| Samantha Fish | |
| Birth Date: | 30 January 1989 |
| Birth Place: | Kansas City, Missouri, U.S. |
| Years Active: | 2009–present |
Samantha Fish (born January 30, 1989) is an American guitarist and singer-songwriter from Kansas City, Missouri. While often cited as a blues artist, Fish's work features and draws from multiple genres, including rock, country, funk, bluegrass, and ballads.
Fish grew up in the Kansas City area. She started out playing the drums, but switched to guitar when she was 15. Fish's mother was the instructor in a local church choir, and her father played guitar with friends. Initially hearing recordings of Bonnie Raitt and Stevie Ray Vaughan, she later heard music from Tom Petty and the Rolling Stones and cites the Stones' album Sticky Fingers as an early influence. She and her sister were both drawn towards blues music in their teenage years.[1]
Fish regularly went to the Knuckleheads Saloon to hear touring blues artists. After turning 18, she often joined in with the singers and bands who were performing there.
In 2009, Fish recorded and produced Live Bait. The live album attracted the attention of a talent company, who recommended her to Ruf Records. Ruf Records put together a record with Fish and two other female blues artists, Cassie Taylor and Dani Wilde, titled Girls with Guitars. The three guitarists then toured on the Ruf Records 2011 Blues Caravan in the U.S. and Europe.
Fish continued touring with the Samantha Fish Band, featuring "Go-Go Ray" Pollard on drums and Chris Alexander on bass, playing in Europe and the United States. In 2011, Fish recorded Runaway with the help of her mentor Mike Zito. The album won the 2012 Blues Music Award for Best New Artist.
Fish appeared on Devon Allman's 2013 album Turquoise in a duet covering the Tom Petty/Stevie Nicks' song "Stop Draggin' My Heart Around". During the summer of 2013, Fish was called up on stage to play with a skeptical Buddy Guy who was so impressed with her playing on the guitar, he declared with a beaming smile to his audience, "When this kind of shit happens, I'll play all night!"
In 2013, Fish released her second major studio album, Black Wind Howlin, featuring Mike Zito on guitar, Yonrico Scott on drums, Johnny Sansone on harmonica, and Paul Thorn, vocal duet on one track. The album was recorded in Dockside Studios, in Maurice, Louisiana. Zito's bandmates from his group Royal Southern Brotherhood, Yonrico Scott and Charlie Wooton, were brought in to assist in the session recordings. Also in 2013, Fish appeared on The Healers Live at Knuckleheads Saloon, producing a CD/DVD collaboration with Jimmy Hall, Reese Wynans, Kate Moss, and Danielle and Kris Schnebelen (sister and brother, formerly of the band Trampled Under Foot). Proceeds benefit the Blue Star Connection. The Healers occasionally perform together as their schedule permits.
Fish's third studio album, Wild Heart, was released on July 10, 2015. The album is more roots rock than her earlier blues rock. Fish wrote five songs on the record. She co-wrote five other songs with Jim McCormick in Nashville, Tennessee. Luther Dickinson produced the album, as well as played various stringed instruments (guitar, bass, mandolin, lap steel) to flesh out the sound. The album was recorded in four studios, Royal Studios and Ardent Studios in Memphis, Tennessee, Zebra Ranch in Coldwater, Mississippi, and Blade Studios in Shreveport, Louisiana. Other musicians on the record are Brady Blade (drums), Lightnin' Malcolm (guitar), Shardé Thomas (drums), Dominic Davis (bass), Shontelle Norman-Beatty (background vocals), and Risse Norman (background vocals).
Fish released her fourth solo album, Chills & Fever on March 17, 2017.[2] The album was recorded in Detroit and was recorded with members of the band The Detroit Cobras. Bobby Harlow produced the album.[3] Belle of the West followed in December 2017.
