Sam Sims
"the Industry's Bassist"
Discovering the Sound
Born in Chattanooga, TN., Sam Sims began his music career at age 6. He attended McCallie High School and later attended Morehouse College. At age twelve, self-taught and influenced by greats such as Verdine White, Jaco Pastorius, James Jamerson, Larry Graham, Louis Johnson, Marcus Miller, and Stanley Clarke, Sam began playing the bass guitar.
Sam sharpened his musical skills as a member of both the McCallie School Big Band Jazz Orchestra and the Morehouse College Jazz Ensemble. However, the soul of his funk-fusion sound was birthed and is credited to playing with various local Chattanooga and Atlanta funk and rock bands.
Sam Sims playing the bass
Sam Sims // Bring Back the Funk [MartinLogan Presents: Artists in Motion]
Important Connections
After graduating from Morehouse College, Sam moved to Los Angeles, California. Sam now considers gigging and auditioning in LA as milestones of his career. Sam Sims has been a staple in Rhythm and Blues, Pop, Rock, and Jazz for over 30 years. Throughout his career he has worked with musical giants including Michael Jackson, Janet Jackson, Mariah Carey, Justin Timberlake, Michael McDonald, Utada Hikaru, kd lang, Rob Halford, Backstreet Boys, Bette Midler, Whitney Houston, George Duke, Dave Koz, Patrice Rushin, Boney James, Maxwell and more. Today, Sam is known for being one of the most versatile bassists in the industry.
