Sampson writes for new CD, Bon Jovi
By KAREN BLISS -- For JAM! Music
Nova Scotia native Gordie Sampson, who has been nominated for a pair of 2007 Grammy Awards for his No. 1 Billboard country single "Jesus, Take The Wheel" recorded by Carrie Underwood, is taking January off "from the Nashville songwriting engine" to work on his third solo album.
"It's very similar to 'Sunburn,'" Sampson says, referring to his 2004 solo album, which scanned just under 6000 units, according to Nielsen SoundScan Canada.
"'Sunburn' was a huge departure from my first record (1998's 'Stones'), which is very folky. This is much more like 'Sunburn.' It's going to be a continuation of that album. Any kind of change I can tell now is that it will be a little bit more electronic based with beats and keyboards.
"Because I'm in Nashville and the sound is so straight up and the style of writing that you do is within a box, there's always a tendency when I make my own records (that) I always push my music to completely the other side, which is fun."
Since releasing "Sunburn," on MapleMusic/Universal Music Canada, the Cape Breton native has become a highly successful songwriter. He not only co-wrote the Underwood hit (with American songwriters Hillary Lindsey and Brett James), but other co-writes, with outside songwriters or with the artists themselves, have been recorded by LeAnn Rimes, Faith Hill, Martina McBride, Trace Adkins and Keith Urban. That kind of track record might help him land a U.S. record contract.
"I've never had a deal in the States," says Sampson, 35. "We've been approached by a couple of labels, mostly small independent majors, sort of the same speed as Maple. For someone who does what I do and with where I'm at these days, people are holding on to their records now, it makes more sense for me to own it."
Sampson, who has a recording studio in the guest house of his Nashville home, says that he has written many songs for the new album. "I feel like I have maybe three-quarters of it done, but in a couple of months that could change. All I have to know is that I have to have it out by the summer."
The singer-songwriter spends his summer back in Canada, so presumably he will tour then. He has a home just outside of Sydney in Cape Breton. He has written for and with many Canadian artists, including Shaye, Great Big Sea, Ashley MacIsaac, George Canyon, Jimmy Rankin, and produced albums by Damhnait Doyle ("Davnet"), Natalie MacMaster ("In My Hands") and the Cottars ("Forerunner").
Sampson recently renewed his publishing deal for another three years with Nashville-based Combustion Music.
"A great song is only a great song when it's in the right hands," says Sampson.
"We knew when we wrote 'Jesus, Take the Wheel' that it was a good song. It had the potential to do really well, but I'm sure it wouldn't have done as well if it was (placed) with any other singer in the entire world.
"It was really lucky for us that it got in her hands. It could have easily been picked up by some new artist and she might have come out and sold 500 records and completely flopped and that song never would have got heard. (But) it went though a system of people where publishers and people that worked for the label that had really good ears said, 'Oh I like this. This would be good for Carrie,' and it made the next chain of command and the next, and finally got to the musical talent."
A couple of months ago, Sampson wrote with Bon Jovi of all bands. The session with frontman Jon Bon Jovi and guitarist Richie Sambora yielded a country song called "On Another Day," for possible inclusion on the New Jersey band's next album.
"I thought I was getting together to write a Bon Jovi song and, in my mind, I had a preconceived notion of what that type of song might be -- classic rock or '80s/early '90s rock theme. That's the sound I was playing when I first got out of high school and started playing guitar, so it's a sound I'm really familiar with but I hadn't written it in a very long time. But they're making a country record.
"I don't know if they knew that themselves (at that time). I think that kind of developed. They got new management in Nashville and Jon Bon Jovi had done a duet ('Who Says You Can't Go Home') with this girl Jennifer Nettles. They had a hit with that song and the band just fell in love with the city and they fell in love with the way people write songs here.
"He's a really interesting guy," says Sampson of Jon. "That's one of the great things about the last couple of years and this great stroke of luck that we've had and being able to write with some of these people, who are household names, enigmas in their own right, it never ceases to amaze me how different people are than what you'd expect them to be. They're losers and winners like we all are," he says as if penning a hook for a song.
