Born in Provo, Utah in 1971 (to seminal Utah folk singer Marvin Payne) Sam Payne's contemporary jazz-inflected folk recordings and live performances (whether as a solo act or with his band, The Sam Payne Project) have established him as a performing songwriter in venues across the United States and beyond. His live shows include a spoken storytelling element that Payne has incorporated into his later albums.
Payne's catalog includes albums of highly-produced jazz-pop recordings, as well as albums of stripped-down acoustic folk tunes and stories.
Payne also writes and produces for radio, and his clients have included Glenn Beck, the popular syndicated radio and television host. Payne is the program director for YourLDSradio.com, the popular online home for contemporary LDS music, and the creator of the Radio Family Journal, a widely-broadcast radio segment featuring thoughts on family and faith.