Sam Sweeney

Career

Sweeney started playing the fiddle at age six, and first performed as a soloist at folk festivals in 2001. From 2002 to 2010 Sweeney was part of the East Midlands-based folk band Kerfuffle, playing fiddle, viola, and cajon, and singing. When Kerfuffle disbanded, Sam continued playing with accordion player and singer Hannah James as the duo Hannah James and Sam Sweeney.

As of 2008, Sweeney is also a member of the award-winning eleven-piece folk band Bellowhead, playing fiddle and English bagpipes.

As of 2009 he tours with Jon Boden and the Remnant Kings, playing both drums and fiddle, sometimes simultaneously.

He is also a member of Fay Hield's band, originally named the Fay Hield Trio but as of 2012 called Fay Hield & The Hurricane Party.

Awards

Sweeney has won a number of awards including the 'In The Tradition' award and the 'Wiltshire Folk Association Young Folk Award', which he won for two years in succession. He was also a nominated in the 2004 BBC Young Folk Awards. In 2007 he won one of five BBC Performing Arts Fund bursaries to help him start his musical career. Sweeney was nominated for the 'Musician of the Year' award at the 2013 BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards and won this award at the 2015 BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards.

Hannah James and Sam Sweeney

With Kerfuffle

With Bellowhead

With Fay Hield

With Circus Envy

With Sam Carter

With Rachael McShane

With Louise Jordan

History

In 2006 Sam won a bursary from the BBC performing arts fund.