Sam Woolf Explained

Sam Woolf
Birth Name:Samuel Joseph Woolf
Birth Date:19 April 1996[1]
Birth Place:West Bloomfield, Michigan, United States
Years Active:2013–present
Genre:Indie folk, folk-pop, folk rock, indie pop
Occupation:Singer-songwriter
Instrument:Vocals, guitar

Samuel Joseph Woolf (born April 19, 1996) is an American singer-songwriter from West Bloomfield, Michigan who finished in fifth place on the thirteenth season of American Idol. Shortly after his participation on the series, he released the EP Pretend, which reached the top ten on Billboards Heatseekers chart. Since then, he has released several non-album singles and collaborated on several songs with The Como Brothers.

Early life

Sam Woolf was born on April 19, 1996, in West Bloomfield, Michigan to Mary and Scott Woolf.[2] [3] His great-grandfather, Sammy Woolf, was a well-known Detroit bandleader, his uncle is composer Randall Woolf, and pianist Kathleen Supové is his aunt (by marriage). His great-uncle, Mickey Woolf, was a musician prominent in Detroit's Jewish community.[4] Woolf was a student at the Scotch Elementary School in West Bloomfield, but moved to North Port, Florida in 2006 when he was 9.[4] [5] When he was 13, his mother remarried and moved to another city in Florida, and Woolf and his older sister Emily remained in North Port with their father. Woolf and his father moved to Bradenton just prior to his second year of high school, where he attended Braden River High School. At the beginning of his junior year, he moved in with his grandparents who also live in Bradenton.

Woolf's first live public performance was at his sixth grade talent show where he performed The Beatles' "Hey Jude."[6] Woolf later became interested in music as a career, took singing lessons from an opera teacher, Bob Lischetti, and performed locally in Bradenton.[7] He also was mentored at the Del Couch Music Education Foundation and went to Interlochen Arts Camp in Michigan for four weeks the summer after his second year of high school. In the summer of 2013, Woolf completed a five-week program at the Berklee College of Music and was selected as one of the top four songwriters for their singer showcase, where he performed an original song, "The Same."[5] While he was in Boston, the audition for the thirteenth season of American Idol was held near Berklee College of Music and at his mother's suggestion, he decided to attend the audition. He attended Berklee College of Music, briefly, before pursuing his full time career as a singer songwriter.

American Idol

See main article: American Idol (season 13).

Woolf auditioned in Boston, singing "Lego House" by Ed Sheeran. He sang "Waiting on the World to Change" on the first round in Hollywood, and his original composition entitled "I Tried" in the final solo of the Hollywood Round.

EpisodeThemeSong choiceOriginal artistOrderResult
AuditionAuditioner's Choice"Lego House"Ed SheeranN/AAdvanced
Hollywood Round, Part 1A Capella"Waiting on the World to Change"John MayerN/AAdvanced
Hollywood Round, Part 2Group Performance"Treasure"
with Kristen O'Connor
Bruno MarsN/AAdvanced
Hollywood Round, Part 3Solo"I Tried" (original composition)Sam WoolfN/AAdvanced
Top 31 (10 Men)Personal Choice"Babylon"David Gray4Advanced
Top 13This Is Me"Unwell"Matchbox Twenty12Safe
Top 12Home "Just One"Blind Pilot9Safe
Top 11Songs from the Cinema"Come Together"The Beatles1Bottom 3
Top 10Billboard Top 10"We Are Young"Fun feat. Janelle Monáe10Safe
Top 9I'm with the Band!"Hey There Delilah"Plain White T's5Bottom 3
Top 8Back to the StartSolo "Lego House"Ed Sheeran4Saved
Duet "Lucky"
with Malaya Watson
Jason Mraz & Colbie Caillat8
Top 8Songs from the 1980sDuet "The Girl Is Mine"
with Alex Preston
Michael Jackson & Paul McCartney3Safe
Solo "Time After Time"Cyndi Lauper7
Top 7Competitors' ChoiceDuet "Let Her Go"
with Alex Preston
Passenger3Safe
Solo "Sail Away"David Gray8
Top 6Rock 'n' Roll"It's Time"Imagine Dragons2Safe
Country"You're Still the One"Shania Twain7
Top 5America's RequestsTrio "Best Day of My Life"
with Jena Irene & Alex Preston
American Authors3Eliminated
Solo "Sing"Ed Sheeran5
Solo "How to Save a Life"The Fray10

