gordie sampson - | artist. songwriter. producer.

Gordie Sampson is home for the summer holiday

Posted on May 22, 2013

Summer’s almost here and Gordie will be heading back home to Cape Breton to visit family, play a few shows, and is hosting the 4th annual Gordie Sampson Songcamp!

Gordie flew home earlier this month to accept an Honorary Degree from Cape Breton University and played a few songs for the graduating class. You can check it out at www.cbu.ca/convocation. Also on the exciting news front, Gordie co-wrote and just produced the new single from Kree Harrison. “All Cried Out” was released last week following the last episode of American Idol where Kree was second runner-up.

Gordie’s summer dates are below. Please make special note of the Songcamp Circle. It’s a great opportunity to hear talented young songwriters – and, of course, to see Gordie! Guests will include returning campers Mo Kenney and Dylan Guthro, special guest Carmen Townsend, instructors Carleton Stone and Steven MacDougall, along with four brand new writers! Tickets are available at Doucette’s Variety and Home Hardware in Ingonish starting May 24th. For more information about the Songcamp, you can head on over to their website and read or listen to music: www.gordiesampsonsongcamp.com

Upcoming Shows
· June 13 – Country Salute to Our Troops @ Symphony Hall (Boston, MA)
· June 14 – Country Salute to Our Troops @ Symphony Hall (Boston, MA)
· June 15 – Country Salute to Our Troops @ Symphony Hall (Boston, MA)
· June 16 – The Carleton (Halifax, Nova Scotia)
· June 27 – Gordie Sampson Songcamp Circle @ Ceilidh Hall, Keltic Lodge (Ingonish, NS)
· July 16 – The Carleton (Halifax, Nova Scotia)
· July 28 – Broad Cove Concert

Also, we’re trying to be more social, so join us on Twitter or Facebook so we can stay in touch more often!

TWITTER: www.twitter.com/Gordie_Sampson
FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/GordieSampson
FACEBOOK (Songcamp): www.facebook.com/songcamp

Cape Breton University Spring Convocation to be Celebrated This Weekend

Posted on May 9, 2013

Local Physician and Grammy Award-Winning Artist to Receive Honorary Degrees

Cape Breton University (CBU) will celebrate the accomplishments of more than 630 graduates during its Spring Convocation ceremony being held on Saturday, May 11 at 2 p.m. at the CBU Canada Games Complex. In addition to honouring the academic achievements of the 2013 graduating class, CBU will bestow honorary degrees on local physician, Dr. Andrew Lynk and Grammy award-winning singer/songwriter, Gordon (Gordie) Sampson. Both will receive a Doctor of Letters, honoris causa.

During the ceremony, graduates, their families and friends will be treated to a musical selection from award-winning Cape Breton singer/songwriter Gordie Sampson. Still early in his career, Sampson has already experienced great success in the music industry, with accolades that include a Grammy Award, a Juno Award, and two American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers Awards, a Nashville Songwriters’ Association Award, a Country Music Association Award, a Canadian Country Music Association Award and 14 East Coast Music Awards. In addition to the four solo albums that Mr. Sampson has released, he has written and co-written songs for some of the biggest stars in the music industry such as Carrie Underwood, Keith Urban, Miranda Lambert, Martina McBride, Faith Hill, LeAnn Rimes, Bon Jovi, Donnie and Marie Osmond, Randy Travis and Miley Cyrus. He has also produced albums for Natalie MacMaster and Damhnait Doyle.

Valedictorian, Nicole MacDougall of New Waterford, N.S., hopes to share with her fellow graduates the message that a graduate’s success is in part due to community support and how Cape Breton University provides that.

The convocation ceremony is available online at www.cbu.ca/convocation. Send congratulatory messages via Twitter using the hashtag #CBUGrad2013.

READ FULL ARTICLE HERE - http://www.cbu.ca/news/cape-breton-university-spring-convocation-be-celebrated-weekend

Gordie Take the Wheel

Posted on April 30, 2013

Cape Breton is justifiably well known for its traditional music players. We have many world class fiddlers, piano players & singers who perform internationally.

Gordie MAXMACDONALD.CA

Read full article - http://maxmacdonald.ca/blog/48-gordie-take-the-wheel.html

However, when I was writing my last blog about Buddy MacDonald, I was reminded of the depth of songwriting talent that this tiny beautiful island has produced as well. We seem to have an unusually high number of musicians for our population and the same can be said for songwriters.

