Introducing The Sam Kelly Trio
Sam Kelly is a BBC Radio 2 Folk Award-winning singer, songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist, and one of the most distinctive voices in English folk today. His love of the music began in childhood, sitting rapt as his Irish grandfather told stories, sang songs and played tunes on the melodeon. That spark has carried him to the Royal Albert Hall, where he received the Horizon Award for emerging artists at the 2016 BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards, and on to festival stages across the UK and Europe with his celebrated band, The Lost Boys.
A Voice to Remember
It’s Sam’s singing that stops people in their tracks. Mike Harding has called him “one of my favourite singers ever”, and folk luminaries including Kate Rusby, Seth Lakeman and Cara Dillon have all praised his live performances. Alongside his own work, he has played guitar and bouzouki with the likes of Kate Rusby, Seth Lakeman and John McCusker, and produced albums for artists such as Kitty Macfarlane and Chris Cleverley.
Old Songs, New Stories
At the heart of the trio is Sam’s long-standing partnership with banjo virtuoso Jamie Francis — the pair met at university in Brighton in 2010 over a shared love of roots music and have been making music together ever since. Their latest album, Dreamers Dawn, released on Navigator Records in June 2025, blends inventive arrangements of traditional songs with striking originals, ranging from moonlit tales of poaching and privateering to thoughtful reflections on mental health and the inner self. Completing the line-up is Archie Churchill-Moss on melodeon.
Why You’ll Love Them
Expect a lively, generous evening: traditional Irish and English songs alongside heartfelt originals, gorgeous three-way musicianship, and plenty of entertaining stories between numbers. Reviewing a recent trio gig, Bristol 24/7 described the show as “utterly irresistible” — and we suspect Ulpha will agree.