By the end of high school, Sam Eure was writing poetry and songs and could play 17 different instruments.
Along with natural musical talent, Eure had a desire to make the world a better place. It took a health crisis—a multiple sclerosis diagnosis that left him temporarily wheelchair-bound and unable to use his hands—for him to realize he could combine his passions.
Today, with his MS largely controlled with medications and a special diet, Eure has returned to the local music scene under his stage name, Sammy Lee. He’s known for soulful, bluesy shows, often as a “one-man band” with acoustic guitar, rich baritone vocals and percussion played with his feet. He’s also the founder of a startup that supports the creative community.
“We have as much diversity of talent here as in any major music city,” he said. “We just need to inspire and collaborate with each other.”
Eure, 34, redirects income from his live performances into Iota Creative Collective LLC, which he founded three years ago. He’s currently planning its annual, nonprofit local music festival for August, called “Coddiwomple” (rough definition: purposeful travel with no fixed destination).
Iota also is developing a mobile media lab for content creation, using a repurposed 26-foot Airstream; a mentorship program; an app providing freelance musicians with resources; and master classes on the industry. “Everything is about giving people access to what they need to succeed,” Eure explained.
In a typical week, Eure plays four to seven shows between Norfolk and Richmond, with at least one in Williamsburg. He frequently appears at breweries, bars, festivals, weddings and corporate affairs and has done mini tours in Tennessee, where he lived for several years.
Born in Texas to a military family, Eure graduated from York High School and earned government and business degrees at the College of William & Mary. He worked in politics, consulting, and for Verizon but has concentrated on his music career full-time since 2008.
Growing up, Eure played radio tunes by ear on the piano, picked up instruments from flute to trombone, and spent hours on an old classical Spanish guitar, a gift from his father. As a high school athlete, however, he was bullied for his love of music.
“I got super-wedgies and had my flute used for Monkey in the Middle,” he related.
In fact, Eure only reluctantly joined a college acapella group with encouragement from a few girls who overheard him singing in a dorm stairwell: “I was very timid and shy. I hated being on stage until I’d done it enough times—and, OK, a little alcohol helped.” He began using his middle name, Lee, because his surname is often mispronounced.
Top musical influences range from The Allman Brothers Band and Johnny Cash to Prince and Earth, Wind & Fire. To surprise audiences and avoid boredom, Eure plays “mashups” that might jump from Alice in Chains to R&B tunes by Blackstreet. His original music is cadence-driven, non-formulaic and full of authentic emotions.
With his spring schedule cancelled by the coronavirus pandemic, Eure happily joined other artists in live-streaming performances to support businesses that have showcased local music.
“That spirit of togetherness,” he said, “is what we always need.”
Alison Johnson is a longtime music lover who grew up on awesome 1980s tunes and has enjoyed learning about all types of new music from her two teenage sons. She looks forward to the return of live concerts in our community.
Want to catch Sammy Lee live, visit sammyleemusic.com/live. Learn more about Iota Creative and its artists at iotacreativecollective.com.