As for the upcoming Grammy Awards, Feb. 11, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, for which "Jesus, Take The Wheel" is nominated for best country song and song of the year, Sampson is excited to be attending.
In Canada, he won the SOCAN songwriter of the year award at the Canadian Country Music Awards for that song, and in the U.S. it won ASCAP song of the year and the Nashville Songwriters Association (NSA) international songwriter achievement award.
"They're all fantastic," says Sampson. "The CCMA was very exciting. The one that stands out is probably the NSAI. That was really fun to win because it's voted on by songwriters, your peers. We were up for CMA (Country Music Association) and ACM (Academy of Country Music) awards as well, so we're kind of used to winning and we're used to losing at this point, so when it comes to the Grammy's, we won't be surprised if we lose (laughs).
"(But I) get to go and see what's in the Grammy bag. I hadn't really heard about it until after I got nominated."
November 15th, 2006 October 25th, 2006 September 12th, 2006
June 10th, 2006
October 30, 2005
September 13, 2005
August 15, 2005
March 11, 2005
Gordie Sampson has much to celebrate in 2006. In addition to his six week No. 1 single, "Jesus, Take The Wheel," earning ASCAP and NSAI Song of the Year and ACM Single of the Year, Sampson also resigned his publishing agreement with Combustion Music. Pictured (L-R): Combustion Music Creative Dir. Chris Van Belkom, Combustion Music Sr. Creative Dir. Stephanie Greene, Sampson, ASCAP Sr. VP Connie Bradley and Combustion Music Pres. Chris Farren.
Gordie Sampson takes home two more songwriting awards! "Jesus Take The Wheel" won the ASCAP Song Of The Year and the Nashville Songwriters Association Song Of The Year.
Congratulations to Gordie on another songwriting award! Last night Gordie took home the SOCAN Songwriter Of The Year award at the Canadian Country Music Awards for the song, "Jesus Take The Wheel."
Check out the interview/studio session Gordie did with Iceberg: click here.
June 7th, 2006
Richard Foot, CanWest News Service
Published: Monday, May 29, 2006
What happens to your career when Jesus takes the wheel -
Gordie Sampson's trip to Nashville from Nova Scotia
Canadian songwriter Gordie Sampson says he knew almost nothing about country music when he moved to Nashville last year with his wife and baby and the beginnings of a hit song percolating in his head.
A year later his simple, heartfelt tune "Jesus Take the Wheel" -- inspired by a real-life car crash in Cape Breton -- has dominated radio airwaves across the continent for months, broken industry records and turned the 34-year-old Nova Scotian into one of the hottest songwriting talents in Nashville.
"Jesus Take the Wheel," co-written by Sampson and a pair of American collaborators -- and recorded by 2005 American Idol winner Carrie Underwood -- recently ended a phenomenal six-week run in the No. 1 spot on the U.S. Billboard country music charts.
Its success was affirmed this week when Underwood's debut album won best single record of the year at the prestigious Academy of Country Music Awards in Las Vegas.
Watching from the audience and basking in the glow of both his and Underwood's triumph was Sampson, who calls his first Vegas awards show "a pretty crazy experience," followed by a long night of partying among country music's biggest stars.
"The song's success has worked wonders for my music career," Sampson said last week in a telephone interview from Nashville. "It lets the industry know that I mean business, and that I take songwriting seriously and work hard. It definitely makes for a cooler ride."
"Jesus Take the Wheel" led Underwood's album to an industry record earlier this year when it became the fastest triple-platinum CD in history to deliver a Billboard No. 1 hit.
The song also came close to matching a 55-year-old Canadian record owned by legendary singer Hank Snow, another Nova Scotian. Not since 1951, when Snow's tune "The Rhumba Boogie" spent eight weeks atop Billboard's country charts, has a Canadian-written song spent six or more weeks in the No. 1 spot.
Not even Shania Twain's "Love Gets Me Every Time" lasted that long, falling from the top spot after five weeks in 1997.
