Samantha Masokas
Lead Vocals
Sam is the first born child of two 80’s rock musicians from Chicago. Her parents encouraged her to find a passion for music early with piano lessons and a strictly enforced practice schedule. Her awkward middle school phase then led to picking up her dad’s guitar, secretly singing in her bedroom shortly after. Her first musical idol, Taylor Swift, encouraged her to begin writing in high school. It wasn’t until age 17 that she finally gathered the strength to step up to a microphone in public. Her church family provided an incredible support system and she was able to use this platform to pour out her musical energy and abilities.
After high school, she performed in local shows, coffeehouses, singing competitions, and wedding ceremonies.
Sam can find something to appreciate in all genres of music, and she has been influenced by a wide range of artists such as Colbie Caillat, Needtobreathe, and the Civil Wars, but Country Music will always be number one in her book.
Sam spent her college years in the heart of Music City, studying at Lipscomb University in Nashville, where she completed a degree in criminal justice and pre-law. Full disclosure: the rest of the band did not know she was basically a cop when she joined.
Justin Sattazahn
Rhythm Guitar / Lead Vocals
Justin is from the Hershey Farmland Area of Pennsylvania (Pennsyl-tucky as he likes to call it). He began to study Music seriously at age 13 when his older brother bought him his first guitar. While studying, he became involved in a variety of performance groups and his music began to gain recognition in his local community. Justin was influenced by every imaginable genre of music as a child. His mother constantly played the Pop/Rock records of bands like Bon Jovi, Def Leppard, Blondie, and Michael Jackson, while his father blasted Hank Williams, Alan Jackson, and Garth Brooks. By age 16 Justin was performing in an Acoustic Duo with his friend–writing originals and covering all types of music. After graduating high school he realized his passion was for Music and the Entertainment industry. He began an apprenticeship studying live sound engineering and spent his spare time DJ’ing and playing in bands. After many years of traveling and playing in places like Austin, Washington DC, Baltimore, Philadelphia, and Nashville, Justin found himself in Chicago.
In 2015, he decided to assemble Summer Son, where he could work with other musicians to combine many influences and create a fresh take on the country music sound.
Alan Ungurait
Lead Guitar
Al was born and raised in Oak Lawn, IL. His father, an active blues guitarist in the Chicagoland area, inspired him to take up the guitar seriously when he was 13. Luckily, he had “limited” access to a small collection of vintage guitars and classic records that his dad kept in the basement. It also helped that his dad loved to show him how to steal classic Eric Clapton and Mike Bloomfield licks on Sunday afternoons.
Al has a long history of playing in bands, beginning with a 90’s grunge cover band that he played in during high school. He has since played in Blues and Southern Rock bands and even played lead guitar in a high energy Rage Against The Machine tribute band. Al has performed all over the country, including Key West, FL, SXSW in Austin TX, and the House of Blues in Chicago. Al is also an accomplished studio musician and has co-written songs and recorded studio tracks for various local artists.
Al’s musical heroes range from Brad Paisley, Vince Gill, and Albert Lee to Tom Morello, Joe Bonamassa, and Danny Gatton. He keeps an open ear to every style and you can hear the wide range of influences that have shaped his playing over the years.
In his free time, Al likes to spend time with his daughter, and they love to visit their cottage just north of Madison.
Tom Kidera
Drums
Growing up in Algonquin, IL, Tom was introduced to the Piano by his parents at a very young age. Eventually this lead to an interest in Drum Set and Percussion, which he began studying formally at the age of 9. When he was first exposed to Jazz a year later, he began thinking of music as something more than just a hobby. Talented educators in both middle school and high school fueled his passion for music and encouraged him to attend Elmhurst College where he graduated with a dual-degree in Music Business and Jazz Studies. Although his main focus was on Jazz, he continued to perform in many ensembles, exploring a wide variety of musical styles and genres.
His time spent at Elmhurst College also provided countless opportunities to perform at venues across the US, Germany, and Italy–including performances with high-profile musicians such as Glen Kotche, Doc Severinsen, and Donny McCaslin. Tom currently keeps his schedule packed with performances in the Chicagoland area and beyond. When he’s not performing, Tom likes to drink copious amounts of coffee and play video games with his brothers (he’s a triplet, you know!).
Conor Roe
Bass
Conor is the newest addition to the Summer Son family. He is an Illinois native and has been interested in music since he can remember. Conor was exposed at an early age to Motown and Jazz, and began playing the piano at age 5. After about five years, the piano was traded in for a saxophone, which was then traded again (upgraded) to a bass guitar. Shortly after getting his first bass guitar Conor began playing Rock & Roll, all while continuing his classical studies on the upright bass.
Conor completed his degree in Jazz Studies at Elmhurst College, and had the opportunity to perform with some high-profile musicians such as Wilco drummer Glen Kotche, former Tonight Show bandleader Doc Severinsen, and saxophone pioneer Donny McCaslin. While in school, Conor also played in musicals, recorded for television network TMZ, and performed in several European countries. Since his graduation, Conor has continued to maintain a busy schedule performing and teaching.
In his free time Conor enjoys riding his bike, watching movies, and searching for the perfect cup of coffee.