Carter Sampson: Press/Quotes

This article appeared after Carter Sampson opened for nationally acclaimed singer-songwriter Patrice Pike. “Let me digress for a moment to mention the best opening act I’ve seen in some time. Usually, I’m not blown away by the opening act, but Pike was preceded by local singer/songwriter Carter Sampson, who displayed a playfulness and touching vulnerability in her songs. Hopefully, I’ll see her around town and will be able to devote an entire column to her.”

Oklahoma City- With a bevy of beautiful arranged guitar licks and a folky yet fiercely soulful voice. Carter Sampson may well be one of Oklahoma City’s best kept secrets. As Sampson sat down for an interview with The Gayly a few things are obvious by her mere presence. She is a striking individual with a warm and inviting persona. A grin flashes freely as we start to talk about her group The Carter Sampson Three and the difficult path an artist travels to achieve some popularity here, in the Sooner State. The Carter Sampson Three are; Israeli born Shy Oren who works the low end on the bass. Shy, already decorated with a master’s degree will be returning to OCU to pursue another master’s in music composition. Manning the drums is Tim Lykins, a Michigan native. He is also an alumnus of Oklahoma City University’s master’s program. Filling out the group is Carter Sampson, lead guitar and vocals as well as bearing the responsibility of all musical and lyrical content. Carter was raised a local Oklahoma City girl, but moved with her family to Edmond to complete High School. Her family has had a big influence on Carter. They are all musically inclined. But it was her father that taught Miss Sampson how to play guitar. She giggles as she mentions that her cousin is the legendary rocker Roy Orbison. Her love of music is infection and it’s apparent whenever you sit to talk with this incredible artist. She is the winner of the people’s choice Woody Guthrie award in the Gazette. Carter has opened for such visionary artist as Bitch and Animal, Susan Gibson, Patrice Pike and KC Clifford. She has been a featured artist on Oklahoma’s Independent radio station Irok (irokradio.com). Carter Sampson has put out three Cds. Her first is self titled and is currently out of print. Her second, a live cd from the Blue Door is available in very limited quantities and her third is a studio album, Fly over the Moon. These Cds as well as other merchandise can be purchased at cartersampson.com or on myspace.com/cartersampson. I questioned Carter on the influence of such internet sites as Myspace and Garageband.com as she agreed that the state of the music industry is seeing a positive change. Her Myspace site has helped her get out of state bookings and she has sold Cs to fans in France and Scotland. The Carter Sampson Three are currently working on a four song cd. “We recorded it in Stillwater at Flatland Studios and it will hopefully be available soon through Payne County Line records and on cartersampson.com.” When asked to describe the sound, Miss Sampson replied, “it is more red dirtish than my past solo efforts.” When I asked carter about the difficulties of playing live music here in Oklahoma she responded, “The main issue here is restaurants. When you play bars the energy is completely different. In restaurants you seem to end up as background noise. When you play a gig in a bar, you can get rowdy.” I also asked her to comment on the current state of music, “Pop culture has gotten really bad,” she explained. “Whatever we hear on the radio we like, and 90% of it is not even written by the artist performing it and frankly it’s crap. We have gotten lazy. We no longer actively seek out music we actually like we just turn on the radio.” Carter encourages,” We have so many people that I personally know, who put on amazing live shows but don’t get the support to do what they do.” Carter looks forward to someday being able to play at more intimate venues where people come to listen. She explains, “Not like the Ford Center, where we go because we feel pushed to, but at places where people really show their appreciation and love for the music. There is a huge local pool of talented artist and no one is listening. More people need to go out in Oklahoma City, just for the music.” You can catch The Carter Sampson Three at many local hotspots. They have played Remington Park, Nonna’s, Bourbon Street Café, The Blue Door as well as many Tulsa venues. This July you can catch Carter Sampson, solo, at LadyFest in Las Vegas, at the University of Las Vegas, on July 15th and 16th (www.ladyfestlv.org). If you are interested in booking Carter Sampson solo, or with the wonderfully talented Carter Sampson Three please contact burningbushmngmnt@yahoo.com. To find out more on Sampson, check out her website at cartersampson.com.

Susan Gibson drives songwriting book through Blue Door This article appeared after Carter Sampson opened for Susan Gibson at The Blue Door in Oklahoma City. Former Boston street musician and current Edmond resident Sampson opened the show singer her intricate songs and playing guitar solo. “This one I wrote this afternoon,” she said of her first number. Precious as platinum, Sampson recalled Patsy Cline, Natalie Merchant and Ani Difranco (her auburn dreadlocks tied up with colorful embroidery floss). “What if I was smarter that Einstein’s daughter… would you love me then?” What’s not to love? Sampson’s songs had distinctive lyrical might and musical charm. Mildly creepy but endearing, one’s lyrics involved Carter’s grandfather introducing her to Roy Orbison (a relative she never met on earth) in heaven. “Thank you for giving me your ears,” she concluded.

