Les Sampou

{{short description|American singer-songwriter}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2020}}

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{{BLP sources|date=March 2020}}

{{Notability|Music|date=March 2020}}

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{{Infobox musical artist

|name = Les Sampou

|image = LesSampouPRPic.jpg

|background = solo_singer

|origin =

|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1961|11|4}}

|birth_place = Norwalk, Connecticut, United States

|instrument = Vocals, guitar

|genre = Folk, blues, rock

|occupation = Singer-songwriter, record producer, composer

|years_active = 1993–present

|label =Rounder Records, Indie

|website = {{URL|www.lessampoumusic.com/}}

|current_members =

|past_members =

}}

Les Sampou (born November 4, 1961){{Cite web|url=https://www.lyrics.com/artist/Les-Sampou|title=Les Sampou Lyrics|website=Lyrics.com|access-date=November 11, 2020}}{{Cite web|url=https://whathappenedinhistorytoday.wordpress.com/2015/11/page/3/|title=November 2015 – Page 3|website=Whathappenedinhistorytoday.wordpress.com|date=November 10, 2015 |access-date=November 11, 2020}} is an American singer-songwriter and recording artist. She was born in Norwalk, Connecticut, United States. Sampou has toured nationally since the 1990s, performing at stages such as the Montreal Jazz Festival, the Philadelphia Folk Festival, and the Toronto Blues Festival. She has recorded six albums for Rounder Records and as an indie artist. Sampou is known for her "diverse song styles, smart lyrics, and hook-laden melodies." (The Boston Globe){{citation needed|date=March 2020}}

Sampou's Borrowed & Blue album recorded in 2001, is a collection of country blues classics recorded live by songwriter JP Jones, featuring Sampou on guitar and vocals. It received critical acclaim from critics like Roberta Schwartz of the Peterborough Folk Music Society, who highlighted how the album showcased blues can be reached to a younger audience.{{cite web |first1=Roberta|last1=Schwartz |title=FAME Review: Les Sampou - Borrowed and Blue |url=https://www.acousticmusic.com/fame/p01926.htm |website=www.acousticmusic.com |access-date=16 February 2022}}

In 2010, Sampou released an Americana-themed recording called Lonesomeville,{{Cite news|url=http://archive.boston.com/ae/music/articles/2010/06/04/festival_supports_a_wide_spectrum_of_folk/|title=A wide spectrum of folk|first=Scott|last=Alarik|date=June 4, 2010|access-date=November 11, 2020|newspaper=The Boston Globe}} charting at number two in the radio FAR Charts, accompanied by a series of concert shows in traditional folk venues, such as Passim, in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and additional Boston area venues in cooperation with local musicians Taylor Amerding, Mark Cunningham, Andy Plaisted, Kevin Barry, Mike Dinallo and Jimmy Ryan.

In 2015, Sampou wrote for television and film projects, and toured in New England. She released her sixth album, Live at Church, a dedication album to the national coffeehouse circuit of volunteers and promoters who present on church stages.