Post-Idol

After his appearance on Idol, Woolf deferred for one year an offer of admissions to Berklee College of Music until fall 2015.[8] [9] Woolf performed nationally in the American Idol season 13 tour,[10] then held a 'Welcome Home' concert in Bradenton, Florida at IMG Academy Stadium on September 27, 2014.[11] He opened a similar homecoming concert for his fellow American Idol season 13 finalist, Alex Preston, at the Capitol Center For the Arts in Concord, New Hampshire on November 8, 2014,[12] and on February 28, 2015, he performed in Lakewood Ranch, Florida's Winterfest, along with The Doobie Brothers, War, Jefferson Starship, Matt Walden and performers from the Del Couch Music Education Foundation.[13] [14] [15]

Woolf wrote and recorded a five-song EP, Pretend, which he self-released on December 18, 2014.[16] The album was partially crowdfunded and was produced by Danny Blume, who co-wrote some of the songs with Woolf.[17]

On September 1, 2016, Woolf released the standalone single "Stop Thinking About It",[18] [19] [20] and on January 1, 2017, he released the standalone single "Fast 'n' Dirty".[21] [22] [23] Music videos were released for both singles.[20] [22] Woolf co-wrote "Fast 'n' Dirty" with Orion Meshorer and Stephen Puthon. Explaining the song, he said, "Never in a million years did I think I'd have a song called 'Fast and Dirty'...I'd just like to say that this song/video is supposed to be a joke, in a way...don't take it seriously."[22] On April 19, 2017, he released the standalone single "Call Me Crazy", which features Christina Galligan.[24] [25] [26] Woolf co-wrote "Call Me Crazy" with Meshorer and Parker James.[27] On August 25, 2018, he released the standalone single "You",[28] [29] on August 12, 2020, he released the standalone single "Ease My Mind",[30] [31] [32] and on October 1, 2021, he released the standalone single "Good Ol Times".[33] On June 17, 2022, he released a cover of "Danny's Song" by Kenny Loggins.[34] On January 1, 2023, he released the standalone single "Worst Thing", which he described as "the most honest song" he had "ever written";[35] [36] on February 24, 2023, he released the standalone single, "Light Me Up";[37] and on July 28, 2023, he released the standalone single "Bet On You",[38] which he wrote with the Como Brothers.[39]

Live at 89 North, a 2015 EP by the Como Brothers, features Woolf on a cover of "Hey Jude". Woolf and the Como Brothers have since continued to collaborate. In 2018, they released the single "On It" and announced an upcoming six-track EP titled Backbeat in the Morning.[26] Leading up to the release of their EP, they have released three more tracks: "Diamonds on my Chain" in 2019, "Twisted" in January 2020, and "Coming Home" in September 2020.[40] [41] [42] [43] [44] Backbeat in the Morning was recorded with Grammy-winning engineer Kenta Yonesaka at Germano Studios in New York City.[45] [46] Music videos have been released for all four songs.[46] In 2022, Woolf and the Como Brothers released the song "Give a Little Love".[47]

Woolf has opened multiple concerts for We The Kings.[48] [49] He has also performed at Dream Fest in Tampa, the Warwick Summer Concert Series in New York, the Boston Arts Festival, and the Riverwalk Regatta in Florida. He often performs at events, both public and private, in Florida, the Midwest, and the Northeast.[15]

Discography

Singles

YearSongAlbum
2016"Stop Thinking About It"Non-album single
2017"Fast 'n' Dirty"
"Call Me Crazy"
2018"You"
2020"Ease My Mind"
2021"Good Ol Times"
2022"Danny's Song"
2023"Worst Thing"
"Light Me Up"
"Bet On You"

