Vancouver Folk Music Festival

July 14 to 16, 2023

Samantha Parton | BC

Vancouver native Samantha Parton is probably best known as a founding member of award-winning Canadian alt-folk/bluegrass group The Be Good Tanyas. A singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, Parton formed the group in the late 1990s with Jolie Holland, eventually adding Frazey Ford and Trish Klein. Parton’s distinctive voice and powerful songwriting were some of the group’s greatest strengths. Their song “The Littlest Birds” became a folk anthem for Vancouver and beyond, and highlighted their signature spine-tingling harmonies.

On hiatus from The Tanyas in 2012, Parton was involved in two serious car accidents that left her with injuries bad enough that she was unable to play music. She was sidelined for several years. Thankfully, with lots of support, Sam recovered and started making gorgeous music once again.

She reunited with former bandmate Jolie Holland in 2017 and they released Wildflower Blues, an album that wove together influences spanning jazz, blues, country, folk, rock, experimental, and the great wide history of American song, into their own kind of soul music. Parton also produced a cover of The Grateful Dead’s “Attics of My Life”, and is currently working on a solo album.

An artist with a singular voice, Sam Parton can hold audiences in the palm of her hand. We are so grateful that she is able to grace our stages once again.

She will also be performing in American Beauties: Songs of the Grateful Dead Re-Imagined.