Education
Sampson attended Wick High School, Peterhead Academy and Boroughmuir Secondary School in Edinburgh before studying music at Edinburgh’s Napier University, graduating in 1978.
Sampson attended Wick High School, Peterhead Academy and Boroughmuir Secondary School in Edinburgh before studying music at Edinburgh’s Napier University, graduating in 1978.
His solo live act involves playing recorders, trumpets, crumhorn and other instruments, and his theatre work includes many seasons with the Natural Theatre Company of Bath, and Bill Brydon’s The Big Picnic (also for British Broadcasting Corporation television). Sampson worked again with the British Broadcasting Corporation for six series of the popular sitcom Rab C. Nesbitt. His 2011 album Cullen Skink was launched at the Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh.
Sampson was based in Hamburg, Germany from 1985 where he performed with pianist Patrick O'Connell in the duo Pat & John.
Sampson also regularly plays trumpet with reggae band Makossa, and occasionally plays trumpet with the rhythm and blues band, Doctor Hip and the Blues Operation.
He is also a member of the Scottish committee of the British actors’ union, Equity.