S2E2 Sam Mooney

At only twenty-one years old, Sam Mooney has already become a #1-selling iTunes Singer/Songwriter, performed from Los Angeles to Boston, and won the nation's largest amateur youth talent competition. His soulful brand of pop music has earned critical and commercial success and has drawn comparisons to artists such as John Mayer, Eric Hutchinson, Maroon 5, and Andy Grammer. Born and raised as one of seven children in Brookhaven, Mississippi, Mooney was greatly influenced by the music of his home region. His CD collection as a child consisted primarily of early R&B pioneers such as Ray Charles, Dr. John, B.B. King and more. The influence of these artists can still be heard in Mooney's distinctively soulful vocals and piano playing. Mooney started playing the piano at eight years old and began writing songs as a teen. He started off writing instrumental blues piano jams, but as his exposure to the wider world of music continued to grow, he began to write songs in almost every genre.