For Tony Sammis, following a career in music was almost inevitable.

His mom is a singer, and his dad plays the piano, saxophone, guitar and banjo, so music and instruments were always around and available. Sammis joined the elementary school band in fifth grade as a drummer, soon thereafter joined the Jazz Band on the drum set and started to play the guitar at about age 10.

He writes some of his own music, influenced by 1970s era singer-songwriters such as Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, John Prine and Nick Drake. He enjoys many different musical genres but is generally drawn to a more acoustic, folksy style for his writing. He enjoys playing the guitar more than singing, so he really likes to improvise on guitar solos. If it’s a well-known solo or riff, he usually sticks with the basic idea and adds his own twist. Some of his favorite guitar players are Jerry Garcia, Duane Allman and Mark Knopfler.

Sammis thinks those living in the area are lucky that the south metro has many live music venues. He also enjoys playing outside, with the natural sound being less confined than indoor spaces.

His talents are shared with audiences outside of the metro area. He enjoys playing in the Florida Keys and tours down south every fall. In 2025, he went to Key West and played at a few different awesome spots, mainly Florida Keys Brewing, a Grateful Dead-inspired brewery in Key Largo. He loves the Key West music scene and all of the friendly local musicians.

He has numerous Prior Lake gigs coming up this summer, including at: PLate on Main, the Legends Golf Club and Charlie’s on Prior, as well as the downtown Prior Lake Farmers Market. His full schedule through September is listed on his website: tonysammismusic.com

The song Sammis enjoys playing the most is “Ventura Highway” by America. While it’s a relatively simple song, the nostalgic, laidback summer feel about it makes him happy.

If he wasn’t performing musically, he says he’d probably be doing something in the teaching field using his master’s degree in elementary education.

The best advice he’s received for his music career could apply to any profession: “Never undervalue yourself and what you are bringing to the table. It’s absolutely incredible to be able to play music for a living. And while it’s important to be grateful for what you do, also remember the hard work you’ve put into it.”