LDS Musician – Singer-Songwriter Sam Payne

It’s very difficult for me to write about LDS singer/songwriter Sam Payne without getting very personal. Not only is he a good friend, but his songs have often impacted me in very powerful ways. I’m sure that some of those ways are not even the ways he intended.

I remember, for example, a tune of his from his Railroad Blessings CD, called “Spaceman”. It was written about an American astronaut who spent some time aboard the Russian space station Mir. Sam had speculated about how the experience of floating “in a Winnebago” where “there aren’t any doors”, and sang about it in a smooth acoustic jazz style that is so familiar to Sam Payne fans.

The lyric talks about the astronaut being separated from his wife, even though it’s for a good reason:

“This has changed me for forever

I’m a far far better man…

..’cause I’m a spaceman…”

I heard the tune for the hundredth time at one of Sam’s concerts. At the time I was also distant from my wife. She had one of our sons in a faraway city going through a month-long physical therapy process. I missed them terribly. I thought about the lyric, and it reminded me not only of our short time apart, but also of my entire marriage.

It seems that with each CD he puts out, there are tunes that grab me more and more. Some on a very deeply personal level, others, not so deep, but still personal. Another one of my favorites is “Shazam”. I loved the song when I first heard it on CD, but it wasn’t until he told the story live that I realized it’s full meaning.

What would you do with one wish? Rather than wish for wealth or fame, Sam speaks to the kid in all of us when he says, “I’d wish to be a superhero!”

In light of the difficult time many in the Mormon Church have had in recent years, as historians have debated the happenings of Palmyra, Nauvoo, Carthage, and Mountain Meadows, Sam’s “These are My People” puts it all in perspective. Good and bad, righteous and vengeful, we realize that we all have a heritage and a history.

“These are my people, these are my people

And I’m no stranger here…”

Sam grew up with music in the house. His father is a well-known LDS musician in his own right, and his mother is an accomplished violinist. Sam’s life as a songwriter started only 11 years ago when, as he said, his brother showed up at his door with a guitar. He mildly chastised Sam, and told him that since he was the only one in the family that didn’t play, he needed to learn.

One of the first bands Sam was in was a simple trio, and the small format has served him well over the years. I’ve seen him play with more, and I’ve seen him perform solo, unplugged in my living room at a house concert. No matter what the setting or the backup, it’s always a treat for me.

In the past year, Sam has also taken on the responsibility of guiding and shaping the direction of yourldsradio.com, an online LDS music station. As the program director, he’s guiding the choice of LDS artists and songs for play. Members of the Mormon church from all over the world have been enjoying the opportunity to listen.

In addition to the life lessons, I’ve learned a lot about my own songwriting. There’s a natural flow to the words he chooses. He makes it feel like he’s talking to you, except he’s talking on pitch, with a guitar playing in the background. I suppose that’s why it’s so easy for him to seamlessly flow from the introduction, where he tells you the story, to the song itself. In most cases, he starts playing the chords, and then with a thoughtful grin, starts telling the story. Before you know it, he’s singing, and you’re really not sure how it started.

…And trust me. If you know the words, it’s hard to not sing along.