A Q&A With the Red, Write & Blue Lyric Contest Promotion Winner, Samantha Cugini

Samantha Cugini is American Songwriter’s Red, Write & Blue Lyric Contest promotion winner for her song, “Nobody Said Goodbye.”

Cugini told American Songwriter that she was inspired to pen the track after coming across a photo of her father during his Air Force years, which was taken before she was born.

“Now, years after losing him to cancer, I found myself looking at that image and wondering about the story behind it. The family around him, the life he was living, and what it felt like to leave home and return to service,” she said. “The song is my attempt to step into a moment I never witnessed, while reflecting on family, sacrifice, and the uniquely American experience of loving someone whose duty sometimes calls them away.”

The song, Cugini noted, explores “the personal side of service and sacrifice.”

“To me, patriotism is found in the stories of the people who dedicate their lives to something greater than themselves, and in the families who support them along the way,” she said. “It honors the courage, commitment, and sacrifices made by those who serve, while recognizing the love and pride carried by the people waiting for them at home.”

Read on to learn more about Cugini.

Samantha Cugini Q&A

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN SONGWRITING?

I’ve been writing for as long as I can remember. As a kid, it was always my way of making sense of the world, but after losing both of my parents, writing became something much deeper.

WHAT GOT YOU INTO MUSIC IN THE FIRST PLACE?

Music has always been part of who I am because it was such a big part of my childhood. My mom always had music playing. She loved Christian music, and once Halloween ended,
Christmas music took over the house until well into January.

My mom always told me I had a gift for writing and a voice to go with it. At the time, I brushed it off, but looking back, I think she saw something in me long before I ever saw it in myself.

WHY DID YOU ENTER AMERICAN SONGWRITER’S RED, WRITE & BLUE PROMOTION?

When I heard about the Red, Write & Blue promotion, I knew I had a song that fit the heart of
what it was celebrating. It isn’t about politics. It’s about service, family, and the pride that
comes with loving your country while recognizing the cost that often comes with that love.

WHAT HAS WINNING MEANT TO YOU?

Winning this contest means more to me than simply receiving recognition for a song. It is a
reminder that the stories and emotions behind my work resonated with others. As a songwriter, the greatest reward is knowing that something personal can become something meaningful to someone else. I’m incredibly honored that this lyric was chosen.

WHAT SONGWRITERS AND ARTISTS DO YOU COUNT AS YOUR BIGGEST INSPIRATIONS? WHY?

Carole King: Timeless, emotional honesty.
Joni Mitchell: Poetic lyricism and artistic depth.
Lauryn Hill: Genre-blending innovation and musical reinvention.
P!nk: Directness and emotional honesty.
Brandi Carlile: Authenticity and vulnerability.
Taylor Swift: Vivid storytelling, powerful metaphors, and emotional detail.
Raye: Exploration of complex emotions with depth and honesty.
Paul Simon: masterful craftsmanship
…to name a few!

TELL US ABOUT YOUR PLANS IN 2026.

2026 has been a year of growth, connection, and continuing the journey as a songwriter and singer. I just released my independent album, The Leaving Kind, under the stage name Sammi Lee on July 17th. It’s a deeply personal collection of songs centered around themes of grief, healing, growth, and finding the courage to move forward. I’m looking forward to exploring new collaborations, writing new music, and continuing to grow as both an artist and songwriter.

WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST CAREER DREAM?

My biggest career dream is to write songs that truly connect with people and become part of their lives. Performing is one of my favorite parts of being an artist, but for me, the greatest reward is knowing that the words I’ve written have reached someone’s heart. The most powerful songs are the ones that make people feel understood.

My dream is to continue growing as a songwriter, collaborate with other incredible artists and writers, and create music that reaches people beyond my own experiences. At the end of the day, the true win is not just having people hear my songs; it’s having them feel something, remember a moment, or carry those words with them.

WHAT WOULD YOU TELL OTHER ARTISTS WHO ARE CONSIDERING ENTERING THE
CONTEST?

Believe in the story you’re telling, trust the work you’ve created, and give your song the opportunity to find the people who need to hear it. You never know how a song might connect with someone, inspire them, or become part of their own story.

Read Samantha Cugini’s Contest-Winning Lyrics for “Nobody Said Goodbye”

Grandpa’s shirt was stained with charcoal
Working smoke into the sky
Grandma swore she made too much food
Like she did each Fourth of July

Neighbors drifted through the backyard
Pulling lawn chairs from the shed
Talking weather talking baseball
Talking ’bout most anything instead

You were home on leave that summer
Air Force blue and twenty-two
Laughing louder than the stories
Like you had something left to prove

Nobody said goodbye
Nobody said your name
Nobody talked about next week
Or how everything might change

We just passed another burger
Watched the little kids run wild
Held our breath between the fireworks
And pretended for a while

There was watermelon on paper plates
Beer bottles sweating in the heat
A radio somewhere in the distance
Calling balls and calling strikes three deep

You were leaning on the fence line
With the boys you’d always known
Making plans you’d never make now
Like the world was still your own

Grandma watched you from the porch swing
Every time you crossed her view
Trying hard to hide the fact
She was counting moments too

Nobody said goodbye
Nobody said your name
Nobody talked about next week
Or how everything might change

We just passed another burger
Watched the little kids run wild
Held our breath between the fireworks
And pretended for a while

After dark the sky exploded
Red and white and cobalt blue
Everybody looking upward
Nobody looking at you

‘Cause if they did they’d see the duffel
Waiting by the kitchen door
And the truth nobody wanted
Walking circles on the floor

Nobody said goodbye
But everybody knew
Grandpa at the grill knew it
And Grandma knew it too

The neighbors and the old friends
The kids too young to read the room
All trying to make a holiday
Outlast what was coming soon

Nobody said goodbye
That’s what gets me now
Looking at that photograph
And finally figuring out

It wasn’t just a cookout
It wasn’t just red white and blue

It was a family trying to hold a son

For one more day or two
Grandpa’s shirt was stained with charcoal
Smoke was drifting through the sky

Everybody knew you were leaving

Nobody said goodbye

Photo by Samantha Cugini