The BRIT Award-winning, chart-topping North Shields singer-songwriter has found the guitar ‘intriguing’ ever since he first laid eyes on one. ‘It was the first hobby I ever had and I never needed another – it stole my heart!’ he admits. Surrounded by guitars with his father and brother both players, he got hooked when he saw his dad playing in bands as a kid and wanted to be part of the gang. By the age of 13, he couldn’t put his guitar down.

After years of learning his craft by jamming songs by the likes of Jimi Hendrix, Bruce Spingsteen and Jeff Buckley, he got discovered by Ben Howard’s manager while performing in a pub and soon took to touring the UK with his own gritty gut-punch songs that turned the harsh realities of his poverty and drug-stricken home town into arena-ready anthems.

It was also around that time he discovered Buddy Holly through being a superfan of The Beatles, with Paul McCartney often referencing Buddy as an influence. ‘What stood out with Buddy was that he wrote all of his own stuff and played all the lead parts on guitar,’ he says. ‘“That’ll Be The Day” was the first tune that really caught my ear. I used to play guitar in the Lowlights Tavern in North Shields. Those were some of the happiest times of my life.’

Now, after the honour of being gifted with the Buddy Holly hand-painted Atkin parlour guitar (this guitar has different artwork to the usual ambassador guitars, inspired by the branding for Newcastle Brown Ale which Sam drinks while on stage), Fender has been playing it on his upcoming third album to ‘add a lot of sparkle to the tracks’. The ‘Seventeen Going Under’ star continues to carry Holly’s rock and roll creative spirit with him. ‘I take great pride in writing all my stuff alone, Buddy made that normal.’ 

Andrew Trendall (News Editor, NME)