As featured artist

YearSongAlbum
2015"Hey Jude"
Live at 89 North
2018"On It"
Backbeat in the Morning
2019"Diamonds On My Chain"
2020"Twisted"
"Coming Home"
2022"Give a Little Love"
N/A

American Idol digital singles

YearSongAlbum
2014"We Are Young"Non-album single
"Hey There Delilah"
"Lego House"
"Time After Time"
"Sail Away"
"You're Still the One"
"How to Save a Life"

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: 'American Idol' finalist and Bradenton student Sam Woolf says confidence will show: interview . Tatangelo . Wade . February 25, 2014. Sarasota Herald-Tribune . February 27, 2014.
  2. Web site: Sam Woolf Continues on American Idol . Roger C. Pettingell .
  3. News: 'American Idol' sends 3 Michigan-born contestants onto the big stage for finals . Brian McCollum . February 20, 2014 . Detroit Free Press .
  4. News: Michigan singers are a wonder as 'American Idol' enters semifinals . Brian McCollum . Detroit Free Press . February 20, 2014 .
  5. News: Before the 'Woolfpack,' he was just shy Sam Woolf . Sarasota Herald-Tribune .
  6. News: Bradenton student Sam Woolf advances to Hollywood Week on 'American Idol' . Jay Handelman . Sarasota Herald-Tribune . January 15, 2014 .
  7. Web site: 'American Idol' Season 13: Sam Woolf Explains the Magic of 'Hey Jude' . Fred Bronson . The Hollywood Reporter . March 20, 2014 .
  8. Web site: About Same Woolf . samwoolfmusic.com. https://web.archive.org/web/20150319041747/http://www.samwoolfmusic.com:80/about.html. March 19, 2015.
  9. News: 'Idol' tour brings Bradenton's Woolf home . Walt Belcher . The Tampa Tribune . July 16, 2014 .
  10. Web site: 'American Idol' Live Tour 2014: No Band, No Problem. Michele Amabile Angermiller. Hollywood Reporter. July 10, 2014. August 1, 2020.
  11. Web site: Sam Woolf in Concert. IMG Academy. October 12, 2014.
  12. Web site: Reid. Matthew. Alex Preston Is Coming Home. Mix104.1. October 12, 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20150708003021/http://mix1041.cbslocal.com/2014/10/03/alex-preston-is-coming-home-live-at-capital-center-for-the-arts-november-8-2014/. July 8, 2015.
  13. Web site: Doobie Brothers, Sam Woolf to play at Winterfest at Lakewood Ranch. Marty Clear. The Bradenton Herald. November 11, 2014. August 1, 2020.
  14. Web site: Rising Stars: A wave of hot young artists is rocking the Manatee County music scene. Shellie Terry Benson. LWR Life Magazine. May 29, 2015. July 5, 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150613095059/http://www.lwrlifemagazine.com/2015/05/rising-stars/. June 13, 2015.
  15. Web site: Sam Woolf – Bio. samwoolfmusic.com. August 1, 2020.
  16. Web site: Sam Woolf releases new EP . December 24, 2014 . WWSA MySuncoast .
  17. News: Bradenton's Sam Woolf releases EP The 'American Idol' finalist wrote all five songs on 'Pretend' . Marty Clear . December 23, 2014 . Bradenton Herald .
  18. Web site: @SamWoolfMusic. Sam Woolf. Twitter. August 31, 2016. August 1, 2020.
  19. Web site: @SamWoolfMusic. Sam Woolf. Twitter. September 1, 2016. August 1, 2020.
  20. Web site: Check Out the New Music Video From Former Idol Standout Sam Woolf. Mark Franklin. Idol Chatter. The York Dispatch. September 6, 2016. August 1, 2020.
  21. Web site: @SamWoolfMusic. Sam Woolf. Twitter. January 1, 2017. August 1, 2020.
  22. Web site: Sam Woolf Goes 'Fast n Dirty" on His New Single. Mark Franklin. Idol Chatter. The York Dispatch. January 7, 2017. August 1, 2020.
