Article Contributed by Devious Planet
Published on 2026-05-08
UPCOMING 'PAPER DOLL LIVE' DUE JUNE 12TH
Following her eighth triumphant appearance at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, acclaimed guitarist and songwriter Samantha Fish has released “Don’t Say It,” the latest single from her forthcoming live album, Paper Doll Live, due June 12 via Rounder Records.
Fish’s first official live album, Paper Doll Live captures the electrifying stage presence that has made her one of the most compelling performers in modern blues and roots music. Recorded at the historic Bijou Theatre, the album documents a band firing on all cylinders in front of a packed crowd, elevated by the soaring harmonies of Nashville gospel legends The McCrary Sisters.
“‘Don’t Say It’ is one of those songs that builds gradually — a slow-burn reveal where one person is fighting for the validity of a relationship while the other is emotionally checked out,” says Fish. “It was incredible having the McCrary Sisters on this track. They weave in and out of the harmonies and add so much heart and depth.”
The two-time GRAMMY nominee has built her reputation the old-school way: onstage, with a live show critics have called “wild, raunchy… an absolute must-see” (Louder Than War) and praised for its “savage guitar work and commanding stage presence” (Blues Rock Review). Paper Doll Live captures that energy in full force — raw, immediate, and impossible to fake.
From towering performances of “Lose You” and “Sweet Southern Sounds” to a blistering rendition of “Kick Out the Jams,” the album showcases a band fully immersed in the moment — unfiltered, ferocious, and deeply connected to its audience.
“There’s a fire that comes across in live performance that doesn’t always translate in studio albums,” Fish says. “The stage lays all of that bare.”
Emerging from Kansas City’s blues lineage and shaped by influences ranging from Prince and Leonard Cohen to the legends of Mississippi Hill Country blues, Fish has spent her career turning live performance into both proving ground and catharsis. From cold-calling bars as a teenager to headlining international festivals, she has forged a live show that balances grit, vulnerability, and explosive musicianship.
“If Paper Doll was a declaration of artistic power,” Fish says, “Paper Doll Live is the sound of that power unleashed.”
With Paper Doll Live, Samantha Fish delivers more than a concert recording — she captures the visceral connection that has made her one of the most celebrated live performers in contemporary roots music today.
TOUR DATES
May 8 — Kansas City, MO — Ameristar Casino Hotel Kansas City
May 9 — St. Louis, MO — Atomic
May 10 — Tulsa, OK — Cain’s Ballroom
May 13 — Iowa City, IA — The Englert Theatre
May 14 — Marion, IL — Marion Cultural & Civic Center
May 16 — Welch, MN — Treasure Island Casino **
May 17 — Des Plaines, IL — The Des Plaines Theatre
May 19 — Warrendale, PA — Jergel’s Rhythm Grille
May 20 — State College, PA — The State Theatre
May 21 — Troy, NY — Troy Savings Bank Music Hall
May 22 — Ledyard, CT — Foxwoods Resort Casino **
May 23 — Beverly, MA — The Cabot
May 24 — Nashua, NH — Nashua Center for the Arts
May 27 — Patchogue, NY — Patchogue Theatre
May 28 — Syracuse, NY — Westcott Theater
May 29 — Lebanon, NH — Lebanon Opera House
May 30 — Augusta, NJ — Michael Arnone’s Crawfish Fest
May 31 — Buffalo, NY — Babeville
June 19 — Grolloo, Netherlands — Holland Intl Blues Festival
June 20 — Dortmund, Germany — Musiktheater Piano
June 21 — Chiari, Italy — Istituto Salesiano “San Bernardino”
June 23 — Loceri, Italy — Parco Urbano
June 25 — Rubigen, Switzerland — Muhle Hunziken
June 27 — Vienne, France — Jazz à Vienne
June 28 — Erlangen, Germany — E-Werk Kino
June 30 — Mannheim, Germany — 7er-Club
July 1 — Aschaffenburg, Germany — Colos-Saal
July 2 — Hamburg, Germany — Fabrik
July 4 — Helsinki, Finland — Puisto Blues
July 7 — Warszawa, Poland — Klub Hydrozagadka
July 8 — Gdynia, Poland — Podeorko Art
September 18–19 — Telluride, CO — Telluride Blues & Brews Fest
October 31 — West Hollywood, CA — Whisky A Go Go ***
** w/ Christone “Kingfish” Ingram
*** w/ Jesse Dayton
