Sam Irvin gave the most beautiful 3 hour classical guitar performance at our family's Rehearsal Dinner on the Garden Terrace at Cedric's Tavern on the Biltmore Estate in Asheville,NC. When I hear him play I know that the music is coming from his heart and love of music. He would make a marvelous addition to any occasion when you want a professional, genuine and masterful performance. Many thanks Sam. You made our evening perfect! -Caron M.
We had an intimate gathering at our community and Sam did such an amazing job! He arrived early for set up, dressed professionally, and he was so kind to all of our residents. The music created the perfect atmosphere - would highly recommend! -Retreat at Hunt Hill
Sam performed at a corporate dinner for one of our clients last week. He was extremely easy to work with, quick to respond to messages and was flexible in working with some requests that were outside of his typical offerings. Will definitely be hiring him again! -Michael A.
Sam jumped in last minute on a request for a guitarist. He was extremely speedy in his response time, flexible, personable, and professional. His musical skill is remarkable! He played some jazzy & contemporary tunes for a small dinner party for us & was the perfect background music to the laughter of the evening. -Amanda D.
Sam made selecting our ceremony music super easy and he played beautifully. His music was the perfect backdrop to our intimate ceremony at The Biltmore Estate. -Amanda R.
Sam is just terrific. He played for 2 hours at our home for a special book club gathering where our book was about a guitarist. He was so professional during the entire process - from booking, showing up on time, easy to work with and a wonderful musician. We had him play jazz and classical and everyone loved it. -Eileen H.
We hired Sam to perform acoustic guitar at our wedding a few weeks ago in the NC mountains. We live in SW Florida so planning an event out of state isn't easy. Sam was so easy and wonderful to work with, from the initial email to the wedding day, professional all the way. We knew we wanted him to be part of our day when we heard how talented he is, it blew us away. He allowed us to choose our music and he played them beautifully. The sweet sounds of the acoustic guitar echoed through the valley as I was walking down the isle....it was so perfect. I would hire Sam again in a heartbeat. Zero issues, he exceeded our already high expectations. Thanks Sam!!! -Tonya R.
Sam played our wedding and did a fantastic job all the way around. Responsive, professional, and most importantly provided the perfect tone for our special day with his playing. Highly recommend! -Adam B.
Sam was excellent. I hired Sam to be a part of my surprise proposal to my girlfriend. It was a country song which he usually doesn't play, however he learned the song in a matter of days, and played/sang it beautifully. In the planning process he would either call or respond to texts immediately, and gave his best suggestions and was engaged in the logistics. I highly recommend Sam. He made our proposal incredibly memorable. -Jonathan S.
A fantastic upgrade to any event! Sam played at my niece's outdoor wedding in September, and was a joy to have with us that day. His pop and jazz concert prior to the ceremony, the classical music he played for the processionals, and the music at the end and afterwards during photos really elevated the whole morning. He is a talented musician, dresses very well, was super easy to work with regarding the program, showed up on time and is a true professional. I would hire him again in a minute, can't say enough nice things about the whole experience and how easy and beautiful he made it for our family to add music to the day. -Lyn P.
Sam was excellent for our wedding! He was very easy to communicate with and was very responsive with any question I had. He helped give some guidance on our song choices and his play style was exactly what we were looking for. He was a true professional. -Daniel G.
My wife and I asked Sam to play at our outdoor wedding in August of 2021 and our expectations were far exceeded but both his professionalism and his musicianship. We planned our own wedding and we were interested in vendors that worked well with us, the venue, and our guests. When we spoke with Sam, he was prompt with his communication and very flexible with the services he was able to offer. This continued through the entire planning process, which proved very comforting when planning a wedding from three states away.
On our wedding day, he was able to adapt his performance to the venue and the weather. He was more than happy to coordinate with our DJ and the transition was seamless. This included moving his equipment after the ceremony to continue playing for cocktail hour and hustling up the big hill to cover when it started raining. When he resumed playing and the rain had cleared, he played “Here comes the Sun”, adding another memory to our already unforgettable day.
Both my wife and myself come from families filled with life-long musicians. Her and I both studied music in college and continue to enjoy music in our lives. It was refreshing to work with a wedding vendor that could “speak” our language and provide a very individualized performance. Perhaps the most thoughtful thing that Sam did was arrange a song for us and give us a framed copy of the arrangement as a gift. This act exemplifies his eagerness to make every event amazing.
