Headliner:

• Sam Donald

Opener:

• The Smokin' Oaks

Sam Donald is a vocalist/guitarist from Jackson, Mississippi who currently resides on the MS Gulf Coast. Sam played guitar in bands for years before deciding to step out on his own as a lead performer and songwriter in 2021.

In early 2024, several of Sam's songs and videos went viral on TikTok, collecting over fifteen million views in less than six weeks on the platform. Sam's streaming numbers increased over 400% as a result of the viral traction.

After several years working with his longtime producer, Zack Keel, in early 2023 the two made a conscious decision to stop chasing what they felt they "should" be pursuing, stylistically, and simply let the music and writing flow however it might. The result was a newfound style that is being loosely described as "grunge country". The first song the pair took this approach with became "Make You Want God". The song immediately became the fingerprint, stylistically, for what the two set out to create and has ultimately resulted in the authentic sound Sam hoped to accomplish, while building a space of his own that feels true to himself. Subsequent songs released in 2023 were "Nickels & Dimes" and "Son of the Sandman".