Greetings,
I am writing from Belmont University in Nashville. Since I started my freshman year here in August, I have been involved in a variety of songwriters' venues, and I am working hard in my classes as a first year songwriting major in the Curb College of Entertainment and Music Business. It is a great place for me and I am in my element. I've written and recorded new songs, and I have played in new performance venues. I will be coming home on November 23rd for Thanksgiving break and will be playing at Theodores in Springfield on Saturday, the 27th -- opening at 7:30 for the RadioXile Band of local musical legends, chief of whom is my good friend Peter J. Newland. This is an especially festive and fun night to kick off the holidays, so please join us if you can!
I will be entertaining at Fusion Café in East Longmeadow on Saturday, December 18th, Friday, December 24th (Christmas Eve) and Friday, December 31st (New Years Eve) from 7-10 p.m.
I will also be playing at La Cucina de Hampden House in Hampden, MA on Saturday, January 8th at 7:30 p.m. Please stop by because I would love to say hello to my friends while I am home!
In the spirit of Thanksgiving, I am thankful for your support.
Wishing you all a very Happy Holiday Season,
Sam
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Happy Summer!
I just graduated and will be starting a new chapter soon. I am very thankful for my years at Somers High School and all of my friends.
Thanks to all of you who came out to Theodores in May when I opened for the RadioXile Band. It was a great night!
This past year, I was accepted early to Berklee College of Music in Boston and Belmont University in Nashville. In August, I'll be going to Belmont's Curb College of Entertainment and Music Business where I was accepted as a Songwriting major. College orientation is this week, so I am headed to Nashville tomorrow.
Please stop by Court Square in Springfield at One Financial Plaza where I will be playing with my musical friend Steve Barnett at an outdoor concert on Thursday, July 29 from 11:30 a.m. -- 1:30 p.m.
On Wednesday, August 4th, I am doing a special show sponsored by the Armory Quadrangle Civic Association at the Springfield Library and Museums beginning at 6 p.m.
I can't leave for college in Nashville before I do one last City Block concert with Peter J. Newland and friends at the annual FAT Reunion concert on Thursday, August 19 at 7 p.m. in Stearns Square, Springfield. I leave for Belmont the next day on August 20th.
Hope to see you soon.
Thanks,
Sam
January 2010
Happy New Year 2010!
Just completed the Connecticut Eastern Regional Music Festival on January 9th at the University of Connecticut's Jorgenson Auditorium. It was a great experience to work with Dr. Michele Holt, UConn's Choral Director who conducted the Eastern Regions Chorus.
Here are a few of my upcoming events:
- Please stop by at La Cucina de Hampden House (1 Allen Street, Hampden, MA) where I will be playing on Saturday, January 23rd at 7 p.m.
- Connecticut All State Music Festival/ Concert Auditions -- Saturday, January 30th
- Fusion Café, North Main Street, East Longmeadow -- Saturday, February 20, 7-10 p.m.
- Pioneer Valley Red Cross annual "Hometown Heroes" Benefit -- Mass Mutual Center, March 11th
- Somers High School Prism Concert -- Robert B. Percoski Auitorium, March 25th
- Connecticut All State Music Festival and Concert, April 8-10
- In Concert with RadioXile at Theodores Blues Club, Saturday, May 15th
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October 2009
It's been a great summer of music, work, and an unforgettable trip to Ireland for me. Thanks to all of you who came out to Stearns Square for the FAT Reunion Concert in July. It was a really good summer night of music with a great crowd. I also appreciated seeing you at my Majestic Theater shows as well as at Fusion Café and the 350 Grill. A big thank you to Naoko Kyogoku, a very special friend and fan who traveled from Japan during August to meet me and see me perform.
It's my senior year, and I am working on college applications, portfolios, and some music for the Somers High School Pops Concert on October 29th and 30th. I have written many new songs, and will be traveling to Nashville soon to share them with Cliff Downs, who produced my most recent CD Underground.
I recently completed the arrangement and recording of a favorite Joni Mitchell song called "River" and one of my new songs called "In the Dust" for a Holiday album sponsored by Bright Nights /The Spirit of Springfield. Please watch for this album featuring local artists which will be released soon in time for the Holiday Season.
Once again, I am excited about playing with local legend Peter Newland and his RadioXile Band at Theodores in Springfield at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, November 28th of Thanksgiving weekend. Hope you will put this on the calendar for some great entertainment to celebrate the beginning of the Holidays .
Please stop in at Fusion Café in East Longmeadow where I play on these Saturdays... October 10 and 24, November 14, December 12.
As always, thanks for your support and interest. Wishing you a great fall,
Sam
June 10, 2009
Dear Friends and Fans,
Please tune into WGBY Channel 57 (Channel 17 in Somers and Channel 7 in East Longmeadow) for a brief interview and my live musical showcase on "Making It Here Teenstyle" this Monday, June 15th at 7:30 p.m. and/or Saturday, June 20 at 7:30 p.m.
My junior year is almost over, and I am looking forward to playing at the Forest Park Zoo Gala on Saturday evening, June 20th. Please see my event list for more details on this and check out the Zoo website.
I was recently cast as Prince Edward in the Majestic Theater's musical production of "The Prince and the Pauper" scheduled to run from July 20 - 22 and August 9 – 12 – at the Majestic Summer Children’s Theater, Elm Street, West Springfield. Please see www.majestictheater.com for show times and ticket information. There are morning and afternoon shows, as well as at least one weekend matinee.
I will be performing again to open this summer's FAT Reunion Concert with Peter Newland and other local legends from the FAT Band at the Stearns Square City Block Event on Thursday, July 30th @ 7 p.m. This was a GREAT concert last year that attracted a huge and FUN crowd!