"In all of country music history, only 24 songs written by Canadians have ever reached No. 1 on the Billboard charts," says Larry Delaney, editor of the Ottawa-based Country Music News. "What Gordie Sampson did with this song, being No. 1 for six consecutive weeks, it's unheard of. It's amazing."
Delaney says a good deal of the song's popularity stemmed from the millions of American Idol fans who flocked to Carrie Underwood's first album after she won the talent contest last year.
But while Idol fans may have boosted sales of Underwood's album, Delaney says they had little to do with the presence of the hit song on the Billboard charts, which are determined by the radio play offered by music executives on the hunt for enduring songs.
"I thought it was a strong song," Delaney says. "It dealt with a lot of the emotions and passions found in today's country music."
Sampson, who has spent most of his career in Cape Breton as a modestly successful roots-and-rock recording artist, says his famous country tune was inspired by the death of an acquaintance two years ago in a car crash on a Nova Scotia highway.
One day, driving past the site of the accident, Sampson says he remembered another story his aunt once told him about losing control of her own car on the road.
"She was a deeply religious person, and she told me she just took her hands off the wheel and asked God to take control of the car," Sampson says.
"For some reason my friend's accident triggered that memory of my aunt, and I wrote a few words about it in my little black book.
"I don't know if the eventual song would ever have been recorded if Carrie didn't pick it up for her album," he says. "She just happened to come along at exactly the right time."
Around Nashville, doors have opened for Sampson ever since. He has written songs for Faith Hill and Trace Adkins, and is now co-writing an album with Australian recording star Keith Urban.
Nashville executive Ralph Murphy, the Canadian-born vice-president of the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers, says he's cheering Sampson's every move.
"It was almost an act of God the way it all came together for Gordie, with Carrie Underwood winning American Idol and then recording this great song.
Everything just came into play. As a Canadian, it was great to see."
© National Post 2006
May 29, 2006
For Immediate Release
Last night, during the 41st Annual Academy of Country Music Awards broadcast live from Las Vegas' MGM Grand (on CBS Television), international recording star, Carrie Underwood took home two ACM Awards including Single Record of the Year and Top New Female Vocalist. Underwood's, debut country release, " Some Hearts" set the record for the fastest certified triple platinum CD delivering a # 1 Billboard hit single, "Jesus Take The Wheel".
" The first single, Jesus Take The Wheel was probably the first song that I heard that really struck a chord with me. The song tells such a great story. And fortunately, everyone around me felt the same way about the song that I did, so recording it and making it my first single was a no-brainer"- Carrie Underwood
The Sampson co-write, "Jesus Take The Wheel" (written by Sampson/ Lindsey/ James), marks Gordie's first #1 American radio hit and recognition as a songwriter by the Academy of Country Music Awards (ACMA's). In attendance at the ACM Awards last night in Vegas, Gordie enjoyed performances and celebrated with some of country music superstars including Rascal Flatts, Carrie Underwood, Keith Urban, Big & Rich and Kenny Chesney.
Other recent scores to Gordie's songwriting credits include, another gem penned by Sampson and recorded by Trace Atkins titled "Words Get In The Way" as well as his up and coming new co-write with international recording star, Keith Urban.
Gordie has received extensive radio success in Canada with his own CD, Maplemusic recording Sunburn, Sampson has yielded two Top 20 hits at Hot A/C radio and his George Canyon co-write "My Name", was honoured at the Canadian Country Music Awards as the CCMA 2005 Song and Single Award of the Year.
May 8, 2006
A Party To Celebrate "Jesus Take The Wheel" Hitting #1!
Read the full story at www.cmt.com, and check out a photo from the party in the Photos section.
March 28, 2006
Top Ten Things Learned at SXSW 2006!
CMT News
Link: www.cmt.com
Solo acoustic is hard to pull off. A guy with only a guitar in a loud bar doesn't work. But in a couch-filled conference room at the Hilton, Canada's Gordie Sampson and Ireland's Foy Vance connected with the crowd. Sampson's stunning "Fear of Flying" is ready for a country star to record, and Vance's powerful folk music is primed for a wider audience.
