PLUCKED while still a student to tour with Joan Armatrading, and championed by Neil Young on his ‘Living With War’ website, Dan Raza has spent the first chapter of his career weaving folk troubadour magic around the clubs and halls of the UK and Europe while quietly building a reputation as one of the UK’s best-kept musical secrets.

With two critically-acclaimed albums under his belt, the singer-songwriter, whose roots lie in folk, Americana and lyrical pop balladry, has won support along the way from some of the biggest names in folk music, such as Rodney Crowell (“great voice and fine arranging sensibilities”), Tom Paxton (“killer songs”) and John McCutcheon (“one of my favourite discoveries of recent years”), and has long been tipped for wider mainstream recognition.

Now with the release of his third LP –  Wayfarer – that could happen. While the core elements of his music remain rooted in the troubadour tradition, the album’s eclectic mix of styles – ranging from soul, folk, blues, country, Tin Pan Alley, and Britpop – betoken a wider appeal. With shades of Jackson Browne, Bruce Springsteen, Roy Orbison and Bill Withers, Raza’s latest offering could well be the one to reach a mainstream audience.

“My name is Sam Mooney. I’m a musician from Mississippi, and I’m lucky enough to have the privilege of making music for you.

For as long as I can remember, few things have brought me as much joy as music. Whether it’s going to a show, playing piano, or jamming to music in the car with friends, I just love it. Naturally, a life working in the music industry is the dream I decided to chase!

Over the last several years, I’ve spent most of my free time on the road playing shows. In that time, I’ve been blessed with some amazing opportunities. I’ve gotten to open for and share the stage with some of my favorite bands and musicians, record and release three projects, and travel around the country performing. Most importantly, however, I’ve gotten make countless new friends on the journey.

My hope is to write music that will speak into your life. Music that will bring you joy. Music that will be a soundtrack to whatever lies ahead on your journey. My goal is to put on fun and exciting shows that will allow you to escape into a special musical experience and make great memories. Hopefully, I’ll even get to meet you at a show sometime!

There’s so much more I could say, but I’ll leave the conversation with you to be continued in person or on social media. My links can be found at the bottom of the page!

Thanks again for being here. It’s only because of you that I get to make music.”