Sami Braman

Sami Braman (she/her) has been playing the fiddle since she was 6 years old, coming up amid the music festivals and jamming communities of the Pacific Northwest’s vibrant traditional old-time music scene. At 8 she and her long-time musical buddies Leo Shannon and Riley Calcagno formed The Onlies, which plays at festivals and gigs around the country and whose traditional old-time sound they further refined in 2016 with the addition of acclaimed folk musician Vivian Leva. The won the Clifftop Traditional Stringband Contest in 2017, and again in 2019 as "The Ruglifters." Sami is a buoyant, intuitive, and versatile fiddler who values deep understanding of the stories behind the tunes and seeks inspiration from historically marginalized artists. 

Sami now teaches and performs across the U.S., primarily with The Onlies and Willie Watson. She has appeared on stage alongside Watchhouse, Laurie Lewis, Bruce Molsky, Elvis Costello, Darol Anger, and Pharis & Jason Romero. In her tune-writing, Sami melds creativity with tradition, producing a number of tunes which have made their way into festival sessions across the country. In her teaching, she brings positive engagement and a high standard that encourages and challenges students. Sami recently moved to Nashville, TN, to pursue music full-time, and is working on an album of original tunes. To all her projects Sami brings joyful energy, a driving bow, and an abiding love for the traditional music community which formed her.