Carter Sampson - Living Life to the Fullest Singer/songwriter Carter Sampson is a performer with passion. The Oklahoma native just released her third album, Fly Over the Moon, and listening to it will leave you if nothing else, appreciating her talent. Evident is the truth of her love of what she does but grater than that is her ability to emote the kinds of feelings we all experience. Carter’s voice delivers a punch, even when vulnerability is laced through the lyrics. This release will surely bring some much deserved attention to one of Oklahoma City’s brightest young talents. While the genre of Carter’s music lingers between folk and blues, something in her style reaches between that. Never one to put herself in a box, she explains that many different types of music have influenced her along the way. Says Carter of the variety, “That kind of makes a person who they are musically. Really, I think that’s why I have always tried to pull a little from everything.” Still, she has her favorites. “Like a lot of girls who sing and play guitar, I was obsessed with Ani Difranco. Then it kind of hit me that I’m really not that political of a person. I’d rather create the more beautiful music that Patty Griffin plays. Both of them are powerful but in different ways. She [Griffin] Is probably my biggest influence right now.” Her sound nonetheless, is clearly her own. Carter has been playing for nine years and writing for about seven but music has always been a part of her life. She grew up in a family of music lovers and considers herself “really lucky” because of it. Her father was in a band, so performing never appeared to be an unattainable option in life. It was only a matter of time before she would embrace that option. Carter attended OCU for three semesters and, after the encouragement of and unlikely ally, one of her professors, she dropped out to pursue her dream. She moved to Boston for a year where she worked and played music in subways. Many things have changed since then but the constant has always been her and her guitar. While being a musician in Oklahoma has its obstacles, Carter’s conviction to create has never taken the backseat to outside elements. Due in part, she credits, to the environment she has made for herself. “I’ve always surrounded myself with really creative people and supportive friends who have always been there for me.” Over the years, Carter has played too many venues to list including The Blue Door and The Opolis. She has opened for such acts as Patrice Pike, Ryan Adams and Susan Gibson. She also recently toured with Bitch and Animal, performing in cities such as Houston and Austin. Carter now stands ready to move forward with her career. She explains, “I’m to the point now where I know this is defiantly what I want to do. And I’m really proud of the songs on this new CD. They all mean a lot to me and I’ve worked really hard on it.” If you have never seen Carter perform, you can check out her act every Thursday night at Rococo on 28th and North Penn. She says of her shows, “Having people enjoy the music is, ultimately, for me, what’s really important. And I hope they can find something to relate to.” Carter’s music touches on such a variety of topics most people would be hard pressed not to find something to relate to. The song, titled Do All You Could, is on her new CD and is defiantly fitting of her spirit as she explains the meaning. “It’s kind of my mantra,” she says, “My goal is to have fun. You only live once so do everything you can to the fullest and have fun while you are doing it. When it’s the end of your time, you can look back and say, ‘I did everything I wanted to do and all that I possibly could do’.” If Carter’s future is anything like her past, you can place bets she will. For more information on Carter, her music and her new release, Fly Over the Moon, check out her website at www.cartersampson.com

Carter Sampson and Bitch and Animal Grace the Stage at Partners Juliana Hatfield’s “My Sister” played over the PA to a capacity (160) room of mostly women, chatting and checking out B & A logo socks on the merch table. Edmond’s Carter Sampson started the show with her massive Okie originals about relatives and riches. She’s the little folk singer Ani DiFranco 15 years ago. Sampson’s insightful lyrics and magic southern pipes are astounding in a woman barely out of pigtails. “This is about a union organizer who really inspired me,” Sampson said. Its heroine isn’t afraid to fight like hell. She sang a great grandfather song called “Wise Old Soul.” “Are you ready for Bitch and Animal?” Sampson asked her audience. “We love you,” was the shouted response. Sampson opened for B & A on the tour’s Texas leg. “It has been the most amazing four days of my life,” she testified. Get her new disc “Carter Sampson At The Blue Door” (2004). It’s a seven-track taste of honey.

"As if Carter's lyrics, voice and stage presence weren't enough to secure herself to the music scene, she's got great hair and travels with her dog."

"Awesome singer, awesome songwriter. Highly fucking recommended"

"This folksy, bluesy sounding young lady nails her original songs with great skill and confidence, and paints great pictures in your mind of what she is singing about with great clarity, and skill. If you like original music, great lyrics and a touch of attitude, then this young artist's cd is one to get hold of."

Carter Sampson Good for the Meantime Independent release Maybe it’s appropriate to go ahead and let you know that the words in this album review are kind of like the spokes of a wheel meeting in the middle and held together by a single word, which is “sensible.”  Carter Sampson’s newest record, Good for the Meantime, embodies that word like no other in the dictionary.  It is an extremely sensible album.  Every note, every lyric, every nuance makes perfect sense and they come together to form a very beautiful effort from one of Oklahoma’s young up-and-comers.  It should be stressed that a lot of words that are often stigmatized as synonymous with the word “sensible” do not apply.  This album is NOT predictable, frugal, punctual, brief or boring.  It is indeed quite the opposite of these adjectives.  Carter Sampson has shown us the unpredictable, extravagant, care-free, vital, intense and sentimental side of being sensible.  Listening to this album makes all the reasons we listen to singer/songwriters clear and concise in definition.  We listen to them because of their insight and the subtle meaning in what they say in time with the music.  We listen to them because they have a way of sympathizing with the listener, getting inside heads that are floating away and bringing them back to the sweet, soft ground.  Listening to them makes a lot of sense.   Sampson’s creative lyrical style invigorates the most cliché of clichés, sweetens the bitterest of bitter memory and is propelled by a voice that seems like its right next door and in Timbuktu at the same time.  The amazing instrumentalists on Good for the Meantime fit together like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle, each one complementing the others like peanut butter and jelly or Bruce Willis and Kathleen Turner in “Moonlighting.”  I realize that was an odd reference just then, but I assure you it makes sense.  Just like Carter Sampson.  Check out www.myspace.com/cartersampson to find out when you will have a chance to see Sampson in person and get a copy of Good for the Meantime.