Todd Sansom

Country singer and pianist Todd Sansom grew up in Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains area outside Charlottesville, where an early fascination with music led him to begin piano instruction at age four. Gifted with the ability to reproduce any tune after a single listen, he abandoned formal notation altogether by nine, relying instead on constant radio exposure that introduced him to a steady stream of country material. By fifteen he had committed fully to the genre, taking the frontman role and handling keyboards for multiple regional ensembles. To pursue a professional path he relocated to Nashville and entered Belmont University in the autumn of 1996 as a vocal-performance major. Local showcases soon drew the notice of Kenny Rogers, who invited Sansom to audition in 2000 for the shared lead-singer position in the newly formed Marshall Dyllon, a group slated to record for Rogers’ Dreamcatcher Records imprint. After securing the spot, Sansom contributed lead vocals, harmony arrangements, production work, and three original compositions to the band’s debut album, Enjoy the Ride. Financial difficulties forced Dreamcatcher to close two years later, leaving Marshall Dyllon inactive. Sansom subsequently toured as keyboardist and backing vocalist with Julie Roberts, Collin Raye, Steve Holy, Andy Griggs, and Mark Wills, while also recording sessions for Trace Adkins and additional artists. Continuing his solo career, he issued the self-titled Todd Sansom album in 2007 and followed it with Pourin’ It On in 2010, both on the Rapidan River label.