Samuel "Sam" Ervin Beam (born July 26, 1974), better known by his
stage and recording name Iron & Wine, is an American
singer-songwriter. He has released six studio albums, several EPs and
singles, as well as a few download-only releases, which include a live
album (a recording of his 2005 Bonnaroo performance). He occasionally
tours with a full band.Beam was raised in South Carolina before moving
to Virginia and then Florida to attend school. He now resides in
Durham, North Carolina. The name Iron & Wine is taken from a dietary
supplement named "Beef, Iron & Wine" that he found in a general store
while shooting a film.Beam was raised in Chapin, South Carolina, where
his father worked in land management and his mother was a
schoolteacher. When he was a child, his family took regular trips to
the country, where his grandfather ran a farm. He attended Seven Oaks
Elementary School and Chapin High School. While home from college, he
was a waiter at California Dreaming restaurant in Columbia. Beam
earned a bachelor's degree in art from Virginia Commonwealth
University in Richmond, Virginia. He specialized in painting before
graduating from the Florida State University Film School with an MFA
degree. Before the release of the first Iron & Wine album, Beam's main
source of income was as a professor of film and cinematography at the
University of Miami and Miami International University of Art &
Design. He had been writing songs for over seven years before a friend
lent him a four-track recorder. He began making demos and gave one to
his friend Michael Bridwell, brother of Band of Horses lead singer,
Ben Bridwell. Michael handed it to Mike McGonigal, editor of Yeti
magazine, who chose "Dead Man's Will", later released on In the Reins,
for inclusion on one of his magazine's compilation CDs. Beam later
came to the attention of Sub Pop Records co-owner, Jonathan Poneman,
who contacted Beam to propose a deal.
stage and recording name Iron & Wine, is an American
singer-songwriter. He has released six studio albums, several EPs and
singles, as well as a few download-only releases, which include a live
album (a recording of his 2005 Bonnaroo performance). He occasionally
tours with a full band.Beam was raised in South Carolina before moving
to Virginia and then Florida to attend school. He now resides in
Durham, North Carolina. The name Iron & Wine is taken from a dietary
supplement named "Beef, Iron & Wine" that he found in a general store
while shooting a film.Beam was raised in Chapin, South Carolina, where
his father worked in land management and his mother was a
schoolteacher. When he was a child, his family took regular trips to
the country, where his grandfather ran a farm. He attended Seven Oaks
Elementary School and Chapin High School. While home from college, he
was a waiter at California Dreaming restaurant in Columbia. Beam
earned a bachelor's degree in art from Virginia Commonwealth
University in Richmond, Virginia. He specialized in painting before
graduating from the Florida State University Film School with an MFA
degree. Before the release of the first Iron & Wine album, Beam's main
source of income was as a professor of film and cinematography at the
University of Miami and Miami International University of Art &
Design. He had been writing songs for over seven years before a friend
lent him a four-track recorder. He began making demos and gave one to
his friend Michael Bridwell, brother of Band of Horses lead singer,
Ben Bridwell. Michael handed it to Mike McGonigal, editor of Yeti
magazine, who chose "Dead Man's Will", later released on In the Reins,
for inclusion on one of his magazine's compilation CDs. Beam later
came to the attention of Sub Pop Records co-owner, Jonathan Poneman,
who contacted Beam to propose a deal.
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