based in London. It was formed in 1978 by Geoff Travis who had opened a record store off Ladbroke Grove...
, Sam and Cara formed Charcoal Records in 2008 and released Cara's fourth album Hill Of Thieves
Hill Of Thieves
Hill of Thieves is the fourth solo album by Irish folk singer Cara Dillon. It is her first full-length release on Charcoal Records, her own record label, formed in 2008. The album was recorded in 2008 and first became available in October 2008 at her live concerts...
in January 2009. In Feb 2010 It won the BBC Radio 2 Folk Award for "Album Of The Year".