Sam Kelly Talks New Album, His Voice And More

UK Folk singer-songwriter, guitarist and producer Sam Kelly has released his new album ‘Dreamers Dawn’. We felt that now was the perfect time for a chat and he kindly agreed: 

 

When did you begin songwriting?

Pretty much as soon as I could write, maybe 4 or 5 years old.

 

What is your earliest musical memory?

Listening to my grandfather sing songs, accompanying himself on his melodeon or bodhran

You have released your new album ‘Dreamers Dawn’. How did you want to approach the making of the album?

I wanted to approach the project with no preconceptions of the finished product, and arrange each song individually. I also wanted to make the album on about 1/5th of the budget of our previous two (by necessity, not choice!)

Where did you record the album and who produced it?

We recorded it between mine and Jamie Francis’ home studios. We co-produced, engineered, wrote and arranged the whole thing between us.

Do you have any interesting, funny or memorable stories from the album’s recording sessions?

I rent a flat which is located on a holiday site. One day I was recording guitar, in nothing but my pants (hot summer day) with my eyes closed. I finished the take, opened my eyes and there was a random man standing in front of me. He had just turned up to the site in his caravan and was looking for the reception to check in, and had decided to just walk in my flat and stand there watching me play guitar in my pants for 2 minutes. I don’t know if he thought it was part of the caravan club’s entertainment programme or something.

 

Who were the musicians who performed on the album with you?

Jamie Francis (banjo, octave mandolin, guitars, bass, vocals), Graham Coe (cello, vocals), Archie
Churchill-Moss (accordion), Toby Shaer (flutes, whistles, fiddle), Evan Carson (percussion, bodhrán)

 

Did you use any particular instruments, microphones, recording equipment to help you get a particular sound/tone for the record?

I used my vintage 1971 Neumann U87 on my vocals, through a GAP Pre-73 Premier preamp and UAD
Apollo Twin X Quad. I used a stereo pair of Neumann KM184s through a DAV BG-1 preamp on my guitar.

 

In addition, you have released the single is ‘The Lincolnshire Poacher’. What was the story/inspiration behind that track?

Jamie and I both like to spend time researching old traditional songs. Jamie found this one in a ballad book and decided to do his own arrangement of it. I had never heard the song before but loved it! It also features a lovely original tune written by Jamie called Hare in the Snare.

Which of your new album tracks hear you at your a) happiest, b) angriest and c) most reflective?

a) Dreamers Dawn b) Snakes and Sermons c) Skye

 

The new single is accompanied by an official music video. What was the thought process behind the video and who directed it?

We recorded the video at The Cut Arts Centre in Halesworth. We booked two shows there in early April to finance the music video shoots. We wanted the videos to be quite simple and basically just give people the feeling that they were watching us at a live show. The video was filmed, directed and edited by Ricardo and Poppy at Greyhound Creative.

 

Was it a difficult album to write?

It was difficult in the sense that it was a very long process from start to finish, during a challenging phase
of my life. Some of the songs are born of struggle and that made them difficult to perform and record,
but also made the process of writing them more cathartic.

 

What two things do you hope to have achieved once you have left the stage?

To have maintained control of my bowels, and not directly caused the death or profound suffering of anyone else.

Do you have any favoured stage instruments, effects, pedals, microphones etc?

I totally love my Shure KSM8 vocal mic. It’s a dynamic mic so can take a bit of pounding sonically (I have the drum kit right behind me so can’t use the Neumann TM condenser range that lots of vocalists use), but it has a longer response pattern so I can back off the mic a bit without losing detail, and it gets a much more detailed general capture than other dynamic mics. My favourite pedal is my Strymon BigSky.

It’s a great allrounder for reverbs/delays/swells/spacey magic!

Where is your hometown and could you please describe it in five words?

Norwich. It is a fine city!

 

How do you look after your voice?

I drink a LOT of water. I warm up pretty extensively before gigs with lip roll and tongue trill scales and
sirens. Vocal fry half scales. Full range sirens on a ‘ng’ sound. I am very into vocal technique and vocal
health and those are a few of my favourite exercises.

Who designed the album artwork?

Lucy Hart at Silverlace Creative. She is absolutely brilliant!

 

You are given the opportunity to write the score for a film adaptation of a novel that you enjoy. Which novel is it and why?

Name Of The Wind by Patrick Rothfuss. I love escapist fantasy novels and this is one of my favourites. Plus, the protagonist is a musician, and the author’s way of describing the feeling of playing and experiencing music is the best I’ve ever read.

Who are some of your musical influences? Do you have any recommendations?

I love the sean-nos style of Irish singing. Some of my favourite modern exponents of that would be Iarla
O’Lionaird or Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh. I also love other modern folk singers and songwriters like Kate
Rusby, Cara Dillon, Seth Lakeman, Chris Wood.

 

Do you have any live dates planned in the UK/Europe in 2025?

Yes! My album launch tour started at Newcastle Cluny on 4th June and finished at London Oslo on 12th
June. We then have a bunch of festivals in the UK throughout the summer, and a few in Belgium and
Germany.

What makes Sam Kelly happy and what makes you unhappy?

Nature, music and sports make me happy. Men in suits make me unhappy

Feature Image Photo Credit: Alan Dunkley

Sam Kelly’s new album ‘Dreamers Dawn’ is out now on Navigator Records.

Purchase/Stream/Download Here: https://samkelly.lnk.to/dreamersdawn 

For more information visit his official website here: https://www.samkelly.com/