“Sam Plotkin, a mere 16 years of age, hails from Somers, CT, and already has quite the list of musical successes under his belt, performing and writing songs since age 8. Perhaps you’ve caught one of his performances, as the scope of his shows at Western Mass venues runs the gamut from The MassMutual Center, Springfield Symphony Hall and The Majestic Theatre to the Iron Horse and Big E.”

Click here to read more at MassLive.com”

Hey Everyone!

I have been working on a lot of new music, and just returned from Nashville where I recorded a new collection of my songs and did some new work on my music video. I spent part of my April vacation in Nashville with my producer, and we got together in June to finalize my songs for this recording. I am looking forward to sharing my new music with you!

Please stop by at La Cucina de Hampden House where I’m tentatively scheduled to play on a few Saturdays during the summer, dates to be determined. Thanks to all of you who have stopped in at La Cucina when I’ve been playing. They have recently opened a great outdoor patio and grill set-up for the summer.

I will be playing at Fusion Restaurant on North Maine Street in East Longmeadow on July 17 at 7:00 p.m. The food is great, and they have a beautiful piano!

I’d love to see you when I open for the FAT Reunion Concert as part of the Stearns Square City Block Summer Concert Series in downtown Springfield on Thursday, July 31st with musical legends Peter Newland and Guy DeVito. This concert will rock! Stay tuned for more details.

On Saturday, August 2nd, I will be playing at Theodores in downtown Springfield with Janet Ryan’s band. Janet and Guy DeVito and band played together on the 4th of July at Onyx Fusion Bar and Restaurant, and they were GREAT!

I was recently cast in the role of the romantic lead Marius for the summer production of “Les Miserables” with the Exit 7 Players (August 8, 9, 15, 16 7:30 p.m. and August 10 and 17 2:00 p.m.) Please visit www.exit7players.com for more information.

Thanks, as always, for your support and interest! Wishing you a great summer!

The Hometown Heroes is the Pioneer Valley Chapter’s largest annual fundraising event celebrating selfless and heroic acts of kindness. I will be performing during this special event on March 20,2008 at 7:30 a.m. at the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield.

For more information, contact Paige Thayer at 413-233-1003.

Thanks to many friends who have come to my performances at Fusion and the Hampden House. I will be playing at Fusion in East Longmeadow on Thursday night, March 6 at 7:00.

On Saturday, March 29 and again on Saturday, April 26, I will be performing at La Cuchina de Hampden House (1 Allen Street, Hampden, MA) at 7:30 in the evening. I am working on some new songs, and hoping to get into the recording studio in April.

Hope to see you soon!

Just returned from a great trip to Nashville! Hope you’ll check out my new YouTube music video that I just made there with Glenn Sweitzer from Fresh Film + Design. Glenn did an awesome job! Some of the scenes were shot in Reba McEntire’s studio and I loved playing on her grand piano. Rascal Flatts Joe Don Rooney visited Glenn at the studio and spent some time with me listening to my music. It was very cool to meet this amazing musician, and I really appreciated that he took the time to hear my songs and talk with me. It was interesting to learn about how he got started in the music business. I also spent some time with my producer Cliff Downs, and played him some of the new songs that I have written. It is always great to work with Cliff, and I hope to spend some more time working on my new music with him during my April vacation. Hope you like the new YouTube video. Let me know.

Thanks for your support and interest!

Sam

Upcoming show on February 1st.

Hey everyone,

Happy New Year! I hope your holidays were great and that 2008 is off to a good start. I want to thank all of the 5000+ fans of the Dan Kane Singers who came out for our MassMutual Spectacular. It was a great show, and I hope you enjoyed it! I miss all my singing friends from the group.

I recently received some really good news about my new CD Give Me a Sign on January 3rd when I learned that it had been chosen as one of the best CD’s of 2007 with a Live Wire Award from Donnie Moorhouse, a respected music writer and critic from the Republican newspaper. Donnie was a D.J. on WRNX and now he works for a network of radio stations. Thanks for listening to my music, Mr. Moorhouse! I’m really happy you like my song writing!

I would like to invite you all to my next concert at a fun restaurant/cafe in Hampden, MA. I will be playing and singing at La Cuchina de Hampden House on Friday, February 1st at 7:30 for a special singer’s/songwriter’s evening of music with my very talented friend Peter Newland. Come eat some great Italian food and enjoy some of my new music! I’d love to see you.

I’m making some plans for a video of my music….more details to come!

Thanks for supporting me. I really appreciate your interest.

