Sam Valentine

Sam Valentine learned how to sing in church, how to play guitar from a patient teacher, and how to write good songs by writing bad ones.

Pulling on whatever thread feels right at the time, his musical outputs over the years have varied widely from simple singer-songwriter efforts to full-band compositions, usually relying heavily on lyrics inspired by his own life and a revolving door of musical influences.

Along with Alex Roberson, Matt Elgin, and Blake Hurt, he founded Richmond, VA rock outfit Honest Debts in 2017 and has served as the group’s lead vocalist and principal songwriter ever since. The band has released multiple studio recordings and headlined a Friday night residency at a Richmond live music staple, The Camel, in 2022.

“Somewhere Golden”, his latest solo EP engineered and mixed by Matt Elgin and mastered by Allen Bergendahl, marks a deliberate step into the singer-songwriter arena and channels influences like Wilco, Jason Isbell, and John Moreland.

Currently living and listening just South of the James River with his wife Darcy and their black lab Bandit, Sam’s probably working on the next song.