LA Weekly calls Sam Outlaw "a legitimate contender to be the biggest country star LA has produced since Dwight Yoakam," and his new single is immediately recognizable as Sam's own proprietary brand of "So Cal Country."
The Americana-Award-Winning songwriter returns November 17th with "Do You Really Love Me?” - a new song that marries bluegrass instrumentation with themes of modern existential dread, and features pedal steel by JayDee Maness - famous for his work on The Byrds' 1968 Country Rock classic "Sweetheart of The Rodeo."
Since releasing his 2015 debut album "Angeleno," produced by Ry Cooder and Joachim Cooder, Sam has toured the world many times over and has made several appearances on the Grand Ole Opry. His original songs have been featured on hit TV shows like Nashville and have posted multiple millions of streams with fan favorites "Bottomless Mimosas," "Trouble," “Polyamorous,” and "Ghost Town".
Sam's new single arrives as part of a string of B-sides that will ultimately see an album release in 2024 with his forthcoming "Nonessential" collection of rarities and outtakes.
Also slated for 2024 is Sam’s fourth LP of brand-new material, and tour dates in the US and Europe.
More about Sam Outlaw:
Sam Outlaw was born in the Midwest, grew up in California, and now lives in Nashville. "Outlaw" is his mother's maiden name.
Sam worked as an advertising executive in his twenties while writing songs as a hobby and eventually started performing at small bar gigs near his home in Los Angeles. In 2015, Sam left his advertising career to pursue music full-time when he was offered a tour opening for Justin Townes Earle.
Later that year, Sam released his debut album “Angeleno”, produced and performed by Ry Cooder and Joachim Cooder, and featuring Gabe Witcher (Punch Brothers), Bo Koster (My Morning Jacket), and Taylor Goldsmith (Dawes). "Angeleno" garnered universal acclaim and multiple award nominations.
In 2017, Sam released his follow-up album, "Tenderheart." Also a critical success, "Tenderheart" was heralded as one of the year's best country albums.
Sam has toured the world extensively as a headlining artist and at marquee festivals such as Stagecoach and Hardly Strictly Bluegrass. Sam has also toured in support of beloved songwriters such as John Prine, Kacey Musgraves, Dwight Yoakam, Margo Price, and Shania Twain.
In 2018, Sam and his family moved from LA to Nashville, and the following year Sam made his Grand Ole Opry debut. Since then, Sam has made several appearances on the Grand Ole Opry and on countless more stages around the world. In 2021 he released his New-Wave-inspired third LP “Popular Mechanics” and in 2022 released a string of B-sides and singles that showcase Sam’s unconventional blend of genres and subject matter.