January 12, 2006
For Immediate Release:
GORDIE SAMPSON HITS #1 on US Billboard.......
This week, Carrie Underwood’s single “Jesus Take The Wheel ” hits #1 on the US Billboard Country Charts. The Sampson co-write has sped up the charts since its release last fall and marks Gordie’s first #1 on American radio. Already at double platinum, Underwood’s “Some Hearts” CD has set a record for the fastest certified debut country release.
Sampson has experienced extensive radio success in Canada – most recently with his own recording Maplemusic Recording, Sunburn which has yielded two Top 20 hits at Hot A/C radio and with his George Canyon co-write “My Name”, honoured as CCMA 2005 Song and Single Award of the Year.
Announced yesterday, Gordie scored another four 2006 ECMA nominations! Recipient of five 2005 ECMA Awards, Gordie holds the record with six consecutive wins of the prestigious Songwriter the Year Award and this year has received a record three nominations in this category.
He will compete for the 2006 Single of the Year and SOCAN Songwriter of the Year for his release "You (or Somebody Like You)" also recorded by country superstar Keith Urban. As well, he has received two nominations in the same category for his work by international recording star Faith Hill for his single " Paris" and for the award winning co-write "My Name" with good friend George Canyon. Tune into the 2006 East Coast Music Awards on CBC Television Monday, February 27 at 8 p.m. (8:30 NT) for the live broadcast from Charlottetown, PEI.
Sunburn is available at all fine retailers or can be ordered on-line at www.maplemusicrecordings.com
Sampson’s songwriting, Illyas’s arrangements tops with Pops crowd
By STEPHEN PEDERSEN Arts Reporter (Chronicle Herald)
Gordie Sampson didn’t have to lift a finger to work up the near sell-out crowd who came to watch and listen to him play with Symphony Nova Scotia in the Rebecca Cohn on Friday night...
Read the rest of the review
Seemed like time for an update...Gordie has just finished producing 5 songs for the Cottars debut recording on Rounder which is due out early in 2006. Last week he performed his first full symphony show with Symphony Nova Scotia at the Rebecca Cohn Auditorium in Halifax - it was a huge success and an experience we hope to repeat. Gordie Sampson/Hilary Lindsay co-write "Jesus Take The Wheel" was released last week as the first single from newest American Idol, Carrie Underwood. This week it hit the US country charts at #39. "You (Or Somebody Like You)" is still going strong at Hot AC radio in Canada. This week it's hovering around #21. Call your local station and request the song to help get it Top 20!
Thanks to those of you who voted for George Canyon's "My Name" at the CCMAs. Last night George Canyon took home the Fans' Choice, Single of the Year, and SOCAN Song of the Year awards!
VOTE FOR GEORGE CANYON NOW!!
Single of the Year and SOCAN Song of the Year "My Name"
written by Gordie Sampson & George Canyon
Hi there, we need your help! KRAFT CHEEZ WHIZ Fans' Choice Award - One of the most popular awards of the Canadian Country Music Awards is in the hands of YOU the fans. Voting is open to everyone worldwide - so get YOUR vote in now! Voting ends at 11:59 am August 26th, You are only allowed one vote each, Tell your friends and family, spread the word far and wide!
Gordie and George co-wrote the beautiful song "My Name" which is nominated for Single of the Year and SOCAN Song of the Year, please show your support by voting on-line at www.ccma.org and follow the directions to vote for the Fan's Choice Award.
Thanks so much.
Gordie wins at the East Coast Music Awards
ECMA Songwriter of the Year
ECMA Single of the Year
ECMA Album of the Year
ECMA Male Artist of the Year
ECMA Pop Aritst of the Year
AND
Nominated for Juno Songwriter of the Year
Sunburn is in stores now!
Visit your local record store or click here to buy it at MapleMusic.com
Gordie is on tour this summer. See the Tour page