Sam Evian is a performance alias of Sam Griffin Owens, a New York-based singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist with an affection for the mellower sounds of the '60s and '70s. Also a studio multitasker, he helped to build the Figure 8 Recording Studios in Brooklyn, and his appreciation for vintage instruments and equipment and his knowledge of the contemporary are evident in his solo work. Similarly, he counts the Band, Shuggie Otis, Cate Le Bon, and Cass McCombs (whom he's produced) among his many varied influences.