Sam Amidon

by Marisa Brown Comprised of childhood friends Sam Amidon and Thomas Bartlett (both of whom also play in the band Doveman together), Samamidon focuses on giving slightly more modern interpretations to old Appalachian folk songs, many of them culled from the more obscure Alan Lomax and Harry Smith field recordings. With Amidon (whose parents had been interested in traditional American music) on vocals, banjo, and acoustic guitar and Bartlett on various keys, guitars, and percussion, the duo played their first show at the end of 2005. A little more than a year later, their debut, But This Chicken Proved Falsehearted, was released on the normally electronic-leaning Plug Research. All Is Well arrived in 2007 on Bedroom Community.