These artists often tell our stories but write in such a way that their songs can relate to people everywhere. I think of Rita MacNeil’s inspiring, “Flying On Your Own” or Bruce Guthro’s, “Falling”.

Songs are like powerful little movies that touch some inner part of us. Sometimes it’s a melody we can’t get out of our head. Other times the lyrics tell a story that almost seems to be written specifically about us. These are gifts that songwriters share with us.

Gordie Sampson, from Big Pond, is another in a long line of terrific Cape Breton songwriters. Depending on where you’re from, you might know him as Frank & Flo’s boy, guitar player with the Band Realworld or the Grammy winning songwriter of the Carrie Underwood hit, “Jesus Take the Wheel”.

Gordie lives in Nashville for much of the year where he writes songs with and for American artists like Bon Jovi, Faith Hill, Keith Urban, Martina MacBride, Trace Atkins and many more.

The cycle of songwriting slows in the summer months in Nashville because the artists are all out on the road singing the songs that folks like Gordie have written. This is perfect as it means that Gordie gets to spend his summers in Cape Breton where he pursues his own projects like the Gordie Sampson Songcamp. Here, he shares what he has been learning in Nashville with up and coming songwriters

Just as he is quietly helpful to many Canadian artists when they visit Nashville, Gordie’s Songcamp helps to ensure that we continue to turn out quality songwriters here. That’s just the way nice kids from Big Pond operate.

Alison Krauss, Tony Lane, Gordie Sampson, Jimmy Rankin Perform at Linden Waldorf School 8th Annual Spring Gala

Posted on January 24, 2013

The Linden Waldorf School is pleased to announce its 8th Annual Spring Gala. The special event will feature top Nashville songwriters including Alison Krauss, Tony Lane, Jimmy Rankin, Gordie Sampson and several special guests. They will entertain attendees during an ‘Evening of Music in the Round and Traditional Dance.’

Music In The Round

Alison Krauss has 27 Grammy Awards on her resume already and is still actively touring and recording. She is internationally recognized as one of the top bluegrass and traditional country musicians and vocalists. Tony Lane is an A-list Music Row songwriter with many hits to his name. He co-penned ‘Hello World’ (Lady Antebellum), ‘I Need You’ (Tim McGraw and Faith Hill), ‘This Ain’t No Love Song’ (Trace Adkins), and had a #1 hit with Easton Corbin‘s ‘Roll with It.’ Gordie Sampson is a hit songwriter from Nova Scotia, Canada, who continues to clock up smash hits with Carrie Underwood (‘Jesus, Take the Wheel,’ ‘Just A Dream,’ ‘Get Out Of This Town’) and had his songs recorded by Keith Urban, Martina McBride, Rascal Flatts, Hunter Hayes, Miranda Lambert and even Bon Jovi. Jimmy Rankin also hails from Nova Scotia, Canada and is the winner of five Juno Awards and seven Canadian Country Music Awards. He has released five albums and can count Keith Urban among his fans. In a guest appearance, Urban provided his famous guitar licks on Rankin’s 2011 single ‘Here in My Heart.’

In addition to the songs and dances, there will be a lively auction and you can dine on fantastic food. The evening will benefit Waldorf education in Nashville. For more information or if you would like to reserve a table, please call (615) 354-0270 or visit our website at www.lindenwaldorf.org.

What? Linden Waldorf School 8th Annual Spring Gala
When? Saturday, Mar 16, 2013 7:00 PM
Where? Marathon Music Works, Clinton Street, Nashville, TN
Tickets? You can book your tickets via ticketsnashville.com.

Brett James, Hillary Lindsey, Gordie Sampson Team with Louisville Orchestra for Music City Hit-Makers

Posted on December 30, 2012

by Liv Carter December 18, 2012 – Urban Country News

Three of Nashville’s elite songwriters, Brett James, Hillary Lindsey and Gordie Sampson will be heading to Louisville to perform with Music City Hit-Makers at the Louisville Orchestra on Saturday, January 12th at 8 PM. These heavy-hitters have five Carrie Underwood #1 hits between them and countless cuts with the biggest artist in country music. This will be ‘the Bluebird Cafe meets a full scale philharmonic orchestra’ and is an event not to be missed.

Sea and be Scene “Holidays in the Homeland”

Posted on December 10, 2012

We’ve posted it before – we will post it again… here at Sea and be Scene WE LOVE GORDIE SAMPSON!!!!

