Join us for a night of fantastic music from some very talented groups of local musicians!
Samuel John, from Isanti County, MN, is attempting to carve his own path in the world of country and rock music. Inspired by watching his mother play piano and sing professionally at events growing up, Sam always had an interest in the arts. It was his younger brother, Ben Higgins, who started playing on stage shortly before the pandemic, that sparked Samuel's interest in playing live music. Ben, along with his friend Cody Dylan Brown (from Mora, MN), showed Samuel the ropes of being a gigging musician and songwriter, and were the first people to bring him on stage. Samuel's musical influences include classic artists such as Waylon Jennings, Merle Haggard, and Johnny Cash, as well as modern musicians like Cody Jinks, Tyler Childers, Sturgill Simpson, and Whiskey Myers. During the COVID-19 lockdown, Samuel spent his time writing and practicing his own material in preparation for when bars and venues would reopen. After covering some of his favorite artists and songwriters during his gigs, he began to introduce his original music to his audiences. In 2023, Samuel teamed up with his friends Brandon Nelson, Jake Abel, and John Wander to form the Samuel John Band. Together, they play a mix of original songs and covers, showcasing a unique blend of traditional and outlaw country and rock.
A Minneapolis-based musician, John Swardson grew up in St. Paul listening to Willie Nelson, Emmylou Harris, U2, Springsteen, Husker Du, and Van Halen. Influenced by parents who were writers and readers, John taught himself to play the guitar, singing his own songs. With four full-length records under his belt— Ablaze, Silver Dust (John Swardson and Get Gone), Dogs in the Woods (Get Gone), and Blood Moon (John Swardson and Bad Blood)—John is steadily gaining momentum as a prominent artist and songwriter within and beyond the Twin Cities music scene.
Singer-songwriter Sammie Jean is originally from Northeast Minneapolis. She was inspired by a wide variety of music growing up like Etta James, Muddy Waters, The Eagles and as of the last 10 years The Heartless Bastards (who she dream of opening for one day) and Shakey Graves.
