Today we’d like to introduce you to Sam Grona.
Hi Sam, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I grew up going to dance halls with my family at a very young age. I would always sit next to the band and watch them play their instruments, and then at the end of the night ask them to play them while they pack up their gear. Ever since I can remember, I’ve been a complete music freak! I went on to playing percussion in middle school and playing in drumline at Georgetown High School. Most people have no idea that when I’m up on stage singing and playing guitar that I’m originally a drummer and still am. That’s my main instrument! Later on, after college an old friend of mine surprised me and forced me to go on stage at an open mic in Georgetown at Roots Bistro., and that was the first time I ever sang and played guitar in front of anyone that wasn’t my friends or family. After that, I was hooked and ended up meeting “my brother from another mother” Mr. Kyle Piland. Him and I have been playing together ever since we met at Roots years ago at an open mic. He is my right-hand man and our harmonies fit together like peanut and jelly! We both push each other to be the best we can be and keeping playing shows all around the area.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
It has not always been a smooth road and smooth sailing for my music career. Early on, after playing the open mic at Roots, I started a band with some old friends and everything was going well. That is until things got messy and egos came out with some people and the band split leaving me to play full shows by myself to pick up the pieces. It taught me that I could in fact play full shows by myself and get the crowd going. It was hard at first filling 3 hour shows but lots of practice and song suggestions got me where I’m at today.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I work for a company in Leander that builds professional recording microphones, preamps, and other pro audio equipment called Warm Audio. I am a repair technician and actually fixed a lot of the problems that arise in these products. I guess you could call me a solder junkie because I’ve always got a soldering iron in my hand working on circuit boards. I love the company to death and I wake up everyday excited to go to work. I’m very happy to still be working in the music industry for my day job and still being able to play shows on the weekends! Actually, everyone in my band has a technical job. Kyle being an engineer and Ross my fiddle player being a pilot, I guess you could say I’m the nerdiest country musician around! That’s what sets me apart.
If we knew you growing up, how would we have described you?
I was always a shy kid that kind of hung back and out of the spotlight, believe it or not! I know that doesn’t sound right being a musician on a stage in front of hundreds of people, but I always was and after working in retail, I kind of came out of my shell and began to be more forward with new people I met. Growing up in the country, I was always outside so everything you could imagine to do outside I did as a kid. Thankfully I had my older sister who is now my tour manager to play with and we did everything together. I couldn’t imagine growing up anywhere else, you really learn a lot as a kid in the country. I was still very heavily into music and actually had a building that my grandparents bought me to put my drums and music stuff in so I wouldn’t completely drive my family crazy.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/samgrona?utm_medium=copy_link
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/samleegrona/
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/channel/UCmFNFjYvyZsmDQqFSkNhJlQ
- Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/7pGQuLJqJtvT7edAXZpFnS?si=eUIKmnI4TPWQOc0dX_ur0Q&dl_branch=1
Image Credits
Nikki Grona
