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Sammie Thompson is a northwest original - an award-winning songwriter;
newspaper writer, editor and photographer. Born into a musical Grays
Harbor family, her father a self- described "weekend musician" and her
mother an impressive vocal talent whose recordings received local radio
airplay. |
| Sammie's first recording was made at home when she was five. About that
same time, her father started her on piano, later adding ukulele and
saxophone. She made her vocal debut as a band singer at age 13. After high school, she took up guitar and banjo, adding
other instruments over the years. |
| Sammie began writing songs in 1968 and took her efforts to Nashville. There
a publishing company sponsored a recording of her songs featuring her
vocals, and encouraged her to become a professional singer - songwriter.
She soon launched her career as a pianist/vocalist, and since has traveled
extensively throughout the U.S., to Mexico, Canada, and made two tours of
Europe, Australia and New Zealand. |
| For several years in Arizona, where she was also known as Desert Rose and
formed a band under that name, Sammie performed in the resort areas of
Phoenix, Scottsdale and Sedona. In 1983, Arizona Press Women presented her
with two awards for outstanding writing during her tenure as Editor of
Verde View. |
| Other career highlights have included being the first entertainer to
perform at the historic El Tovar Hotel on the South Rim of the Grand
Canyon, and the first American act engaged at the Athens Hilton Hotel in
Greece. |
| In Hawaii six years, Sammie entertained on the Windjammer Cruises and at most of the major resorts on
Oahu. As an entertainment consultant with
Universal Artists, she booked talent for clients such as America Hawaii
Cruises and Hilton Hawaiian Village; produced, directed and appeared in
numerous live music programs for conventions, corporate functions and trade shows, and served
two years as Entertainment Coordinator for the March of Dimes WalkAmerica
programs in Honolulu. |
| As Director of Keiki Choir, she taught and conducted nearly 80 combined
voices from age 3 - 13. Following a holiday performance which included one
of her original songs, Sammie was invited to join Hawaii Songwriters
Association. She became an active member, directing four television
programs with HSA and Oceanic Cable, featuring Hawaii songwriters,
composers and their music, serving also as producer for two of those. |
| Sammie also founded TAPA, a school of music instruction, and was contracted
by the U. S. Army to teach music at two military installations. Through
Kalihi-Palama Culture and Arts Center, she provided chorus, music
composition and theory classes at an Oahu correctional facility. |
| The first of Sammie's songwriting awards came in 1985. She became a
professional songwriter in 1988, after receiving a first place award in the
Royal Hawaiian/KCCN Radio Christmas Song Contest. Her winning entry,
"Christmas in Hawaii Nei" as recorded by the Jive Sisters, was released in
1989. |
| Returning to the Pacific Northwest in 1991, Sammie teamed up with
percussionist Rick Frye to form Heartbeat, a musical duo dedicated to
upliftment and fun, and released her first album,"Temple of the Heart"- a
live recording featuring twelve of her original songs. |
| In 1995, Sammie recorded and released her first solo album, "Hello, World -
I Love You" featuring her keyboard/vocal renditions of heartfelt original
songs about life and love. She also entertained visitors in the
Paddlewheel Lounge aboard the Queen of the West Riverboat on the Columbia
River during its inaugural season. |
| In response to growing requests for recordings of her soothing harp music,
in 1998 Sammie released two instrumental harp albums of her innovative
compositions for musical massage:"Journey to the Ocean" - recorded live
at the ocean, and "Journey Into the Heart". |
| She continues to write, compose, perform, travel, teach, and develop new
recording projects, while actively researching and documenting the healing
effects of music on body, mind, emotions and spirit. Her findings are
presented in concerts and workshops, and to date have been shared in the
U.S., Canada and Mexico. |
| For more information, contact: |
MUSIC LADY
Sammie Thompson
P. O. Box 477
Milford, OH
45150-0477
www.musiclady.net
email
Music Lady |
- Entertainer -
Beautiful Music for All Occasions
- Certified Music Practitioner -
Music for Healing and Transition
- Professional songwriter/composer/arranger
- Performance Coach
- Entertainment Specialist
- Teacher
- Piano, voice, harp, guitar, saxophone, ukulele, songwriting,
choir, ensemble, music theory and composition, creative writing, theater
arts, modeling
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