Remembering Sam VanDelinder

Austin musician and HAAM member Sam VanDelinder

Utterly unique. Thoughtful. Brilliant. Ahead of his time. These are just a few ways that Samuel Sayre VanDelinder’s family and friends described him after his passing in 2023. As we near the anniversary of Sam’s death, we wanted to share a little bit of his story.

Sam, an Austin native, was active in the music community here, including years spent pioneering and cultivating vinyl records through his work with his long-time employer, Waterloo Records & Video. His love for music and time spent with Waterloo Records allowed him to build an impressive (over 2000!) and enviable personal vinyl collection.

Sam was also an integral part of the alternative music scene in Austin starting in high school with Lopey's Farm, then Paddaphysics and last the Tucker A&M Perry Foundation. He also toured in the U.S. and Europe with Gary Wilson.

As Sam was a former HAAM member and received both mental and general healthcare services through the organization, the family decided to sell his vinyl collection in hopes of raising funds to help HAAM continue providing affordable healthcare access to Austin musicians. Many friends and family also donated to HAAM in Sam's memory.

In the fall of 2023, proceeds from that sale totaled over $4,000, a gift that when leveraged by HAAM’s community partnerships, equates to over $28,000 in healthcare services. We wanted to bring this story to you to show this beautiful example of a family finding a way to create something positive out of their grief by supporting a cause that was important to them and their loved one.

Directing the proceeds to help other musicians access healthcare honors Sam's connection to the Austin music community in a truly meaningful and impactful way. It is our hope that this act of generosity by the VanDelinder and Brown family provided some comfort to his family and friends while also ensuring Sam's legacy lives on through the musicians who will benefit from the funds raised.

To quote one of Sam’s favorite musicians/writers Syd Barrett: “Have you seen the roses? There's a whole lot of colours.” We hope you choose to see life in color.