If you are looking for a professional artist that will make your event exactly what you want, we strongly recommend using Sam and Irvin Music Studio! -Aaron C.
Sam definitely met our expectations for our ceremony. His kind and friendly demeanor gave us confidence and comfort knowing that he would meet our expectations at our intimate wedding ceremony. He communicated well about what he was confident in performing for us and gave his professional opinion on songs, etc. He stayed in constant communication with us up until our special day and arrived early to set up. His performance was wonderful and everything we expected. We would definitely recommend Sam for your special occasion! -Sean F.
Sam played our wedding in the mountains and it was perfect! The acoustic guitar sounded great even in such a large outdoor setting. He was very responsive to all my questions, had a great selection of music, and was very personable to work with. He set up/packed up quickly and without effort, which was very helpful. All the guests were very impressed, and we'd definitely recommend his services to others in the area. Thanks again, Sam, for your professionalism, musicality, and ease of working with! -Michael A.
Sam was awesome! We had booked another musician who was very unprofessional and backed out a week before our wedding. I contacted Sam and he was available and willing to perform on our wedding day. He even drove 3 hours one way to come play for us! He got to the church early, was dressed very nice, and treated everyone with respect and professionalism. He also played very well and was able to play all the songs I had requested and he even played a special recording that I had asked him to download and play during our rope tying ceremony. I would definitely hire him again! One thing I really appreciated about Sam was the fact that he was very responsive to me. Even if he was unable to answer my questions, he’d shoot me a quick note to let me know he’d be getting back to me. I was so grateful that he was able to come through for us last minute. Thank you, Sam so much!! -Kristi P.
Sam was an amazing addition to our private wedding ceremony in the Asheville area last weekend. We had an amazing setting with mountains, the sun setting, and Sam was a perfect addition to our day. He arrived on time, was easy to plan with prior to the event, and his music was AMAZING!!! We had a Lord of the Rings style wedding location and Sam was able to add a variety of music themes and songs for our ceremony and was very intuitive on when and where to insert songs while we had our ceremony and played background music during our pictures with our photographer. It was absolutely a perfect day and I would recommend Sam Irvin to anyone looking for music for any special event!!! -Jaclyn F.
Sam played for our daughters wedding and did a wonderful job ! Highly recommend. -Jeff B.
Sam was the guitarist at our wedding and he did such a lovely job. He is very easy to communicate with and is prompt in his responses. He also has wide selection of songs to choose from, in many different genres. I greatly appreciated Sam's YouTube channel where you can hear many of the songs he plays; it makes the overwhelming task of choosing your music much more simple. I would recommend Sam for any wedding as he provides a wonderful ambience! -Avery A.
Irvin Music was the best! The musician showed up on time, was very responsive with emails and communication, and was such a joy to work with on the day of! I could not recommend Sam more for any event that you are planning. -Taylor G.
I cannot say enough good things about the quality of service and overall friendliness and professionalism of this musician! He was exceptional and even was willing to move his equipment half way through the set to another location and continue playing! He even left a gift of a framed piece of sheet music from the ceremony for the bride and groom! I highly recommend him for your special occasion! -Sandy Q.
Sam was such a great addition to our micro wedding in Asheville. He was very responsive and took the time to get to know my fiancee and I. He ensured we were 100% ready for day of and was so kind and welcoming to all of our guests. He took the time to learn some new songs we had requested and they came out absolutely beautiful. We would recommend him over and over again!! -Alexis G.
Sam is professional, punctual, and flexible - three traits that are so helpful for a wedding event!! He was great to work with, very communicative, and did all his own set up and break down. We were able to enjoy the day without worrying about anything at all. -Reagan W.
Sam was an absolute delight to have at our wedding! We received so many compliments on his professional mannerisms and beautiful music! Leading up to the wedding, Sam was super responsive to my emails and requests and I cannot thank him enough for making our day even more special than it already was. -Natalia R.
Sam played at our wedding this weekend, and it was beautiful. He made the ceremony more intimate and personal for us. His set list was perfect, and made our day feel even more special than it already was. I would recommend a live guitarist over playing prerecorded music any day. -Souriphanh T.
