Today we’d like to introduce you to Sam Dingle.
Hi Sam, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
It all begins with a trip to the emergency room. In the 7th grade, my parents found me unresponsive and rushed me to the hospital where I was put into a medically induced coma. Turns out, I had a life threatening seizure. A week later, I was released from the hospital, and a few months after that, I wanted to play music. I’d never cared about music before, but seizures can connect new pathways in the brain. My parents wanted to support me, so they bought me my first bass.
At the end of my freshmen year of high school, the band director introduced me to Kind of Blue by Miles Davis and Blue Train by John Coltrane. The bassist in the school jazz band was graduating and he needed a replacement for the next year. I studied with a local bass teacher, Justin Meyer, and began digging heavily into jazz. The summer before my senior year of high school, I attended The Litchfield Jazz Camp which truly changed my life. It was at camp that I decided to become a professional musician.
I attended Loyola University New Orleans where I studied under Roland Guerin, and Ed Wise. I spent the following years playing professionally in the New Orleans music scene. During the pandemic, I began checking out more country and pop music, so I moved to Nashville in September of 2021 where I’ve been since.
In the summers, I serve as a Faculty member at the Litchfield Jazz Camp helping to run logistics and teaching students. I just finished my 16th consecutive year at the camp.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I don’t believe anyone who says their journey has been a smooth one. From balancing gigs and school work while in college, to paying bills fresh out of school, there have been many challenges. Here in Nashville, my biggest challenge is trusting the process. My upcoming calendar might look empty, but when I look back on my year, there hasn’t been a single week I haven’t been busy.
I also struggle with being my own #1 fan. I focus on other people’s success while down playing my own. If the Sam in the middle of the pandemic could see me now, he’d be proud to know he was gigging full time in Nashville. If the Sam from high school could see me now, he’d pass out from excitement because of all I’ve accomplished.
Moving to a new city can be very lonely. The first few years in Nashville, I felt like I was running around in the dark. My beautiful wife was raised in New Orleans, and something that city instilled into her, and into me, is the importance of community. It took a minute, but I’ve managed to surround myself with some of the most incredible people I have ever known personally and professionally. I will be forever grateful for people like Curry Winborn, Raven Pfeiffer, Seth Cook, Meagan Allen, Alex St Kitts, Daniel Newell, Zakk Garner and many others.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I’m a professional musician specializing in both Electric and Upright bass. I tour on the road with various artists out of Nashville Tennessee and lately have been doing a fair share of studio work.
I think I’m most known for my professionalism. I cannot stress enough how important it is to always be a pro, both on and off the stage. For me, at least 70% of being a successful musician has nothing to do with playing music. It’s showing up early, having the material prepared, being flexible, and ALWAYS delivering work on time.
That’s something I’m very proud of. I want to be someone others can depend on. If you call me with a month of prep time, or 24 hours, I will give 100%. Here’s one of my favorite examples:
I got a call at 8pm from an artist in town. Their bass player had an emergency and couldn’t play their album release show scheduled that same night at 9pm. I jumped in last minute. I got the music and the charts, made notes and went to the venue. When I walked in, the band was huddled in a corner trying to plan the show. I recognized one of the musicians from a previous gig. When they saw me with my bass, they turned to the rest of the band and said “Hey guys, Sam”s here, we’re gonna be fine”.
Can you talk to us a bit about happiness and what makes you happy?
In the professional music world, being dependable, and making others lives easier is very rewarding to me. At home, spending time with my wife is important, because she’s the coolest person I know. We love going on walks and throwing parties with our friends, as well as staying in after I come back from long runs.
I’m a huge TV buff. I enjoy finding new movies and shows to dig into. My friend Raven Pfeiffer and I love taking advantage of the AMC half off deal on Tuesdays.
I genuinely still love studying music for the fun of it even though it’s hard to find time. Lately I’ve been digging into old Oscar Peterson trio recordings to fuel my jazz/upright world, and I’m always digging into current and past pop records to learn different ways to support a song from the bass player’s chair.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/samdinglebass/
