Is Sam Fender Related to Fender Guitars?
From writing viral singles like “Seventeen Going Under” to winning Brit Awards for his music, English rocker Sam Fender has been blowing up the charts. You might have noticed his last name matches a famous guitar brand and wondered, is Sam Fender related to Fender Guitars? Here’s the answer to that question and more about the rock star.
His music career is blowing up
Sam Fender fell in love with music at a young age. His father, Alan, was also a musician, and Fender picked up a guitar at age 10. He began performing publicly shortly after, singing in pubs and on the street.
At 18, he was spotted by a manager who took him on as a client. Throughout 2013, Fender toured all over the United Kingdom, opening for artists like Ben Howard and Willy Mason. However, his touring abruptly ended when he was diagnosed with a life-threatening illness that left him with a compromised immune system.
Fender took two years off from his music career before returning in 2017 with his debut single, “Play God.” The following year, he signed to Polydor Records and released his debut EP, Dead Boys, shortly after.
His debut album, Hypersonic Missiles, came out in 2019. It quickly topped the UK charts, selling 41,000 copies in its first week of release. Fender continued touring to sold-out crowds and even received an invitation from Elton John to perform at his annual AIDS Foundation Academy Awards Party.
In 2021, Fender released “Seventeen Going Under,” the lead single off his upcoming album of the same name. The song blew up on TikTok and peaked at number three on the UK Singles Chart after 25 weeks. The track also earned the 28-year-old the Ivor Novello Award for Best Song Musically and Lyrically from the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers, and Authors.
Fender was even invited to perform at the Rolling Stones‘ British Summer Time Hyde Park gig, playing to a crowd of 65,000 people.
Is Sam Fender related to Fender Guitars?
Because of the alt-rocker’s instrument of choice and last name, some fans wonder whether Sam Fender is related to Fender Guitars and if “Fender” is even his real name.
Yes, “Sam Fender” is his real name. However, no, Sam Fender is not related to the guitar brand’s founder, Leo Fender.
But the young musician often plays a Fender Jazzmaster while performing. The guitar brand was founded in 1946 and made a name for itself by experimenting with conventional designs. Its well-known models include the Broadcaster, Telecaster, and Precision Bass.
In 1954, Fender Guitars unveiled the Stratocaster, one of the most recognizable guitars of all time. Many famous musicians, from Jimi Hendrix to Taylor Swift, have played the iconic guitar model, Guitar.com reports.
What is Sam Fender’s favorite guitar?
Even though Sam Fender has a connection to the famous guitar brand, the artist names a different guitar model as his favorite.
In an interview with LADbible TV, the singer was asked which item he can’t live without.
“It would be my Les Paul ’cause when my granddad passed away, he left us 700 quid, and I went and got this Les Paul guitar,” he responded. “And that guitar is, for me, it’s like me and my granddad’s thing. So that would be the one.”
Sam Fender might not be related to Fender Guitars, but the singer-songwriter has made his mark on the music industry.
