Samantha Mooney

Tell Samantha Mooney she has a beautiful voice and you’ll get a very polite ‘Thank you’. Tell her she has written and performed a beautiful song and you’ll see a genuine smile a mile wide. Being able to combine her two loves of singing and writing songs is a passion that Samantha follows on a daily basis. “It’s a bit like an addiction that I have to feed everyday, or I get a bit crazy!”.

A long-time resident of Queensland’s Gold Coast, Samantha spent many years performing other people’s songs with her own class and subtlety, before embarking on a songwriting journey that began in 2003. Finding immediate success with her first original song “Love of my Life” (which received 3rd place in the annual Australian Songwriter’s National Songwriting competition in 2004), gave Samantha the drive and passion to continue writing her own music and lyrics, best described as ‘adult-contemporary’ with a distinct country-pop feel. More awards were to follow for songs off her debut album “Paper Memories” in 2005, and most recently she was awarded semi-finalist for a new track, “Somebody You Once Knew”, in the country/folk category of one of the biggest songwriting competitions in the world, The UK Songwriting Contest.

Vocal talent features prominently in Samantha’s family. Her father Kevin Jolley, and Uncles from both sides of the family were members of popular vocal group “The Dominoes” who regularly performed on Graham Kennedy’s “In Melbourne Tonight”, as well as being members of The Channel 9 singers. Her uncle, Kevin Kidney, was a champion boy soprano and member of the Australian Boys Choir who’s angelic voice was featured in theatre productions such as “South Pacific” in Melbourne and Sydney. Sister Melissa Jolley is also a talented vocalist and often lends her vocals to Samantha’s recordings. “We grew up on a diet of diverse music like The Doobie Brothers, Olivia Newton John, Michael Franks, Dolly Parton and Fleetwood Mac. That was our hobby, singing and listening to music”

Recent performances include the 2007 Carols by Candlelight at Arundel on the Gold Coast, alongside country music star Troy Cassar-Daley and “Mutto” from Australian Idol. In January 2008, her songs were introduced to thousands of visitors at the Tamworth Country Music festival where she spent 10 successful days performing. “I felt so at home in Tamworth, so I’ve already planned next years visit and will return to perform gigs with a full band and more original material”.

Currently, Samantha is recording her second album of original songs with legendary guitarist and Nashville producer Louie Shelton. Louie has a very rich musical history and is well known and respected for his signature guitar riffs in hit songs such as The Monkees “Last Train to Clarksville”, Lionel Ritchie’s “Hello” and Neil Diamonds “Play Me”. He has worked and performed with The Jackson 5, Barbara Streisand, Whitney Houston and many many others, and also produced Seals and Crofts, as well as Art Garfunkels “Fate for Breakfast”.

Samantha is also featured in a new book entitled “Icons of Tomorrow” which was launched in Melbourne in June 2008 and is a Top Ten finalist in the Australian Songwriters Assocation national competition for 2008.