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Get to Know: Sammy Listoe

sammy listoe

SAMMY LISTOE 

Hometown: Great Falls, Montana
Influences: Kings of Leon, Kip Moore, Dierks Bentley, Johnny Cash, Bruce Springsteen

What made you fall in love with music?

            My love for music came from my parents. I remember growing up, riding in the truck listening to Boys of Summer by Don Henley with my pops. He introduced me to the good stuff his younger years brought the world. My mom has been a musician, along with her brothers and sisters, for her entire life. It has always been inspiring to watch her continue that passion. 

Music has always been my safe haven. A place of refuge. So many artists and songs have saved me from dark places and that’s really what ultimately made me fall in love with writing and singing. It is truly a universal language that connects us on such an incredible level.

What’s it like to be a country singer/songwriter based in Cali?

            California is a blast. Growing up in Montana then moving here was definitely a culture shock, but I can say that the country fan-base is as strong in California as anywhere I’ve been. Folks come from all over the world to call California home. It’s the wild west! Plus, we got Yosemite and Joshua Tree out here. Hard to beat that!

Besides music, what are your passions? 

            Recently I started my career as a firefighter, and that has been an incredible experience. You have to have a lot of drive and perseverance, and I’ve been fortunate enough to work with a group of folks who have all that and more. Really inspiring work, and that passion carries over into everything else I do. I have also spent most of my life acting in plays and films. In seventh grade, I dedicated myself to a role in Hansel and Gretel by eating only breadcrumbs for a month, so you could say I’ve taken that craft pretty seriously. Wild times. 

If you could write with anyone, who would it be? Why?

I really dig the stuff Caitlyn Smith is putting out right now. She pours her heart out and I truly respect that vulnerability. 

Kings of Leon has been a staple in my life, and the song “Use Somebody” always finds new meaning for me, so I would love the opportunity to write with the Followills. 

Linkin Park caught my attention early on in life. Hybrid Theory was such an important record for me and really introduced me to true emotional expression through music. It would have been an honor to write with Chester Bennington. The guy was massively talented and wrote from his soul.

What’s the story behind your new single, “Crazy”?

            Crazy gets into the back and forth that goes on in your mind before approaching someone new. Sometimes we create a narrative in our head of how things are going to go. Then when that conversation actually happens, none of what you went over in your mind does. Then again that might only be me. So, maybe, I’m just CRAZY.

What else can we expect to see from you in 2020?

            This year is mainly about getting music out. For the rest of 2020, I plan on releasing a few more singles, continuing with Poor Boy on April 24th. I am also working to put some music videos together to go along with the tunes. I’m definitely looking forward to playing some live shows when we get the opportunity again and putting together a band as well. Until then, you can catch me in my living room playing Instagram Live shows.

Follow Sammy Listoe on Instagram and Facebook

Listen to Sammy Listoe on Spotify

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