Bright Sunny South

New album – his first for Nonesuch – from the acclaimed American folk singer/instrumentalist following his appearances with Doveman at the Adelaide Festival and his own intimate shows in Melbourne and Sydney in March. Sam was had previously been in Australia in early 2012 accompanying and opening for his wife Beth Orton. An acclaimed instrumentalist, Sam has previously worked live with the guitarist Bill Frisell.

The album was co-produced by Doveman (a.k.a Thomas Bartlett) and legendary English engineer Jerry Boys (Buena Vista Social Club, Vashti Bunyan, R.E.M.) A longtime admirer of Boys’ work, Amidon was particularly enamoured of his recordings with Martin Carthy in the 1970's, as well as the Ali Farka Touré/Toumani Diabaté duet albums on World Circuit/Nonesuch.

The Vermont-born and raised, London-based Amidon is known for his reworking of traditional melodies into a new form. In addition to country ballads and shape-note hymns, Bright Sunny South features interpretations of traditional and contemporary songs, including Tim McGraw’s “My Old Friend” and Mariah Carey’s “Shake It Off.” The record also includes a version of “Weeping Mary,” a shape-note hymn that his parents, Peter and Mary Alice Amidon, had recorded with the Vermont-based Word of Mouth Chorus for Nonesuch Records on the 1977 disc Rivers of Delight: American Folk Hymns from the Sacred Harp Tradition.