Sam Fender Timeline 1994-Present

Sam Fender was born Samuel Thomas Fender to Alan and Shirley Fender in North Shields, Newcastle upon Tyne. His older brother Liam had been born earlier. His father was an electrician and his mother a nurse.

Sam began playing the guitar. His father was a musician and played in a band when he was not working. Sam enjoyed watching his father perform.

Sam attended John Spence Community High School.

Sam began writing his own music. He also enjoyed singing indie songs and decided that he wanted to be a musician for life. He and his brother began singing at open mic nights at the Magnesia Bank pub, affectionately known as ‘Maggie Bank’.

Sam’s parents divorced. He and his brother Liam lived with their mother on a council estate but also spent time with their father.

Sam’s brother Liam played him some Bruce Springsteen music. The music has had a big influence on Fender’s own music .

While still at school, Fender formed his first band.

Sam attended Whitley Bay High School Sixth Form College.

Manager Owain Davies spotted Fender playing at the Lowlights Tavern and asked to sign him.

Fender was unemployed and was affected by seeing his mother struggle for money.

Sam was cast as Luke Armstrong in the TV series ‘Vera’.

Sam was cast as Dean in an episode of ‘Wolfblood’.

Fender began playing at local restaurants. He was paid around £150 a night.

Fender had a serious health scare. He has not revealed details of the illness.

Sam’s father moved to France.

Sam Fender released his first single ‘Play God’. It reached number 89 in the UK charts.

The single ‘Greasy Spoon’ was released.

The single ‘Millennial’ was released.

The single ‘Start Again’ was released.

Sam was named one of the BBC’s Sounds of 2018.

The single ‘Friday Fighting’ was released.

Sam Fender began a month-long tour of Germany, Netherlands and the United Kingdom.

Fender signed a record deal with Polydor Records.

The single ‘Dead Boys’ was released. Sam wrote this song after two friends committed suicide.

The EP ‘Dead Boys’ was released.

The single ‘That Sound’ was released.

Fender was awarded the Critics Choice award at the Brit Awards.

The single ‘Hypersonic Missiles’ was released. It reached number 48 in the UK charts.

Sam suffered a vocal cord haemorrhage and had to rest his voice for a month. This meant he had to pull out of playing at Glastonbury Festival.

The single ‘Will We Talk?’ was released. It reached number 43 in the UK charts.

Fender played support to Bob Dylan in Hyde Park.

The single ‘The Borders’ was released. It reached number 59 in the UK charts.

Sam Fender released his first album ‘Hypersonic Missiles’. It reached number 1 in the UK charts.

It was announced that Sam Fender would support The Killers for the London dates of their 2020 tour.

The single ‘All Is On My Side’ was released.

It was announced that Sam Fender would be headlining the BBC Radio 1 stage at the Leeds and Reading Festival in August.

The single ‘Hold Out’ was released it reached number 100 on the UK digital download chart.

Sam Fender will begin a 5 month tour of the United Kingdom and Europe.

Sam Fender announced that he will play at Glastonbury Festival in June 2020.

Sam Fender’s concert in Switzerland was cancelled due to the outbreak of coronavirus.

Fender featured on the charity single ‘Times Like These’. It reached number 1 in the UK charts.

Sam’s summer tour was cancelled due to the outbreak of coronavirus.

Sam released the single ‘Winter Song’.

The single ‘Seventeen Going Under’ was released. It reached number 8 in the UK charts.

The Album ‘Seventeen Going Under’ was released. It reached number 1 in the UK charts.

Fender appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.

Sam Fender began his ‘Seventeen Going Under’ tour.

Sam Fender performed at Glastonbury on the Pyramid Stage.

Fender is scheduled as the headline act at Finsbury Park.