The Makin Waves Song of the Week is “Do You? Will You?” by young Central Jersey singer-songwriter Sam Tunkel. PHOTO BY DAN ACOSTA
Hot off the heels of his acclaimed 2025 debut LP, "Out There," and its immediate follow-up single, "Inner City Lullaby," young but prolific Central Jersey singer-songwriter Sam Tunkel is keeping the momentum going with an EP, "The Parade Man."
The forthcoming four-song collection’s single, "Do You? Will You?,” is the Makin Waves Song of the Week.
As the Makin Waves Song of the Week, “Do You? Will You?” also can be heard between 6 and 8 p.m. on Feb. 20 on “Radio Jersey” at ThePenguinRocks.com. If you miss it, you can tune in any time in the archives at The Penguin, Mixcloud and RadioJersey.net.
“The song was written three years ago during a spur of songwriting inspired during times of confusion, upset, and a sense of blindness,” Sam said. “A part of getting out of a rut is asking questions. This song asks the deep ones. With a driving sense of urgency throughout the song, it shows that sometimes, maybe even most of the time, the answers to tough questions aren't easily achieved.”
The son of the great singer-songwriter-producer Bruce Tunkel, Sam says he prides himself on his honesty and storytelling abilities, as well as the ability to make the walls rumble with his backing band, The Long Whiles.
A chip off the old block, Sam recorded, mixed and mastered “The Parade Man” on his MacBook. A guitarist and keyboardist like Bruce, Sam often performs with his father on Wednesdays at Pino’s Open Mic Night.
You also can enjoy Sam live either solo acoustic or with The Long Whiles. On March 6, he’ll play with the band at Ramapo College’s H-Wing Auditorium at benefit for the school’s We Care student support program. They’ll also play March 11, Berlin Under A, New York City, and April 8, Commchella@Rutgers University, New Brunswick. Sam also will play solo April 11, El Studio Verde, Metuchen, and April 18, The Kill Shed, Toms River.
Enjoy “Do You? Will You?” on Apple Music and Spotify.
Bob Makin has produced Makin Waves since 1988. Follow Makin Waves on Facebook and Instagram and contact Bob at [email protected].
