Sam Shackleton playin banjo and shootin at Benjamin Tod’s place.
A dream come true for a certain Scotsman from Edinburgh. Years after I crossed the Atlantic and met the banjo-busking, ballad-belting, Guinness enjoying Sam Shackleton, he did the reverse journey and came to visit his long lost kinsmen in Kentucky. Very appropriate, as many people of Scots-Irish decent, very likely including Mr. Benjamin Tod’s ancestors, made that journey themselves, in search of a better life. So I thought, what a great pairing to make, let’s see how the folk songs in Scotland, those which Mr. Shackleton is quite versed in, compare to the ones in the American South, the likes of which Benjamin Tod knows. It just so happened to line up when Jason Dae West was in town (https://youtu.be/4WuzuZcUARA?si=QPPNiLcaAIWKmvFl) as well, and the three of them played by campfire all night long, pickin strangely familiar yet alien songs, old folk tunes twisted by time and space but all from a similar origin. It was funny watching these so very different people connect over a shared love of folk music, and maybe realizing they’re not so different after all, none of us are.
Anyhow, Sam enjoyed these great American states. This was right after an eventful Americanafest in Nashville, where he got to play to a packed crowd and meet many other Gems and stars. I hope it lived up to his expectations, and though i’ll never be able to repay his kindness for letting me explore Scotland with him from his flat in Edinburgh, hopefully days shooting guns, grilling corn and playing Chivalry 2 on my couch in Smithville was fun for him.
You can find Sam’s tunes on all platforms at https://www.samshackleton.com/music. You can find him on Instagram at @sorleythebard.
Our undying love and gratitude go to our executive producers for making this project possible: Brad Sirois, Mitchell Davis, Keith McQuillan, David Jameson, Lisa Galvan, Irvin Maddox, Josh Collins, Brady Jones, Julie Nestoroff, VJ Arizpe, Mr. Free, Rusty Shackleford, and Joshua Taylor.
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GemsOnVHS is a long running series of intimate, off-stage performances by songwriters we love.
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@GemsOnVHS
January 1, 2026 at 6:55 pm
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You can find Sam's tunes on all platforms at https://www.samshackleton.com/music. You can find him on Instagram at @sorleythebard.
@bellanightninja
January 1, 2026 at 6:55 pm
Smashing ❤
@aaronsparks819
January 1, 2026 at 6:55 pm
Canada 🇨🇦 here,, welcome you🇨🇦🇨🇦
@4500Rico
January 1, 2026 at 6:55 pm
Amazing video bro so feckin talented gotta see you live!
@romancandle416
January 1, 2026 at 6:55 pm
Scotland is the mother country of the Wild West.
@Mtnp3pper
January 1, 2026 at 6:55 pm
You’re voice is lovely
@OlePaddy
January 1, 2026 at 6:55 pm
Soon as Sam started singing… goosebumps man
@bconawa2
January 1, 2026 at 6:55 pm
That’s really cool that you took him to hang out with Benjamin Tood. Ye Ain’t Even Kin that day but I bet he felt the love.
You guys are doing an awesome thing capturing this humanity. These tunes. These connections that stretch beyond arbitrary lines but are fortified by deeper traditions
@ajk710
January 1, 2026 at 6:55 pm
As I do when I listen to this song, you can see him choke up as he sings it. It captures the regrets we all have in life.
@jacobmassi7283
January 1, 2026 at 6:55 pm
This was so fucking awesome hearing for the first time. That was so cool
@JW_______
January 1, 2026 at 6:55 pm
I spy a good doggo
@frankdavies972
January 1, 2026 at 6:55 pm
🔥
@22lrAppreciator
January 1, 2026 at 6:55 pm
great performance
@grandmasterjacob1915
January 1, 2026 at 6:55 pm
What kind of banjo is this?
@subie02
January 1, 2026 at 6:55 pm
Doesn't get any better than this
@anonarab-t2b
January 1, 2026 at 6:55 pm
What tuning is he in
@joshuatillman2892
January 1, 2026 at 6:55 pm
That dog doesn't know how lucky he is
@daltonboon7900
January 1, 2026 at 6:55 pm
So good. Film and audio quality are second to none and what a set! Casper will now be in my rotation!
@fishinp5705
January 1, 2026 at 6:55 pm
I see Henry the dog likes Sam too
@manguydude905
January 1, 2026 at 6:55 pm
I can't stop listening to this
@MrLyonsCo
January 1, 2026 at 6:55 pm
Hell yes I love this song
@chrisnelmes7858
January 1, 2026 at 6:55 pm
What a beautiful person ❤
@XxlastrebelxX
January 1, 2026 at 6:55 pm
Awesome job again
@fly_speck_cafe
January 1, 2026 at 6:55 pm
Welcome, most welcome to the States!
@ubepewp
January 1, 2026 at 6:55 pm
This was an amazing rendition! Watch the fucking gunshots if you’re wearing ear buds haha
Comments are closed.