Sam Burton Went Broke Making His New Album. It Was Worth It

Sam Burton’s difficult, self-funded work on his third album, *Fairweather Friend*, has resulted in a record he feels represents him more fully. After mixed experiences with his previous album and being dropped by his label, he worked with producer Jonathan Wilson and pushed himself to make the new songs meet his standards.

The process involved repeatedly re-recording the album’s 11 songs while Burton faced financial strain and had to leave his Los Angeles home. He produced some of the record himself and recorded half of it at drummer Pierce Gibson’s studio. Earlier, a harsh review of his live show prompted him to improve his guitar playing and audience rapport; a near-fatal 2022 car accident also marked a difficult period in his life.