24-year-old singer/songwriter Sam Brenner has always been a self-admitted dreamer and rarely finds himself short of words.  But ask him to describe how he feels about his brand new record, Where We Begin, and all he can do is smile.  It’s not hard to tell that moments like releasing his first studio effort feels like a long time coming for Brenner.  “It’s been nothing short of an incredible experience.  I’ve spent an exorbitant amount of time thinking about these songs, practicing these songs, revamping these songs, and finally recording these songs.  These tracks are the best representations of who I am as an artist right now.”

Adding full-band accompaniment to his guitar-driven pop-rock sound accentuates Brenner’s acute songwriting abilities.  Recorded over a span of ten months, the nine-song set truly captures an emotional depth and subtle confidence that is rare in most young musicians.

“Creating music is such a labor of love.  This project was a way for me to present my inner-most thoughts and feelings the best way I knew how, and I took that opportunity very seriously.”  He makes no apology for the meticulous approach he took during the elongated recording process.  “I think the only time in life I ever act like a perfectionist is when it comes to my music.  For some reason, when I’m fine-tuning a song, I turn into a strict nun who doesn’t put up with shit.”

At the core of Brenner’s music are his lyrics – - honest commentaries that seem easily relatable and delicately personal to the human experience.  These qualities are evident on Where We Begin, which touches on topics such as self searching, travel, and partnership.

Born and raised in Buffalo, NY, his parents exposed him to classics such as The Beatles and James Taylor, while his brothers introduced him to Dave Matthews Band and Radiohead.  When he was twelve-years-old, his parents bought him his first guitar and from that day forward, he never put it down.  “I remember attempting to take lessons early on but never really finding a good fit.  When I was that age, I was much more interested in learning popular songs than learning the fundamentals, which means I was apparently setting myself up to be the world’s greatest wedding singer,” he says with a grin.

In the Fall of 2005, Brenner relocated from Buffalo to Cleveland, OH in pursuit of a college education.  It was in Cleveland that his talents, both as a writer and as a performer, started to exponentially blossom.  Before long, Brenner became a commonplace name around campus music venues, and developed a supportive following that would eventually help encourage him to pursue music as a career.  In the Spring of 2007, Brenner won a Battle of the Bands competition on campus and was awarded the opportunity to open for Lifehouse.  This is when Brenner got his first taste of the dream….

Fast forward to the present day; Brenner is an independent artist on the rise gearing up to promote Where We Begin in colleges and clubs across the country.  “I’m looking forward to touring in the near future.  I have always fantasized about life on the road – - traveling all over, playing different cities, staying in hotels, sleeping late, and doing it all over again,” he remarks.  “I feel like I was born to do this.”

“I plan to see the world and the world see me,” Brenner sings of his intentions on “Bigger Than Me”, a song that introduces his fans to his own dream-driven convictions.  It is safe to say that if this is where we begin our journey with Sam Brenner, then the future looks pretty bright.