Sam Walton is an experienced and versatile singer, keyboardist, arranger and composer. With a penchant for singing a variety of styles, her jazz and soul roots broaden to a love of folk and storytelling, heard in her original compositions.
After graduating from The Australian Institute of Music with a BMus in 2008, Sam Walton moved from Sydney to London. Mentored by one of the UK’s most highly regarded vocal coaches, Joshua Alamu (Little Mix, Joss Stone, The Voice UK), she performed as a singer at numerous venues across the UK and Europe.
In 2010, Sam was invited by Combined Services Entertainment (CSE) to entertain military personnel in Cyprus, Oman, Dubai, Jordan, Belize, Germany and Afghanistan. One half of ‘Sam & Andy’ alongside Andy Walton, the duo soon became a crowd favourite and travelled the globe boosting morale and performing entertaining, memorable shows. From singing in FOBs on the frontline in Afghanistan to entertaining thousands alongside first-class international comedians in large production shows in Camp Bastion, Kandahar and Kabul, Sam soon became a ‘forces sweetheart’ as military audiences fell in love with her captivating stage presence and vocal agility.
In 2014, Sam was presented with an Operational Service Medal by Her Majesty’s Armed Forces for her time spent entertaining the troops in Afghanistan.
Sam has performed as a guest entertainer in headline shows on Royal Caribbean, Oceania, Holland America and Fred Olsen cruise liners, covering the songs of Joni Mitchell, Aretha Franklin and Carole King along with a wide cross-section of repertoire, transcribing and arranging all charts for the nine-piece orchestra on board.
Since her return to Sydney in 2016, Sam has worked as a primary Academic Lecturer at The Australian Institute of Music where she runs Contemporary and Music Theatre voice masterclasses, individual voice lessons, ensemble collaborations and theory/aural classes. Sam also leads the AIM choir and smaller elite vocal ensembles with a focus on jazz and contemporary vocal harmony, and specialises in mentoring graduates as they prepare for their transition into the global music industry.
In 2022, vocal group Lyhra (Sam Walton, Trish Delaney-Brown, Bri Cowlishaw) was formed. Created as an antidote to isolation and disconnection, Lyhra is the alchemy of three strong women, celebrated singers, songwriters and performers in their own right, surrendering their singularity for the joy of creative and musical communion. Lyhra celebrates vocal harmony, with music reminiscent of treasured vocal trios from the past along with their own arrangements and original compositions. They are currently performing shows at venues across NSW, building a diverse following and delivering nights of musical ‘Joie de vivre’!
Sam Walton Music 