Sam was a wonderful addition to our wedding! We had a small semi-outdoor ceremony of less than 30 people. He filled our ceremony and cocktail hour with lovely music. He created the best vibe for our venue. I found him less than month before our wedding and he worked with us and all my questions and concerns. Sam is so lovely and great addition to help build our dream wedding day! -Ashley D.
Sam was absolutely wonderful! He played exactly what we wanted, and lightened the mood! It was wonderful for my wedding and it was truly the touch that everyone enjoyed! He was always so quick to respond, and I never had any issues with communication! I would highly recommend Sam to anyone! Thank you Sam, for exceeding my expectations. -Ashley S.
Sam played at both our ceremony and our cocktail hour. He did a great job and played beautiful music we get to remember for a lifetime. We also got lots of compliments. Katy H.
My husband and I first met Sam when we were looking for a classical guitarist to play at our intimate wedding ceremony. We had a thirty minute chat over the phone with Sam, and knew that we were in fantastic hands! He had great perspective and helped us fill in the blanks where we did not know what kind of music we wanted. We asked him to learn a few new songs for us, and he learned/played them expertly! On our wedding day, Sam was an absolute professional, showing up on time and handling setup with ease. The music was beautiful and we could not have asked for a better player. If you are looking for a classical guitarist who has an extensive repertoire but also can pick up a couple new songs, Sam is absolutely your guy! -Julia L.
Sam gave a virtual concert to my workplace to enjoy because of the COVID outbreak. I work in a retirement facility so we are even more strict on everything since the outbreak, but he adjusted to the times perfectly. He was absolutely great. I imagine in person even better, but with circumstances how they are I think it was fun! If you're looking to have a social hour with some virtually live music or want to have a virtual concert- Sam is the way to go. He was on Zoom early to help prepare the sound equipment, he introduced himself to the audience, and played beautiful music that was perfect for the listeners. I highly recommend Sam. -Hannah E.
Professional, Prompt, Courteous, and one AMAZING Guitarist
Sam with Irving Music Studio was professional from start to finish. Tonya and I had Sam play acoustic for the ceremony of our wedding and he was amazing! A gentleman in all respects. He has a very clean set-up for an intimate wedding like ours. The music was perfect. Thank you Sam. Hiring you was one of the best decisions we made. -Mike Z
Incredible wedding musician– We hired Sam to play solo guitar for our wedding ceremony and cocktail hour and it was a wonderful experience from beginning to end. He is responsive, kind, and most importantly, he is an incredible musician. If you read nothing else from this review, just know, you should hire him!!!
From the first time I reached out, Sam was incredibly responsive. When I emailed him to inquire about his availability for our date, he got back to me quickly and we spoke on the phone the same day about what I was looking for and what he could offer. I knew from the moment I spoke to him that we would hire him for our wedding not only because of his responsiveness, but also his friendliness and his evident passion for music. Our plans changed just a couple of weeks before our wedding, and given our new plans, Sam would still be playing for when we scheduled our first dance in our timeline. We had kind of an obscure song that we wanted for our first dance and I knew it was likely too much to ask for Sam to arrange it and learn it in advance of our wedding. Well, I was wrong, because Sam eagerly and without hesitation agreed to learn our song; he arranged and played it beautifully and gave us a framed copy of the sheet music. It was one of the most special moments of our entire wedding day. I will always remember how beautifully Sam played for us, as will our guests. Everyone commented on his talent the entire evening and the rest of the weekend. Just do yourself a favor and hire Sam!! You will not be disappointed! -Olivia B.
Working with Sam was so easy and he played beautifully. He was very in sync with the flow of the ceremony, even when things were not going quite to plan. Sam provided us with a list of songs he could play, which was incredibly helpful for me, and talked with me about our choices prior to the wedding day and took time to make sure he understood what we were going for. He played our ceremony music and also played throughout the cocktail hour-- I was not there for much of it but lots of folks commented on the beautiful music! Not only is he a pro, but he was very kind and psyched to be apart of our wedding. Thank you Sam! -Deana B.
My guests raved about Sam! He is truly talented. Not only did he play the most beautiful guitar music, but was also so kind and responsive - very professional. Sam was very helpful in the process of finding recessional songs. He was able to recommend some gorgeous non-traditional songs. He really made the evening more special. Highly recommend!! -Kimberly H.
