Sam Brown (born Samantha Brown, 7 October 1964, Stratford, London, England) is an English female singer-songwriter. She is the daughter of the rock and roll star, Joe Brown and singer Vicki Brown.

Career

Brown is known for her expressive vocal style, and the ability to transcend musical styles easily. Her most successful song was "Stop!", released as a single in 1988; she released an album by the same name that year. Other singles taken from this album included "Walking Back To Me" and "This Feeling". The album Stop! sold over two million copies worldwide, doing particularly well in the UK and Australia. In 1990, Sam released her second album April Moon, containing two hit singles, "With A Little Love" and "Kissing Gate" and showed progression in both musical style and song writing. Three further singles were lifted from the album; "Mindworks", "Once in Your Life" and "As One".

Brown has been quoted as saying during the time since this initial success, that she came to realise that she has no interest in being a "star", and prefers instead to create music that holds meaning for both her and her audience. This substance over style approach, although hinted at in her first two albums, is much more evident in her output since this time. Brown was not willing to compromise, or be pushed around by executives at record companies, as the next chapter in her career would prove without doubt.

Brown's third album, 43 Minutes, is a dark, obviously deeply personal and emotional work which was written and recorded around the time that her mother was dying from cancer. This record is not instantly accessible, but with repeated listening reveals great maturity and depth of interpretation of the dark subject matter. Song titles such as "Fear of Life", "Letting Go" and "Into The Night" give a clue to the direction of the album. A&M, Brown's record label at the time were not happy with the album and wanted some potential hit singles recorded and added to the track list. Brown however was not willing to compromise and after a protracted battle, she bought back the masters of the album and released it on her own label Pod Music. Very few copies were produced, making it instantly collectable (and almost impossible to find), although it was reissued in 2004 (again via Pod Music).

In 1995, Sam had a minor chart hit in a duet with Fish, entitled "Just Good Friends".

In 1997, she returned again with Box, released via the independent music label Demon Records, and showing further growth as both a musician and songwriter. Tracks on this album include "Embrace The Darkness", "Whisper" and "I Forgive You" which was co-written with Maria McKee. McKee's version of the song appeared on her album, You Gotta Sin to Get Saved.

2000 saw the release of ReBoot and a return to more accessible lyrics, coupled with strong musical compositions and a strong musical direction. This album was released via another independent label Mud Hut Records, and a single "In Light Of All That's Gone Before" was also issued. Stand-out tracks on this album include the lead single, "Understand The Animal", "Breathe In Life", "Blood Run Cold" and "Rainbow".

As well as her solo career, she has had a successful career as a backing vocalist and collaborating with other artists. She has worked with David Gilmour and Pink Floyd, Deep Purple (Live at the Royal Albert Hall), George Harrison, Nick Cave and many others; and often appears as a member of Jools Holland's band.

Brown first gained recognition in the U.S. as backing vocalist on Pink Floyd's 1994 The Division Bell album and world tour (documented on the live album and concert video P*U*L*S*E), backing vocals on David Gilmour In Concert (2002), and achieved further prominence via her 2002 performance in the Concert For George tribute show (singing "Horse To The Water").

In 2003 she teamed up with Dave Rotheray of the British band, The Beautiful South to form the "side-project", Homespun. The band have so far released two albums, on independent labels Classic Records and Musicvision.

In late 2006 she undertook an extensive UK tour as special guest of her father Joe Brown. The shows also included appearances by her brother Pete Brown.

In 2007 she released a new solo album entitled Of The Moment. She also returned to the Top 10 of the UK Albums Chart in October 2007, when "Valentine Moon" was included on Jools Holland's #9 album Best of Friends.

Brown is also a patron of Tech Music Schools in London, made up of Vocaltech, Guitar-X and Drumtech.

Discography

Solo albums

• Stop! (1988) UK #4 (Gold - 100,000 copies), Austria #2, Switzerland #6, Norway #12, Sweden #18, Australia #13, Germany #13
• April Moon (1990) UK #38 (Silver - 60,000 copies), Switzerland #20, Austria #29, Sweden #21, Australia #30, Germany #34
• 43 Minutes (1992)
• Box (1997)
• Reboot (2000)
• Ukulele and Voice (ep - 2005)
• The Very Best of Sam Brown (2006)
• Of The Moment (2007)

With Homespun

• Homespun (Classic Records) (2003)
• Effortless Cool (Musicvision) (2005)
• Short Stories From East Yorkshire (2008)

With Jools Holland

• Small World Big Band (2001 - song "Valentine Moon") UK #8
• More Friends: Small World Big Band Volume 2 (2002 - song "Together We Are Strong") UK #17, NZ #44
• Small World Big Band Friends 3 - Jack O The Green (2003 - song "Kiss of Love" with Nick Cave) UK #39
• Swinging the Blues Dancing the Ska (2005 - songs "Juice Head Blues", "Seven Acts Of Mercy" and "Something’s Going On") UK #36
• Moving Out to the Country (2006 - song "Feel Like Going Home") UK #45
• Best Of Friends (2007 - song "Valentine Moon") UK #9

Singles

Year	Song	UK	Australia	Canada	U.S.	Germany	Album
1988	"Walking Back To Me"	—	—	—	—	65	Stop!
1988	"Stop!"	52	—	—	—	—	Stop!
1988	"This Feeling"	91	—	82	—	—	Stop!
1989	"Stop! (re-release)"	4	4	3	65	7	Stop!
1989	"Can I Get A Witness?"	15	17	—	—	—	Stop!
1990	"With A Little Love"	44	27	—	—	52	April Moon
1990	"Kissing Gate"	23	89	45	—	—	April Moon
1990	"Mindworks"	77	—	—	—	—	April Moon
1993	"Fear Of Life"	—	—	—	—	—	43 Minutes
1995	"Just Good Friends"	63	—	—	—	—	Yin (Fish album)
1997	"I Forgive You"	—	—	—	—	—	Box
2000	"In Light Of All That's Gone Before"	—	—	—	—	—	Reboot

Album titles

The titles of Brown's solo albums so far have partly spelt out her name:

• Stop!
• April Moon
• (43) Minutes
• Box
• Reboot
• Of the Moment

Brown claimed she was unaware of the pattern, but once it was brought to her attention she vowed to continue the trend, asking fans to submit suggestions for the next title beginning with 'O'. Of The Moment was released in September 2007; its title was suggested by a fan, via Brown's website.

References

External links

• One Candle - Sam Brown fan club
• Horse To The Water performance in the Concert For George
• Sam Brown biography on the AMG web site