Born November 5th,1996. Samantha Levin Kirshtein, nicknames Mantha & Sam

She started playing guitar in December of 2008. She has written many songs. She won the local Palmetto Acoustic open Mic challenge in Charleston, SC (a 12 year old competing against all adults), she first played in front an audience at a schools talent show back in December of 2008, just weeks after picking up a guitar, she played Taylor Swifts Best Day and Sweet Home Alabama. She has since played on a street corner in the Chas open air market during Spoleto, at Parson Jacks cafe, Sunfire Grill, Dunleavys Pub, Hubee Ds and Youngs Mountain Music in Burnsville, NC. She was also asked to open a 4 day benefit concert recently to aid the Chas. County Band Instrument Fund put on by Awendaw Green. Afterwards she was interviewed by a local radio station and asked to play her song I Do Too on air. She performed at The Dragon Boat Festival in Charleston (a cancer benefit). She opened for Grammy nominated Jennifer Knapp at The Windjammer. She also opened for Woodstocks own Marc Black at a Home concert in Charleston, SC. There have been numerous gigs including visits to Veterans Hospitals, Childrens Hospitals & Alzheimers and Assisted living centers. She has caught the attention of many here as well as some of Charlestons veteran local musicians. She finished first in a 2 state competition put on by OurStage and was selected by Sarah McLachlan and Terry McBride to play a 30 minute set at a Lilith Fair concert in Raleigh, NC. Her song, I Do Too, has 2 first place finished in the Traditional Country category and a number 11 ranking on the overall country charts.

She likes to garden and cook. She has been raised listening to such musicians as Bob Dylan, Beatles, Eagles, Janis Joplin, Bob Marley, Old Hank Williams and more. She is a huge Taylor Swift fan.

There seems to be some very natural or even spiritual connection in her voice and her songs, well beyond her years, that has a moving and profound effect on those that see and hear her.

Samantha wrote the song, Do Too, about and for her grandfather. He was diagnosed with Alzheimers a few years ago. The two of them spent a lot of time in the garden and outdoors together. He is a very old fashioned guy that was capable of building, fixing or growing anything. He is a true patriot as was his father before him. The refrain in the song Gd loves you and I do too, grand-babies are the words he would always say to his 11 grandchildren. Samantha recently recorded her debut EP at Ocean Industries Studio in Charleston, SC. David Dunning produced and arranged the EP. Stanford Joel Executive produced and Jeff Leonard, JR. and Eric Rickert mixed.

From Kate Bs blog on OurStage, Leave it to Samantha Kirshtein to make you feel like a real lazybones. She plays volleyball and tennis. Likes to garden and cook. Fishes and surfs. Gets good grades. Plays the guitar and sings like a dream. And, on top of that, shes only 13. The South Carolinian was raised on a wholesome diet of classics like Bob Dylan, The Eagles and Hank Williams. But, when you listen to her music, its evident that the girl is a Taylor Swift fan at heart. Kirshteins voice has a lovely, natural huskiness complemented by her even and pure singing style. Its simple, but instantly likeable. Her material is made up mostly of bright and sunny folk songs, like Love Bird, a punchy, much younger cousin to John Mellencamps Jack and Diane. All of the Above is a similarly upbeat, pop country ditty with a radio ready melodic hook. But this teenage ingenue is also capable of tackling serious subject matter while avoiding schmaltz. I Do Too is a delicate, grassy homage to Kirshteins grandfather, who was diagnosed with Alzheimers. Its rare to find this kind of poise in an artist so young. Expect big things from Kirshtein in the years to come. We do.