Sam was perfect for our wedding ceremony! He was kind, professional, and very accommodating when we requested more non-traditional music for our wedding. Communication was excellent and the entire booking experience was pleasant overall. Not only is he a highly talented guitarist but he is also a friendly, wonderful person! -Travis D.
Sam was responsive and extremely easy to work with! He played for our wedding ceremony in the Asheville area and helped to make our ceremony even more beautiful. His selection of songs was wonderful and he brought everything he needed with him. Would highly recommend! -Rachel
Sam was amazing!!! He added the perfect amount of romance to our simple ceremony! He helped bring to life exactly what I envisioned!! -Jessica
Recently, Sam and Kate played as a guitar and violin duet at our wedding ceremony and cocktail reception. Our experience working with them was fantastic! Initially, Sam and I had a phone conversation to talk through my partner and my thoughts on the music. Sam was patient walking through various options and showed genuine excitement for our wedding and wanting to make it special! He created arrangements for various songs that we wanted played during the ceremony including Coldplay’s “Yellow” which my wife walked down the aisle to. Their arrangement was perfect, and it made such an important moment even meaningful for me, my wife, and our families and friends. During the cocktail hour, Sam and Kate played a number of arrangements of popular songs that our guests loved! I really enjoyed working with them. They were a big piece of making our wedding special! -Adam C.
Sam Irvin Music Studio made the event planning task a pleasure. Sam's communications were stellar and the performance quality was top notch. Will certainly be calling him again in the future. A+++ -Je G.
I had the best experience with Sam and Kate at my brunch wedding. They were easy to work with and reliable. They were also affordable and well worth their value. They learned Mariah Carey for me along with a few other songs and just did an excellent job.
All of my guests complimented the music!
I would highly recommend them! -Katie A.
Sam and Kate were absolutely phenomenal and incredibly easy to work with leading up to our big day. They brought an amazing musical element that was perfect for both during and after our ceremony.
We highly suggest you use Sam and team for all your event musical needs - they are the best. -Chris W.
Sam and his team of musicians [guitar/violin/cello trio] are absolutely outstanding. For my wedding on 9/17/2021 they composed 3 songs of our choice to be included in our processional and recessional, and it was stunningly beautiful. It was truly what we envisioned for our ceremony music. Then they kicked it up a notch for lively music during our cocktail hour, and made it so much fun. I highly recommend Sam and his team! -Holly H.
Sam and Kate were an indispensable element to the magic of our wedding. They not only played a beautiful set that we specifically arranged from their list of songs, but they impeccably learned four additional songs that have special meaning for me and my (now) wife--and the music of which was not all easy to find! They took the time to understand our ceremony schedule and play the special requests at their specific times--offering us a spiritual experience and gift that will remain in our hearts forever and brought special power, sublimity and endurance to the ceremony and vows. I have immense gratitude--wish we could do it again! But alas--for a once in a lifetime event--you can rely on these two to take care of you and create something beautiful. -Jordan F.
One of the best decisions I made for my wedding day! Sam and the Irvin Music Studio were incredibly communicative, helpful and professional in the lead up to the big day! I received rave reviews from my guests, and we were all so pleased with the quality of the music. It helped make our special day even more wonderful! [Guitar/Violin Duet] -Chloe B.
Sam and Kate were the absolute perfect choice for our wedding ceremony and cocktail hour music! They played a beautiful mix of classical, jazz, folk, and more. Their music added an element of elegance and pure joy to the day's festivities. They have such a deep library of songs that they can play, and even took special requests for songs that they learned in advance of our big day! Not to mention they are both super genuine, nice people and super easy to work with. Thanks so much for everything! -Michael M.
Sam and Kate were phenomenal! They exceeded our expectations in every way imaginable. We live in central NC and needed Asheville-based musicians to play for our wedding ceremony. Finding Irvin Music studio was simply terrific luck. They were: quickly responsive to our inquiry, made the process so easy, very flexible, charming, and extremely talented. They showed up early (they were set up before we even arrived) and played a beautiful repertoire of subtle music for even longer than we had hoped while our guests arrived before and mingled after the service. I really can't say enough to give them and their music proper respect. We both agreed that Irvin Music Studio may have been the best money we spent on our wedding. -Wesley S.