Wishing you all the best,

~Sam

“Sam Plotkin, “Give Me a Sign” – Maybe you have seen him perform at one of the Dan Kane Singers spectacular shows (the final Christmas show was televised on WGGB-TV, abc40). Those performances only hint at the potential star power of Plotkin. The CD contains original compositions and belies a surprising maturity and yearning. Plotkin would have been a finalist in any of the last few “American Idol” series with this work. Plotkin is a pop star in the making and it will be fun to watch the process.” -

Sam traveled to Nashville in July and has finished recording six of his new songs with his producer and friend, Cliff Downs, and a team of talented musicians. The collection includes a powerful new tune by Sam called Give Me a Sign, and a soulful pop collaborative by Sam and Cliff entitled Love Will Take Care. The songs are being mixed and will be available for distribution on CD….also coming soon to Sam’s MySpace and website!

Upcoming Events…

Tuesday, October 16—Sam will be singing the National Anthem to kick off the Somers High School Varsity Soccer game under the lights at 6:30 p.m. for a Booster Club Fundraiser at Somers High School.

Friday, October 19—Pops Concert with Dan Kane and Friends at the brand new Chicopee High School Auditorium sponsored by FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY, 7:30 p.m.Contact info: Nancy@ nmichon@charter.net

Sunday, October 21—Inspirational Concert with the Dan Kane Singers at Holy Name Church, Dickinson Street, Springfield, 3:00 p.m. Free and open to the public.

Thursday, November 1 and Friday, November 2—Somers High School Pops Concert with the Somers High School Jazz Choir, 7:00 p.m.

Sunday, November 4—Inspirational Concert with the Dan Kane Singers at St. Bernard’s Church, 426 Hazard Avenue, Enfield, 3:00 p.m. Free and open to the public.

Friday, November 30—The 30th Annual Dan Kane Christmas Spectacular at the MassMutual Center, Springfield, 7:30 p.m. Tickets available at the MassMutual Center Box Office 1-800-639-8602 and at Big Y supermarkets.

New Music, New Venues

Sam has written several new original songs during the past year, and is in the process of creating preliminary recordings that can be previewed on his music page. Since his holiday performances at the MassMutual Center’s Dan Kane Christmas Spectacular, Holyoke and Eastfield Mall benefits, The Munich Haus, and St. Patrick’s Church Christmas Eve Mass with the Dan Kane Singers, he has performed in a variety of interesting new venues.

In January, Sam represented Somers High School in the Connecticut Eastern Regions Music Festival. Subsequently, he auditioned for the All States at the University of Connecticut performing an excerpt from Mozart’s “Requiem”. Sam was honored to be the only student from Somers and one of few freshmen in the state to be selected to perform in the All States Music Festival, a three day event that culminated in a formidable concert featuring Connecticut’s top student musicians at Central Connecticut State University’s Welte Auditorium under the direction of internationally renowned conductor Dr. Paul Oakley of New York City.

In March, he also performed with the Somers Jazz Choir at the High School’s Prism Concert. One of the concert’s highlights featured Sam on vocals and keyboards with his sister Tess on drums performing a new original song entitled Strength (for Saphia) that they had recently debuted at Theodores in downtown Springfield as guests of Peter Newland’s “Radio X-File” band!

Nashville News

Sam spent several days of his February and April vacations in Nashville recording with Cliff Downs, a highly regarded and talented musician/producer who has become interested in Sam as a singer and songwriter. Sam is thrilled to be working with Cliff, and has put down some preliminary versions of his original songs that he plans to record during the summer with Cliff and his band. Sam and Cliff have also co-written some new material.

Spring, Summer and Beyond

Sam continues to work with Jim Argiro, his gifted teacher to whom he is deeply grateful for his piano and music wisdom. In addition to academic and musical commitments, Sam has been running the 400 meter sprint and the two mile long distance event for the Somers Varsity Track Team. He has been rehearsing for the upcoming production of Beauty and the Beast at Somers High School from May 3rd ? 5th.

Other musical plans include his Jazz Choir Spring Concert in May, a June wedding at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, the Somers Education Foundation Evening of Excellence Benefit on September 29th (a “Las Vegas” night featuring Rob Zappulla and his 18-piece band celebrating Frank Sinatra) and outdoor summer concerts with Dan Kane and musical friends Meghann Fahy, Traci Mnich, and Noah Lis (more information coming soon)! He continues his songwriting and is looking forward to his next trip to Nashville to record more of his original music.