Sam Outlaw Announces New Album ‘The Nonessential’ With The Release Of New Single ‘I Never Saw Him Cry’

LONDON, U.K. / NASHVILLE, TN. – Sam Outlaw has today announced his forthcoming album The Nonessential will be released March 24th, with the release of his new single ‘I Never Saw Him Cry’ (out now). The LP precedes Outlaw’s 13-date European headline tour set for April, on which Hannah Aldridge will be the special guest for ten shows.

The twelve-song compilation brings together the acclaimed singer-songwriter’s most impactful releases alongside three previously unreleased tracks, creating a comprehensive collection that showcases his evolution as an artist, and includes nine previously-released original singles and B-sides that have trickled out since 2018.

Outlaw describes The Nonessential as his “anti-greatest-hits-album” due to its collection of “orphaned” songs that never found a place on his EPs or LPs. All the songs on The Nonessential have been re-mastered by multiple GRAMMY nominee Pete Lyman (Chris Stapleton, Brandi Carlile, Sturgill Simpson) for their formal album debut.

On ‘I Never Saw Him Cry’, which was produced in San Clemente, CA by Kelly Winrich (Delta Spirit) and mixed in Nashville by Cheyenne Medders (Secret Sisters), we hear Sam return to his roots as a neo-traditionalist with a sad song that seeks to emulate the great pedal steel-laced country ballads of the ‘60s and ‘70s.

Commenting on the song Sam shared, “When I first fell in love with classic country, I used to put on albums by George Jones and Vern Gosdin and just cry, listening to their stories. I’m not always in the mood for a sad story, but there’s something so freeing about diving into the pain of an experience and channeling the heartache with music.”

1. Do You Really Love Me?

2. Up All Night

3. Lonely Man

4. Waiting For Someone*

5. MFFIL

6. Get To Know Me

7. I Never Saw Him Cry*

8. Forever and Always

9. In My Arms (acoustic)*

10. Rock and Roll Bisexual

11. Pink Paradise

12. Be Somebody

(*Previously unreleased)

Upcoming UK/European Tour Dates – tickets for all shows on sale here now:

11 April – Alkmaar, NL – Blue Heart Festival

12 April – Hengelo, NL – Heartland Festival

13 April – Venlo, NL – Down By The River

24 April – Helsingborg, SE – The Tivoli

25 April – Gothenburg, SE – Valand

26 April – Malmö, SE – Plan B

27 April – Stockholm, SE – Bar Brooklyn

Sam Outlaw was born in the Midwest, grew up in California, and now lives in Nashville. “Outlaw” is his mother’s maiden name.

Sam worked as an advertising executive in his twenties while writing songs as a hobby. Eventually, he started performing at small bar gigs near his home in Los Angeles. In 2015, Sam left his advertising career to pursue music full-time when he was offered a tour of Australia opening for Justin Townes Earle.

Later that year, Sam released his debut album Angeleno, produced and performed by Ry Cooder and Joachim Cooder and featuring Gabe Witcher (Punch Brothers), Bo Koster (My Morning Jacket), and Taylor Goldsmith (Dawes). Angeleno garnered universal acclaim and multiple award nominations.

In 2017, Sam released his follow-up album, Tenderheart. Also a critical success, Tenderheart was heralded as one of the year’s best country albums and took home “International Song of the Year” at the UK Americana Awards in London.

Sam has toured extensively as a headlining artist at marquee festivals such as Stagecoach, Pilgrimage Music Festival, and Hardly Strictly Bluegrass. Sam has also toured in support of beloved artists such as Kacey Musgraves, John Prine, Dwight Yoakam, Clint Black, and Sheryl Crow.

In 2018, Sam and his family moved from LA to Nashville, and the following year, Sam made his Grand Ole Opry debut. Since then, Sam has made several appearances on the Grand Ole Opry and on countless more stages around the world.

In 2021 he released his third LP Popular Mechanics and in 2024 released his latest LP Terra Cotta, two albums that blend ‘80s style synth-pop and country music to create a sound that Sam calls “New Wave Western”. Sam Outlaw admirers include Ryan Adams who has publicly praised him for his “beyond great songwriting” and the late John Prine, who welcomed Sam to open some of his final shows.