Sammy Volkov ’15 Releases Album
Described as timeless, his voice has the vibe of Roy Orbison.
Sammy Wolkow ’15, as he’s known off the stage, recently released Be Alright, an 11-track album that’s super vintage but still fresh.
Even though he gets the most creative stimulation from music, his acting training proved helpful in this pursuit.
“A small moment of inspiration can be turned into three minutes of unique expression, and there are no limitations to what I can choose to create or explore,” he says. “The acting training I received at Purchase helped me get to a place where I valued my own expressions.”
Whether it’s acting or music, it’s still storytelling. During his first year at Purchase, he learned how the importance of getting to it, ready or not from the late instructor Charles Tuthill.
“He urged me to be true to myself, and he taught me to ‘tell the story,’” he says. “Sometimes we feel that we can’t get through something until we’re ready, but that can lead to immobility and frustration. You have to trust in your ability to move forward and in others’ receptiveness to what you have to offer.”
Born and raised in Canada, Wolkow has returned to his native country to build his career.
The Edmonton Journal writes, “The vocals that emanate from Sammy Volkov carry an air of melancholy. Roy Orbison, with a dash of Chris Isaak and a pinch of gospel-era Elvis Presley are the knee-jerk comparisons, as Volkov sings like a man out of time.”