Sam and Kate provided beautiful live music for our wedding ceremony and celebration afterwards. These 2 are majorly talented, and even rearranged their schedules to stay longer for us. They were gifted on the violin and guitar, and learned to play a special song for us in 2 days. We were thrilled to have live music, and lucked out with having Sam and Kate! -Paul J.
Dreamy Mountain Wedding: We cannot thank Sam and Kate enough for their performance at our wedding! They made our day even more special. Sam was so great and easy to work with. They had a great selection of songs for us to choose from that was exactly what we were looking for. We loved having them so much that we decided to extend their time an extra hour at the wedding! Thank you again for a day we will always remember! -Jean A.
My husband and I hired Sam (on guitar) and Kate (on violin) to perform at our daughter’s small wedding in the NC mountains. The combination of their professionalism, musical talent and passion for their craft created a perfect background to the beautiful location and the joys we will long remember associated with this day!
We would readily hire them again in the future; very punctual, flexible and easy to work with! Mariela C.
Our wedding ceremony was perfect with this touch of classical play! As the bride, waiting to come out, hearing the violin and guitar was heart warming and truly special! I would hire Samuel and his wife again in a heartbeat! Thanks for making my day extra special! -Melissa B.
Sam and Kate were the absolute perfect choice for our wedding ceremony and cocktail hour music! They played a beautiful mix of classical, jazz, folk, and more. Their music added an element of elegance and pure joy to the day's festivities. They have such a deep library of songs that they can play, and even took special requests for songs that they learned in advance of our big day! Not to mention they are both really genuine, nice people and super easy to work with. Thanks so much for everything! -Lina R.
I legitimately cannot give a high enough rating for Irvin Music Studio and [the jazz ensemble]. Five stars doesn't seem like enough. They were one of the best parts of our wedding, and their performance was phenomenal. From the guitar/flute duet at the ceremony to the light music at the cocktail hour, and then the absolutely killer jazz quartet during the reception, everything was beyond our expectations. They even created an arrangement of one of our favorite songs for our cake cutting, and it was just lovely. If you're looking for a live music performance at your event, you can't get better than this.
Thank you so much, Irvin Music Studio!!! -Kate M.
Sam put together a trio of musicians for my Christmas event... played a blend of Christmas and Jazz with a piano, bass, and vocalist. The vibe was amazing and the musicians were friends and easy to work with. Would book again. -John B.
[The jazz ensemble] did an AMAZING job at our wedding. They set a very lovely, classy and fun tone for both the ceremony and the reception and were able to play everything I requested beautifully. Sam was very quick to respond anytime I had any questions prior to the event, and one of the nicest wedding vendors I dealt with throughout my wedding planning journey. Would recommend for a beautiful, fun and classy event anytime! -Yvonne S.
The Irvin Music Studio group was everything we could have asked for and more. We hired them as a trio to play at our rehearsal dinner which was an indoor/outdoor venue. We requested them to play background music throughout the night. Each musician played multiple instruments and the music really was lovely. It was never too loud or too much... it was perfect. We had multiple compliments from our guests on how talented they were. They played a few songs requested on the spot that they didn't know as a group, but somehow still made it happen for our guests. They were professional, on time, and very prompt with emails. We could not have been more happy with the choice we made! -Eric M.
Sam Irvin and the rest of [the jazz ensemble] were an absolute pleasure to work with. Sam's communication before the event was professional and punctual, which made booking a breeze. The event itself ran very smoothly and Sam and the rest of the Birds provided us a beautiful background of jazz. [they] are very talented and their music was laden with arpeggiated guitar runs, soft brass, and beautiful fretless bass melodies that make a cohesive canvas for [the singer]. The voice was just as incredible as the rest of the band and gave the event quiet vibrato and strong vocal runs that melted into each arrangement with ease. I hope to coordinate another event in Asheville soon, because [the jazz ensemble] will be my first choice! -Michael B.
I hired [the jazz ensemble] for my husband's birthday party (it was a big one!) Sam was so great to work with...replied quickly, took my requests for certain songs, arrived well ahead of time to set up. All band members were so personable, polite and above all GOOD MUSICIANS!! Party attendees just raved about the music...jazz standards, some bossa, and little solo guitar thrown in with some classical numbers as well. [The] singing was just great as well and the combo of drums and trombone plus bass and regular guitar...well just amazing. They played both outside on the deck, and inside when weather changed and they sounded great in both locations! They made the evening magical and truly memorable. -Betsy W.