The Mission

http://youtu.be/HM5LmxymsVc

http://youtu.be/J3eCshh-81M

Take one listen to Sam Sliva and The Good and you’ll remember why you fell in love with music to begin with. Now based in Austin, Sliva grew up in the Houston area listening to everything from Bob Marley and Led Zeppelin to George Strait and John Lee Hooker.

“I like to combine all of my influences and make one collective sound,” Sliva says – and he’s done just that with his latest disc, …And the People Say. Elements of reggae, country, rock, blues, R&B and folk all intertwine to create something indefinable but coherent. Although it may best fit into Adult Contemporary or Americana rock playlists, the music retains a distinct edge and bluesy swagger that marks it as characteristically Sliva.

As adept a guitarist as he is a lyricist and songwriter, Sliva admits that he’s self taught and says “It really shows through in my music. Through everything from Neil Young to Robert Randolph channels, it gives it a uniqueness that people can appreciate.”

In one turn, Sliva reaches back to his reggae and Caribbean influences and marries them with R&B and southern blues, as he does on “Blind Addiction” and “It Is What It Is”, then turns around and explores folk stylings in the next with the ballad “My Last Goodbye”. Meanwhile, “Surrender” could sit comfortably on contemporary country radio, as “Your Kind” steps into pop and “Be Mine” churns out a barn-burning blues rock feel. Amidst that diversity, everything is tied together by Sliva’s bluesy baritone pipes, giving it a soothing quality that polishes everything out smoothly.

Radio immediately took notice as introductory single “It Is What It Is” initially charted at #51 on the AC charts and opened the door for Sliva to reveal more of himself and peel back the layers of his distinctive style and sound. Even before radio took hold, Sliva was already developing a following throughout Texas, Oklahoma and the Midwest and has built his fan base the old fashioned way: one show and one fan at a time.

With roughly 1000 live shows logged in over the past four years, Sliva thrives on the road. More recently, his touring schedule has seen him branch out from the Texas circuit to the Midwest and beyond while sharing the stage with some of the biggest names in the industry.

On …And the People Say, everything comes together for Sliva: Bluesy guitars, folk inspired detail in the storytelling, country grittiness and reggae underpinnings – all held together by Sliva’s soulful vocals and ability to craft not only catchy hooks, but also vivid and memorable lyrics. His eclectic style and ability to meld genres puts him in good company, allowing him to sit easily in playlists next to everyone from Michael Franti to Eli Young Band to John Mayer to Kenny Wayne Shepherd.

“It’s been said before, but the only way I know how to be immortal is through music,” Sliva says. “I don’t care about making a million dollars or selling a million records. Basically, I just want to be liked and appreciated by people who know what good music is.”

Those two things don’t have to be mutually exclusive and as his current album shows, Sliva has the talent and ability to accomplish both. His reputation and following can only grow, spreading from the Midwest to both coasts, as he tours behind …And the People Say with his band, The Good, and continues to break genre barriers for anyone who simply loves good music.

lowing him to sit easily in playlists next to everyone from Michael Franti to Eli Young Band to John Mayer to Kenny Wayne Shepherd.

“It’s been said before, but the only way I know how to be immortal is through music,” Sliva says. “I don’t care about making a million dollars or selling a million records. Basically, I just want to be liked and appreciated by people who know what good music is.”

Those two things don’t have to be mutually exclusive and as his current album shows, Sliva has the talent and ability to accomplish both. His reputation and following can only grow, spreading from the Midwest to both coasts, as he tours behind …And the People Say with his band, The Good, and continues to break genre barriers for anyone who simply loves good music.