Sam’s holiday single “send me a saint, st. nick” gaining christmas airplay

Originally recorded in 2017, “Send Me a Saint Nick” is an original holiday tune written by Sam and her writing parter Jason White (Carrie Underwood, Tim McGraw, Old Crow Medicine Show) who also produced her 2018 Stargazer album with world-class drummer and producer Nick Buda (Kenny Chesney, Taylor Swift, Jewel, Brooks & Dunn.) The song was an ode to the jazzy Christmas standards of yesteryear and was written in a format that reflected both Sam’s personal music tastes and her desire for the song to have a timeless, ageless feel.

“I wanted my own version of a ‘Santa Baby’, if you will, but updated a bit for modern times and to reflect who I am as a woman, “ Stephens reveals.

“The cheeky charm of that Eartha Kitt classic lies in the opulence of those gifts: a yacht, a duplex, checks, decorations from Tiffany’s, a ‘54 covertible, a ring . . . None of those things really appeal to me except the ring, as it symbolizes that great love we desire, especially during the holidays. We sort of started there and realized during the writing session that the most genuine thing I wanted more than anything was just a truly wonderful, real person to come into my life and love me the way I deserved to be loved. Instead of the objects of my desire, we wrote of the healthy qualities I desired in an ideal mate and put him on my Christmas list for Santa. I knew at lot of beleaguered, single girls at the time who were feeling the same way I was. This song perfectly reflects the kinds of conversations we were having about dating in the modern world. I knew so many people would relate to this feeling: frustration and hope.”

The song first received airplay in 2017 on Nashville’s famed Lightning 100 and still plays during the holiday season. It continues to spin during the Christmas and recently debuted on Macon, Georgia’s WNEX-FM The Creek for steady rotation during their holiday season.

“It’s the gift that keeps on giving for me,” Stephens says. “I have so many dreams for this song that I hope to see come true. Who knows? Maybe they will. Isn’t that the magic of Christmas?”

A New Musical Season

2023 marked the beginning of a new record season for Sam, where an exploration of her biggest influences in classic country appear in her writing and her approach to a sophomore album. Stephens’s work as a tenured music journalist in the country music sphere allowed her to create and launch a new show with Apple Music, “Rhinestone Radio,” which focuses on the monumental history, sounds, figures, and songs to come out of Nashville in the 1960s and 1970s. The venture has also been a tremendous inspiration musically for the singer-songwriter.

Stephens looks to release a new album in 2024.

She frequents writer’s rounds and clubs in and around Nashville, and also tours around the southeast and mid-Atlantic.  She has toured Australia with singer/songwriter Chad Mason and headlined her own Armed Forces Entertainment Tour where she and Mason played for US troops in Greenland, the Bahamas and historic Guantanamo Bay.  She’s also shared the stage with pop singer Daphne Willis, Rock and Roll Hall of Famer John Oates, and Grammy-winner Francesca Battistelli on tour and at world-renowned Carnegie Hall.

The Stargazer Era

In 2018, Sam celebrated the release of her debut album Stargazer, a labor of love and a true team effort led by hit songwriter Jason White and beloved drummer Nick Buda, and songwriter/producer Simon Gugala.

Stargazer finds Sam digging deep into her musical roots and embracing the jazz, blues, and soul elements that make up some of the most vibrant colors of her vast musical tapestry. The album marks a return to music for her after taking a hiatus from the industry to address and recover from a rare debilitating disease called Cushing’s Syndrome.

Voices like Ella Fitzgerald, Bobbie Gentry, Rosemary Clooney, Linda Ronstadt, Nina Simone, Bonnie Raitt, and Eva Cassidy have all played a part in influencing Sam’s sound.