Fish released her sixth solo album, Kill or Be Kind, on September 20, 2019, on her new label, Rounder Records.[4] It was chosen as a 'Favorite Blues Album' by AllMusic.[5]
Fish released her seventh solo album, Faster, on September 10, 2021, on Rounder Records.[6] The album was produced by Martin Kierszenbaum, and features drummer Josh Freese and bass player Diego Navaira of The Last Bandoleros. Kansas City area rapper Tech N9ne is featured on the song "Loud".[7]
In 2022, Fish was featured in the documentary short Love Letters: Samantha Fish Live From New Orleans presented by Carl Van Productions in association with Very Productive Pictures and WYES-TV, airing in both 2022 and 2023.[8] [9] [10]
In May 2023, Fish released the collaborative album Death Wish Blues (Rounder Records) with Jesse Dayton, and the pair set forth on an extensive tour schedule throughout the US, UK, and Europe. Supporting them on the UK leg of their tour was Canadian roots rock band The Commoners.[11] Death Wish Blues was nominated for Best Contemporary Blues Album at the 2024 Grammy Awards.[12]
Her older sister, Amanda Fish, is a singer-songwriter as well and a multi-instrumentalist[13] who has recorded for VizzTone Records.[14]
| Title | Year | Artist | Label | Producer | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Live Bait | 2009 | The Samantha Fish Blues Band | The Samantha Fish Blues Band | Steve McBride | |
| Girls with Guitars | 2011 | Ruf | Mike Zito | ||
| Runaway | 2011 | Samantha Fish | Ruf | Mike Zito | |
| Girls with Guitars Live CD/DVD | 2012 | Samantha Fish / Dani Wilde / Victoria Smith | Ruf | Uwe Treskatis, Thomas Ruf | |
| Black Wind Howlin | 2013 | Samantha Fish | Ruf | Mike Zito | |
| The Healers (CD/DVD) | 2013 | Jimmy Hall / Reese Wynans / Samantha Fish / Kate Moss / Danielle Schnebelen / Kris Schnebelen | Blue Star Connection | Stellar Press | |
| Wild Heart | 2015 | Samantha Fish | Ruf | Luther Dickinson | |
| Chills & Fever | 2017 | Samantha Fish | Ruf | Bobby Harlow | |
| Belle of the West | 2017 | Samantha Fish | Ruf | Luther Dickinson | |
| Kill or Be Kind | 2019 | Samantha Fish | Rounder | Scott Billington | |
| Faster | 2021 | Samantha Fish | Rounder | Martin Kierszenbaum | |
| Death Wish Blues | 2023 | Samantha Fish and Jesse Dayton | Rounder | Jon Spencer |
| 2018 | Contemporary Blues Female Artist of the Year | [16] |
| Year | Category | Nominated work | Result | Ref. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | Artist of the Year | [17] | |||
| Best Independent Blues Contemporary CD | Wild Heart | ||||
| Best Independent Female Blues Artist | |||||
| Road Warrior Award | |||||
| Best Modern Roots Song | "Go Home" | ||||
| 2017 | Best Independent Female Blues Artist | [18] | |||
| Road Warrior Award | |||||
| 2018 | Best Modern Roots CD | Belle of the West | [19] | ||
| Best Independent Female Blues Artist | |||||
| Best Independent Blues-Soul Artist | |||||
| Independent Blues Artist Gateway Award | |||||
| Best Independent Blues Stage Performance | |||||
| Road Warrior Award | |||||
| Best Contemporary Blues Song | "Don't Say You Love Me" | ||||
| Best Song for the Common Good | "American Dream" | ||||
| 2020 | Artist of the Year | [20] | |||
| Best Independent Female Blues Artist | |||||
| Independent Blues-Soul Artist | |||||
| Best Independent Blues R&B/Soul CD | Kill or Be Kind | ||||
| Best Modern Roots Song | "Kill or Be Kind" | ||||
| Best Music Video | "Kill or Be Kind" | ||||
| Best Music Engineer/Producer | |||||
| Independent Blues Artist Gateway Award | |||||
| Road Warrior Award | |||||
| 2021 | Gateway Artist | [21] | |||
| 2022 | Best Music Video | "Twisted Ambition" | [22] |
| Year | Category | Nominated work | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | Best Blues Band or Performer | [24] | ||
| Best Blues Album | Belle of the West | |||
| 2018 | Artist of the Year | |||
| Best Blues Band or Performer | ||||
| Best Female Vocalist | ||||
| Best Guitarist | ||||
| 2019 | Best Blues Band or Performer | |||
| Best Blues Album | Kill or Be Kind | |||
| Best Guitarist | ||||
| 2023 | Best Blues Artist | |||
| Best Guitarist | ||||
| Best Music Video | "Deathwish" (with Jesse Dayton) | |||
| Best Blues Album | Deathwish (with Jesse Dayton) |