Sam Forshey & The Bad Boys of Blues
- Caitlen Odell
- Aug 11
- 6 min read
In an increasingly fake world, now with even fake art and fake music, I find myself drawn more and more to what’s real, authentic, and human. Nothing grabs the soul or imparts raw emotion quite like the grit and truth of the blues.
Sam Forshey plays the blues in a way that feels both deeply rooted and unmistakably his own. With gospel roots that run deep and a rockstar flare, Sam is more than just a blues musician, he’s a carrier of tradition. Born in West Virginia, seasoned in Nashville, and now rooted in Louisiana, his journey weaves through church pews, gritty clubs, writer's rounds, and Bourbon Street corners.
We got the chance to talk with Sam about the fire behind his playing, how gospel still shapes his sound, and what he hopes people take away when they hear him play.
Caitlen: You’ve got gospel roots, your father was a gospel guitarist and you played in church growing up. When you pick up a guitar now, do you still feel that gospel fire in your blues playing?
Sam: "Absolutely! I was born in the middle of nowhere West Virginia so I played a lot of country/bluegrass gospel. Being a disciplined musician was the biggest thing I learned in the church. I remember as a kid being asked if I was glorifying myself or the Lord after playing what I thought was a great solo on a gospel gig. I’ll never forget that with gospel music.
I still play the 91 sunburst Stratocaster that my father played in church and passed down to me. My father passed away in October 2024, so I wrote an instrumental called “Pap’s Boogie” in honor of him. I wanted it to be an instrumental so I could zone out for a few minutes each show, think of those good memories and reflect on how grateful I am for Pap putting me on the guitar at an early age in the church."
Caitlen: You’ve lived through three big musical worlds: West Virginia, Nashville, and now New Orleans. What did you carry with you from each place, and what did Louisiana give you that the others didn’t?
Sam: "West Virginia was a lot of country and bluegrass influence of course. I learned a lot of country guitar chicken pickin and bluegrass flat picking on an acoustic guitar growing up. When I went to Nashville I learned more of the business side of the “game” I suppose. Talent only got you so far in Nashville because there are so many great musicians there. It was very humbling when I got there at 19. Louisiana though... down here in the boot I really found my place. I was always obsessed with the blues and bending those strings in the same soulful way I heard my heroes playing. I was hungry to play blues anywhere I could fit in but Nashville seemed too commercial for what I was trying to do. I usually explain it like this. Nashville for me musically was like having a salad to eat when you’re really hungry... in New Orleans I’m eating T-bone steak every night at every show. We get to play the blues nonstop here. Local people just seem to get it here too. Especially the generations that were actually able to see some of the greats performing around south Louisiana."
Caitlen: The blues isn’t just a sound, it’s lived experience. Is there a story in your life that keeps coming back in your songs, whether you mean to or not?
Sam: "I tell my story with my original blues and I never stop writing it. “Woke up in Midcity” is a lighthearted take on the time of my life that I gave up drinking alcohol. Songs like “Peace in my home” and “I’m a Bad Man” get into relationship struggles and life lessons as I am learning them. This is my job writing my blues as almost a diary entry I guess. Trying to tell my story as genuinely, unapologetically and creatively as I possibly can. I remember one night in Clarksdale a bartender had a smoke with me after a jam night at that club and she made a comment that I think about still. “Everybody’s blues is different”. I have big respect for anyone that is true to themselves, their story and the genre and not just giving audiences a small segment of blues followed by a nice sing along of “Tennessee whiskey” so they can fill their tip buckets."
Caitlen: What is it about the blues genre that speaks to you, and what do you hope it says to the people listening?
Sam: "Blues is authentic and not designed to be popular music or to appeal to the masses like the genetically modified test tube tunes being pumped out in commercial music we hear today. Its complexity is in the nuances. Theory-wise of course it can appear simple but it’s a genre that requires a lot of feel. It’s a genre that feeds on feel. When I play late night bourbon street gigs night after night I get the constant pressure of people wanting to hear top 40 and popular music but we will only* play the blues. I feel like this is my purpose in this lifetime to make sure I show people what authentic blues music is through my lens and what it means to me because if I don’t who will? There is a lull in true blues music in my opinion, and I think a lot of this is because of bands that don’t specialize in blues presenting it poorly to audiences. For example a rock band playing a poorly crafted version of a Hendrix song, calling it blues, it sounds like whatever and then they nail the next Journey and Zeppelin songs. That one person in the crowd, curious about the blues genre, might go home more confused about the blues than they already were. I owe it to music lovers and people wanting to explore the blues to present it in the best way possible. Without us people could potentially be out there thinking Tom Petty or the Stones are the blues. If I don’t pursue this, I truly wonder who will!?"
Caitlen: When people hear your music, what kind of feeling do you hope they walk out with, and what do you hope sticks with them long after the music stops?
Sam: "“That’s the blues”. In a world that is starting to lack authenticity and AI rubbing its robotic junk all over every industry that it can, I hope people walk away from my show thinking “that’s the blues”. That’s been my motto and I am the man for the job. People know when they come to see The Bad Boys of Blues that we are about to give them nothing but the blues and present it the best way we know how. My band is made up of musicians that I look up to. I have my sound and my style of course, but I work with true professionals and have the best team around me. Doug Therrien on bass and Jojo Bruster on drums understand my sound vision and have the experience to pull off the granular parts of what I’m trying to do. It’s aces in their places all the way around here. One shredder maybe can get by on talent for a bit with the constant rotation of different musicians behind them, but that’s not what we do. I work with the best guys I could find for my sound and style and every time we perform together “that’s the blues”."
Sam’s music is a powerful reminder that genuine, live performances are one of the last truly authentic human experiences we have. At least for now, we can still be sure the musicians on stage in front of us are real people, living life right alongside us. That sense of connection and shared experience is deeply valuable in the world we live in today. If you get the chance to catch Sam performing with raw honesty and true emotion, stay until the last note. It just might be the realest thing you hear all week.
Although he's based in New Orleans, blues musician Sam Forshey brings his passion for the blues to the Baton Rouge area every chance he gets. Catch him live this Friday, August 15, 2025, at Fat Cat Saloon in Prairieville, LA, and don’t miss the chance to experience his raw, authentic energy on stage.
Follow Sam on Instagram at instagram.com/samforshey to stay updated on his latest shows and music.
Written by Caitlen Odell
Founder & Owner, Red Stick Music
Caitlen curates the Red Stick Music live music calendar with a focus on excellence, integrity, and community building. She’s passionate about supporting local artists and strengthening Baton Rouge through music.
Comments