And we’re not alone in that emotion when it comes to the Cape Breton born hit maker. Based in Nashville it’s no surprise the singer songwriter who co-wrote the Grammy winning “Jesus Take the Wheel” for Carrie Underwood would continue to add to his string of singles and cuts for stars like Keith Urban, Faith Hill, Miranda Lambert and Blake Shelton to name but a few. Underwood has again recorded one of his tunes – this time on her chart topping, platinum selling CD “Blown Away”. That song “Leave Love Alone” was co-written with Hillary Lindsey and Troy Verges.

The video features another amazing tune Gordie co-wrote with Hillary Lindsey – “Fear of Flying” can be found on his latest solo project “ALMOST BEAUTIFUL” which won the 2012 ECMA award for Country Recording of the Year… stellar stuff that!

A little over a month ago Gordie was recognized for co-writing some of the most performed country songs of the year at the 50th annual American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) Country Music Awards, winning the Most Performed Song Award for “Storm Warning,” which he co-wrote with Mike Busbee and Hunter Hayes – which Hayes recorded for his debut disc.

Back here at home Gordie has been a huge mentor and inspiration to the next generation of songwriters – through his Gordie Sampson Song Camp and sharing the stage those same new artists.

Speaking of concerts – Gordie will be back in Nova Scotia for the holiday season – spending time with his family and, fortunately for us fans, playing up a storm. Don’t miss the man in action while he’s in the homeland….

December 20, 2012 – Song Circle @ Casino Nova Scotia, Schooner Room (Halifax, NS)

December 22, 2012 – Gordie Sampson Songcamp Show @ Flavor 19 (Sydney, NS)

December 31, 2012 – New Years Eve @ Flavor 19 (Sydney, NS)

January 2, 2013 – Duo Show with Special Guest Molly Thomason @ The Carleton (Halifax, Nova Scotia)

January 3, 2013 – Duo Show with Special Guest Dana Beeler @ The Carleton (Halifax, Nova Scotia)

by Sea and be Scene

Gordie Sampson recognized at ASCAP Awards

Posted on November 9, 2012

SOCAN member Gordie Sampson was recognized for co-writing some of the most performed country songs of the year at the 50th annual American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) Country Music Awards, held in the Tennessee Ballroom at the Gaylord Opryland Hotel and Resort in Nashville on Oct. 29, 2012. Sampson won the Most Performed Song Award for “Storm Warning,” which he co-wrote with Mike Busbee and Hunter Hayes (both BMI), and which was recorded by Hayes himself.

More info at SOCAN

Gordie Sampson lends a hand to Habitat for Humanity

Posted on July 23, 2012

GLACE BAY — For Habitat for Humanity volunteers Wednesday, having a celebrity join in on a project was like music to their ears.

Singer-songwriter Gordie Sampson worked alongside volunteers at a Habitat for Humanity renovation project on half a former Dominion Coal company house on Mechanic Street.

“He is a supporter of Habitat and he wanted to help us physically and also draw people in and bring some awareness,” said Joyce Rankin, the Cape Breton manager for Habitat for Humanity Nova Scotia.

Sampson, a native of Big Pond who lives in Nashville, credited Bon Jovi for his interest in Habitat for Humanity.

A couple of years ago, he wrote a song with Bon Jovi for the band’s record.

Bon Jovi is a high-profile supporter of Habitat for Humanity. “Jon Bon Jovi spent the entire day talking about Habitat, that is all he wanted to talk about,” Sampson said.

“He is the one who got me interested in this.”

Canadian Press Interview with Gordie Sampson

Posted on July 10, 2012

If songs are like children to professional hit-makers, Canadian Gordie Sampson is one watchful dad.

The 40-year-old from Big Pond, N.S., has penned two chart-topping smash singles for Carrie Underwood while also dashing off songs for the likes of Keith Urban, Miranda Lambert, Blake Shelton, Martina McBride and LeAnn Rimes.

The Grammy winner estimates that he demos about 75 songs a year, so surely it’s difficult to keep tabs on all his musical offspring?

“God no, you’re glued to the (chart),” the personable Sampson said down the line from the East Coast this week. “First thing you do in the morning before you have your coffee is check the chart and see if it went up a point overnight.

“Not that I’d know, but I guess it’s a bit like watching your stocks. You’ve got an investment and one starts to take off, and it goes up a point one day, and down a point the next, and you’re like: ‘Oh shoot, is it done? Is it going to fall off the chart?’ And the next day it jumps up five places.

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