Please stop in at Fusion Café, North Main Street, East Longmeadow where I will be playing throughout the summer and fall on Saturday evenings from 7-10 p.m. on July 11, 25; August 1, 15, 29; September 12, 26; and October 10, 24.
Best wishes for a GREAT summer!
Hope to see you soon.
SAM
April 7, 2009
Dear Friends and Fans,
I wanted to let you know about my upcoming concert at Theodore's Booze Blues and BBQ on Worthington Street in Springfield on Saturday, April 18th at 8 p.m. I will be playing my original music and some covers with the RadioXile Band, featuring local legends Peter J. Newland, Mark Pappas, Chet Pasek, Bob Casinghino, and Chetz Keegan. Please stop in for some great food and drink and special music at this cool venue!
This past weekend, I performed at the Connecticut All-States Concert in Hartford at the Connecticut Convention Center. It was a three day event, and our Director was Dr. André Thomas from Florida State University. Dr. Thomas was phenomenal to work with. He has directed music students world-wide, and he has worked with over 3000 students this year in the USA!
Thanks to so many who attended the Red Cross Hometown Heroes event in March at the MassMutual Center. It was an honor for me to perform at this extraordinary celebration of outstanding local heroes who have reached out to others. Thank you also to all of you who stopped by at La Cucina de Hampden House in February and March when I was playing. I will be there again on Saturday, May 30th, and I would love to see you.
I have been invited to be a featured guest of the famed FAT Band again this summer on Thursday, July 30th for the Stearns Square City Block Concert Series in Springfield. This event was a great success last summer that attracted a huge audience. I would love to have you there if you can make it.
Thank you for your support!
Sam
Sam Plotkin's 'Underground' earns LiveWire Award
LiveWire Awards honor the best in local music
by The Republican Entertainment Desk
Thursday January 29, 2009, 11:44 AM
…Sam Plotkin joins Glier on this year's list of young guns. Another singer-songwriter with a musical and lyrical vision that belies his age (he is 16), Plotkin's "Underground" follows the award-winning "Give Me a Sign" released in 2007. Already a player on the local scene (Plotkin held his release party at the famed Iron Horse), the gifted vocalist is networking in Nashville to expand his reach on a national scale. His work has attracted the attention of noted producer Cliff Downs who has collaborated on the last two recordings. More information is available at samplotkin.com
February 1st, 2009
Happy New Year!
Thanks to all of my friends and fans (some braved the Mass Pike from Boston!) who came out on that rainy night of December 11th to my Underground CD Release Concert at the Iron Horse Music Hall. A very special thank you to friends and fellow singer-songwriters Peter Newland and Janet Ryan and their bands for collaborating with me to make this such a great night of music.
Thank you to Donnie Moorhouse and The Republican for recognizing my new CD with a LiveWire Award for the best in local music in 2008. I am very honored to receive this award for Underground after earning it last year for Give Me a Sign. (Please visit my News section for the January 29th article).
In January, I performed in Connecticut's Eastern Region Music Festival at the University of Connecticut's Jorgenson Auditorium, and have qualified for an upcoming audition for the All States Music Festival that will be held from April 2-4 at the Connecticut Convention Center in Hartford. I will also be performing with the Somers High School Jazz Choir at the Prism Concert on March 26th at the Robert B. Percoski Auditorium in Somers.
On Monday, February 16, I will be recording some of my music and doing an interview for WGBY-TV's Making It Here: TeenStyle series that will be televised in the spring.
I am traveling to Nashville during my February winter vacation to meet with my producer, a record label contact, and a few people about my songwriting and college plans. I have been busy writing new songs, and look forward to recording them soon. I am excited about visiting Belmont and Vanderbilt Universities because of the opportunity to meet with some professors from their Songwriting and Music Business departments.
For the second consecutive year, I will be a featured performer at the 2009 American Red Cross Hometown Heroes Breakfast at the MassMutual Center on March 18. This event celebrates the spirit of humanitarianism by honoring individuals in the area who have shown courage, kindness, and unselfish character through their acts of heroes. For sponsorship information, please visit www.redcrosspioneervalley.org.
In between my songwriting and school, I have been busy working with a great new music teacher named Peter Thomsen. I have also been finishing my driving classes, playing indoor tennis, and skiing with the Somers High School Ski Club.
I will be playing at La Cucina de Hampden House on 1 Allen Street in Hampden on Saturday evenings, February 28th and March 28th. Please stop in because I would love to see you! Thank you for your interest and support. It means a lot to me!
Sam
November 1st, 2008
Greetings Friends and Fans,
I have been busy writing some new songs and getting ready to release my new CD entitled Underground that I recorded this past summer in Nashville with my producer Cliff Downs. It is an 'enhanced' CD with ten original songs and two videos. Hope you can join me at my CD Release Party on Thursday, December 11th at the Iron Horse Music Hall in Northampton where I will be performing with my talented friends and mentors Peter Newland of FAT and Janet Ryan of STRAIGHT UP. I am really looking forward to sharing my new music with all of you.
Thanks to many of you for coming by La Cucina de Hampden House this past month when I played.
On Saturday, November 22nd, I will be playing at Theodores (Booze Blues and Barbecue) in downtown Springfield with Peter Newland and his band FAT. I am excited about getting together with these great musicians after the fun we had at Stearns Square this past summer. Thanks to all of you who came out to support us. We had a great audience!
School concerts, Somers High School Jazz Choir, Drama Studio (of Springfield) musical theater classes, NCCC Concert at Suffield High School (North Central Connecticut Conference), Eastern Region Music Festival at UConn, and Drivers Ed classes will be keeping me pretty busy! Looking forward to seeing you at upcoming events in November and December!
Thanks for your support,
Sam
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