Sam Payne

sampayne.com

It may at first seem strange then that when he came to Southern Utah in 1995, he wasn't as a musician at all. He moved to St. George to teach seminary. He pulled up stakes as an accomplished actor and children's performer to head South, and for a year or so kept a low musical profile with his wife, Kristie, and his son, Skyler.

Then, in April of 1997, he was approached by an accomplished west-coast drummer named Korky Ollerton. Ollerton had himself fled from the Southern California punk scene some years earlier (after stints with numerous bands, including the act that became "Social Distortion") for the relative peace of Utah's Dixie. Ollerton had heard Payne perform an original tune for a church youth group and suggested that they play together. Almost immediately to the picture as well sprang his oldest friend, keyboardist David Dalley, who had just moved to town as a schoolteacher and counselor.

Surprisingly, the "powerfolk" of the Sam Payne Trio seemed to appeal to a wide cross-section of ages and tastes, and the band enjoyed a stable following on the festival and concert-series circuit, playing for enthusiastic audiences, that included (perhaps not surprisingly) healthy numbers of old Marvin Payne fans.

Payne is one of those few musicians who can successfully combine both songwriting and stage performing. He can write poignant and meaningful lyrics, combine them with a melodic hook, and perform them in a voice that makes you want to close your eyes and drift away.