PORTLAND, Maine — Sammy Rae was just 12 years old when she started playing piano and writing songs.
When she was 19, the Connecticut native moved to the Big Apple to pursue a career in music. Since then, she and her band Sammy Rae & The Friends have made a name for themselves with their big stage energy and big band sound.
"It was always very attractive to me to have a bunch of people traveling around the world and making art together," Sammy Rae said. "I know I wanted a big band because I wanted it to feel like a party."
After hitting pause on live performances for the last several months, Sammy Rae and her band are getting ready to hit the road for their "CAMP' tour.
"You're sleeping in a moving vehicle, you're surrounded by all of your best friends, there's limited space and electricity," Sammy Rae said. "Living on a tour bus for an extended amount of time is very much like camping."
The band will be making a stop at the State Theatre in Portland later this month. They've been working on a new album, but Sammy said those songs won't be released until later. However, she said fans can expect the same great energy and fun the band brings to all of its shows.
"Make friends and celebrate with the friends you might have come with and just let your hair down," Sammy Rae said.
To learn more about Sammy Rae, her writing process, and why she would choose to have dinner with Freddie Mercury, watch the full segment above.