  23. Live Music w/ Sam Woolf. Lansing Brewing Company. Lansing, Michigan. August 1, 2020.
  24. Web site: @SamWoolfMusic. Sam Woolf. Twitter. April 18, 2017. August 1, 2020.
  25. Web site: @SamWoolfMusic. Sam Woolf. Twitter. April 19, 2017. August 1, 2020.
  26. Web site: Season 13 Standout Sam Woolf Plans EP as Part of a Trio. Mark Franklin. Idol Chatter. February 21, 2018. August 1, 2020.
  27. Web site: "Call Me Crazy" featuring Christina Galligan by Sam Woolf and Orion. samwoolfmusic.com. August 1, 2020.
  28. Web site: @SamWoolfMusic. Sam Woolf. Twitter. August 25, 2018. August 1, 2020.
  29. Web site: 2018 Post-American Idol Singles. Mark Franklin. Idol Chatter. The York Dispatch. December 30, 2018. August 1, 2020.
  30. Web site: @SamWoolfMusic. Sam Woolf. Twitter. August 2, 2020. February 3, 2021.
  31. Web site: @SamWoolfMusic. Sam Woolf. Twitter. August 12, 2020. February 3, 2021.
  32. Web site: Lauren Alaina, Graville Automatic, Sam Woolf Release New Music. Mark Franklin. Idol Chatter. August 24, 2020. February 3, 2021.
  33. Web site: October 1, 2021 . Sam Woolf. @SamWoolfMusic . Twitter. June 21, 2022.
  34. Web site: @SamWoolfMusic. Sam Woolf. Twitter. June 17, 2022. June 21, 2022.
  35. Web site: Sam Woolf, American Idol at the Crossroads - NYS Music . 2023-01-01 . nysmusic.com.
  36. Web site: Worst Thing . 2023-01-01 . Worst Thing . en. https://web.archive.org/web/20230101234335/https://samwoolf.hearnow.com/. January 1, 2023.
  37. Web site: Woolf . Sam . February 24, 2023 . @SamWoolfMusic . 2023-02-25 . Twitter . en.
  38. Web site: Woolf . Sam . July 27, 2023 . @SamWoolfMusic . Twitter.
  39. Sam Woolf On His Single "Bet On You" & More!. Sam Woolf. Emily Curl. iHeartRadio. September 18, 2023. June 12, 2024. video.
  40. Web site: The Como Brothers Release "Diamonds On My Chain". Buzz-Music. March 29, 2019. August 1, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200810082124/https://www.buzz-music.com/post/the-como-brothers-release-diamonds-on-my-chain. August 10, 2020.
  41. Web site: Denise Sherod . February 25, 2020 . The Como Brothers has released an awesome new track called "Twisted" (featuring Sam Woolf) . https://web.archive.org/web/20200827132100/https://www.reignland.co/the-como-brothers-twisted-featuring-sam-woolf/ . August 27, 2020 . August 1, 2020 . Reignland.
  42. Web site: Sam Woolf and The Como Brothers Team-up to Produce the Timeless and Spirited Single, "Coming Home". Buzz-Music. October 9, 2020 . February 3, 2021.
  43. Web site: @SamWoolfMusic. Sam Woolf. Twitter. January 5, 2020. February 3, 2021.
  44. Web site: @SamWoolfMusic. Sam Woolf. Twitter. September 17, 2020. February 3, 2021.
  45. Web site: Sam Woolf and The Como Brothers Join Forces and Release New Single ON IT. TV News Desk. BroadwayWorld. February 2, 2018. August 1, 2020.
  46. Web site: Collaborations – Como Brothers. comobrothersband.com. August 1, 2020.
  47. Web site: February 1, 2022 . @SamWoolfMusic . 2022-11-12 . Twitter . en.
  48. Web site: We the Kings Celebrate Coming Home. Vicky Sullivan. The Suncoast Post. December 29, 2016. August 1, 2020.
  49. Web site: We the Kings are coming home to headline Bradenton Area River Regatta. Mark Young. Bradenton Herald. December 18, 2018. August 1, 2020.
  50. Heatseekers Albums . Billboard .