London based Sam Kelly has been voted into the Blues In Britain magazine Gallery of the Greats as a five-times winner of the UK Drummer of the Year award. In recent years Sam has been awarded first place in the drummer category in the Blues Matters Writer’s Poll, and named runner up by the British Blues Awards.
Over the years Sam has performed with such well known artists as Dr. John, Ben E. King, Robert Plant, The Foundations, Chaka Khan, Billy Ocean, Michelle Shocked, Paul Jones, Imelda May, Andy Fairweather Low, Gary Moore, and Chris Barber.
Sam was an original member of renowned 1970’s British funk band Cymande who attained US Billboard R&B chart success with tracks such as Bra, Dove, and The Message.
The band became the first British based band to perform at the world renowned Apollo Theatre in Harlem, New York. Cymande reformed in 2014 and Sam has subsequently toured across the globe with them, including many headline shows at London's Ronnie Scott’s.
Sam also currently performs with Ma Bessie and Her Blues Troupe, award winning vocalist Malaya Blue, and his own band Sam Kelly's Station House, as well as many others.
On 23rd July 2023 Sam Kelly will be performing with The Stompin’ Dave Quartet at Shaftesbury Arts Centre as part of Shaftesbury Fringe Festival.