In the fall of 2020, New Orleans singer/songwriter Sam Friend wrapped his  sophomore album Coming Home (Independent). His pandemic-delayed record release party is set for Sunday, May 9, from 8 to 11 p.m. at the Royal Frenchmen Hotel.

The album features guest vocal performances by the  Grammy-winning Chapel Hart Band ( (Danica Hart, Trea Swindle, Devynn  Hart), and by Alicia Renee aka Blue Eyes. ”Here’s hoping that this music will bring some type of peace or sanity to you in a truly insane time,” says Friend.

“I honestly can’t think of a single misstep on this fine collection,” writes Dino DiMuro at Divide And Conquer. Friend has described his sound as everything from hard rock to folk, to jazz funk, Americana to blues.

His first solo album “Twin” in 2016 was dedicated to his late sister. In a review of  OffBeat, Robert Fontenot wrote, “Friend’s voice has the warmth of James Taylor but also the endearingly awkward earnestness of Ben Folds and more than a little of Dr. John’s natural jazz-blues drawl; the music follows suit, piano-rock with jazz and blues shadows and only slight stylistic detours.”

Coming Home was recorded at Studio in the Country in Bogalusa, Louisiana, and Friend recorded the album with the feeling of a worn welcome-mat, meant to evoke the feeling of returning to family and friends after a long journey, and leaving your suitcase at the door.

To stream Coming Home, visit here.

Friend has headlined at the Blue Note in New York, Ronnie Scott’s in London, and jazz festivals across the globe. His music has been featured on NCIS:New Orleans (CBS), Vanity Fair and NPR.

He founded Sam Friend and the Hoodoo Sauce in New York City, and co-founded the New Orleans Swamp Donkeys. The has band toured internationally, recording four albums while also making a viral video with over a million views from the band’s trad-jazz version of the theme song from Game of Thrones.

The Coming Home record release party is also Friend’s birthday gig. The cover charge is $10. The  first 25 attendees get a free album, which will also be for sale at $5.