“His hair and beard conjure images of Jim Morrison circa 1969, and, like Morrison, Ness writes poetry that he sets to music and prefers the character of old European cities. But Ness isn’t as lost as Morrison was” (Wisconsin State Journal).
At 22 years old, many people have a quick double-take when meeting Sam Ness. But it’s not just his looks that often surprise. After leaving his small hometown of Sauk City, Wisconsin, Sam has already seen and lived more than most could in several lifetimes.
Sam started seriously writing his own songs at age 15 and religiously playing eight open mic nights a week in Madison as soon as he got his drivers license. This landed him his first residency gig performing weekly at Madison’s Tip Top Tavern. With a his guitar, a rucksack, and a few hundred dollars, Sam was given a one-way ticket to Edinburgh, Scotland, by a fan he had briefly met. He hitch-hiked and hopped busses for almost a year across Scotland, England, France, Spain, Portugal, and Switzerland. Following his return to Wisconsin, he recorded his first full album, Whispered on the Wind, which landed him the Madison Area Music Awards 2018 Alternative Album of the Year shortly after receiving the Madison Area Music Association Breakthrough Artist Third Place Winner 2017. Following a 23-show tour across Thailand and Cambodia, Sam finished writing and mixing his sophomore album, Lullabies & FaerieTales, nominated for several Madison Area Music Awards, and for which he was award the Male Vocalist of the Year 2019.
Sam roared into 2020 by releasing four new Live in Studio videos, which led into the release of his Sam Ness – Live in Studio album that spring. the past month with the release, he’s landed a track on Sofar Session’s Spotify playlist, “Now Playing”, played 105.5FM’s Studio M Session, as well as opened for the band America on their 50th Anniversary Tour at the Crystal Grand Music Theater.
For our 20th Birthday Celebration Season, the Wilson Center is thrilled to be part of a “shop local” arts initiative with Wisconsin Music Ventures, as we work together to build community through music and music through community. Our inaugural “Green Room” concert series features a true sound sampling of artists from around Wisconsin and is designed to introduce audiences to artists from a wide range of locales around our state (and just a little beyond) and an eclectic array of genres—including jazz, pop, rock, country, folk, soul, classical, Celtic, and more. Unless otherwise noted, each Green Room Series concert will take place in our intimate, cabaret-style Dawes Studio Theater.
