Before singer-songwriter Sam Beam released his first album in 2002, he worked as a professor of film and cinematography at two Miami universities. He’d made a hobby of writing music, but it wasn’t until a friend lent him a four-track recorder that he made a few demos and his music career took off.
Better known by his stage name Iron and Wine (inspired by a dietary supplement called Beef Iron & Wine), Beam now has five studio albums, a compilation, and three live albums under his belt. His style is decidedly folk, but he often pulls from other genres—his latest album Ghost on Ghost (2013, Nonesuch Records) is a demonstration of his increased exploration into the realm of pop, and cites jazz and R&B influences as well. “Lovers’ Revolution,” a song off the record, boasts a sort of cool jazz sound with soft vocals, backups reminiscent of soul, and swinging quartet accompaniment. Highly praised for its versatility and quality of packing “huge ideas into simple arrangements and vice versa” (NPR), Beam’s music has been featured in such television series and films as “Grey’s Anatomy,” “House M.D.,” and Twilight.
Iron and Wine will play MASS MoCA on Sunday, June 22 at 6pm, having last played the museum to a sold-out audience in 2011. Country duo The Secret Sisters will open with selections from its April release, “Put Your Needle Down.” Tickets are general admission and standing room only, $29 in advance or $35 the day of. (413) 664 4461. At the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art, North Adams, MA.
