Photo Courtesy of www.samgrowband.com
The Sam Grow Band:
The Sound of Southern Maryland
The Sam Grow Band is not the sound of Nashville country, it's the sound of Southern Maryland spirit. The guys of SGB have spent the last few years building a fan base on a new old concept in the music business known as hard work. Their success is a result of hitting the road and keeping fans happy with unregurgitated sounds and a soulful front man whose voice is a cross between Hal Ketchum and Zack Brown, but with more soul and heart. With top ten hits on iTunes, four charted singles, and a packed summer tour, The Sam Grow Band is ready to kick you in the ass with something that Southern Maryland knows all about: Fun.
Story by Josh Rudderforth
I had the chance to phone in with Sam Grow to talk about his roots, career, and fans
MU: When did you know that music was the life you wanted to follow?
SG: Always. My Dad and my sister sing, and I grew up with music in the house. We sang in church. In fact, singing in church was my first time singing in front of people. It was a mix of nervousness and a natural high, and I never wanted anything else since. I tried college, and soon after found out that I was going to be a father. So I dropped out of college and went to music full time. My thoughts on it where that I would never want my daughter not to follow her dream, so I have to live by that. It was rough at first, (laughs) we ate a lot of ramen.
MU: Where did you grow up?
SG: I was born in Charles County. I am a Southern Maryland boy through and through.
MU: Can you tell us a little about the band?
SG: Joe Barrick, Mike Stacey, and Gene Quade are great guys. They have taken me under their wing and offer so much in the way of mentoring and guiding me to be a better musician.
MU: What is the reception you get from your Maryland fans? Is there a difference between them and fans outside of Maryland?
SG: Maryland fans are our lifeline. If you don't have a home then you don't have roots. I have the Maryland flag tattooed on my arm. I love this place and the fans. The reception at home is always the best. We are overjoyed when we cross the state line and we are almost home from touring. We owe our careers to to our fans and to Southern Maryland.
MU: Are you getting any offers for contracts?
SG: We have signed a production deal. We get plenty of label recognition, but signing with a major label would be like killing our career. We have an investing partner in my indy label called Harlow Records. And our sponsor support is amazing with a majority of them Maryland based. PRS Guitars, Bully Bling Energy, and Bozick distributer to name a few.
MU: What do you love about being an entertainer from Maryland?
SG: Maryland is a melting pot, we have so many musicians that are phenomenal players. If I did not have to travel I could build a business just from Maryland.
The Sam Grow Band has just released their new album Reveal
Photo Courtesy of www.samgrowband.com
Photo Courtesy of www.samgrowband.com
Photo Courtesy of www.samgrowband.com
Gene Quade
Mike Stacey
Joe Barrick
