Biography
Amanda Pearcy has had the honor of opening for Billy Joe Shaver at Austin's premier listening room, the Cactus Cafe, and has shared the bill on WUWF's Radio Live program with Ellis Paul and Tom Kimmel. She was raised in Houston, the youngest of four with several years between her and her brother and sisters, by a motherless mother and a fatherless father in an alcoholic home. Although she yearned to express herself creatively in a musical way during her childhood, her first guitar lesson wasn't until after life had shifted, again, as it does. Her son was getting older, both of her parents had recently passed, and Katrina had just hit New Orleans. She pulled out her late husband's pawn shop guitar and got after the work of finally feeding her soul. Amanda had never formally studied music, written a song, or strummed a guitar, but in a sense she had her own way of “studying,” while waiting tables in and frequenting live music venues in Houston and Austin, TX, and while two stepping in old time dance halls in Bastrop County, TX.
Amanda Pearcy’s new CD, Waitin’ On Sunday, tells her story with authenticity and grace, and weaves the stories of her life into a stunning debut CD. In what feels like another life time ago to her, Amanda and her first husband made their home in the Lost Pines of Bastrop, TX, east of Austin. She hung cloth diapers out on the line to dry and her husband left before the sun came up (the weeks he worked the day shift) to work the oil rigs around South Central Texas. Having a day off only if the rig was down, he worked seven days a week as a derrick man, or, as songwriter Sam Baker (also produced by Tim Lorsch), wrote of a similar character in one of his songs, as "a rough neck with a hand done tattoo". They had three sweet traditional years together, but her husband passed away when their son was two years old, leaving Amanda with not much more than a '71 Olds Cutlass Supreme (hard top) and a '72 Olds Delta ‘88 Royal. Thinking they needed more reliable transportation, Amanda regrettably sold the cars and put a down payment on a little Chevy pick-up. After a few hard years in Smithville, TX (which included another short and semi-tragic marriage), she packed up her son and moved to Wimberley, TX, where she met her beloved Cowboy and where all three were almost killed in that little pick-up truck in a driving accident on Purgatory Road off Devil's Backbone. Now back at home in Austin, these are among the stories that work their way into Amanda’s songs.
"I've done a lot of livin' since then, been down some more rough roads, and I figure I have a few more yet to go. But I'm also blessed beyond my wildest dreams all at the same time. And that's something I don't take for granted."
"Amanda is musically somewhere between Emmylou Harris and Dolly Parton to my ears. Her mood is all Emmylou, but her voice has some Dolly in it. If Lisa Hannigan was raised in the South, not in Ireland, she'd probably sound like Amanda. ...Amanda obviously knows country music, and plays it straight, but the stories lean toward the outlaw category...a solid performer and songwriter..." Review by Tyler John Arnold, MohawkRadio.com, of a live performance at Momo's, Austin, TX
"...Amanda Pearcy should be considered as a fresh generation within the Americana scene that this Southern state has to offer...Amanda bases her songs purely upon her own merits, either personally, or including the history of her immediate family...
...2009 is now already one of the richest music years. Hardly have I seen such a magnificent range of recordings within one individual year. However, without taking some modesty into consideration, I am convinced that this album will end high within my personal preferences. Why? Simply because this is a pure debut, full of integrity, where everything falls into place. Nice that this young songstress comes from Texas, apparently their musical source hasn’t dried entirely. It’s authentic and refreshing...and certainly to be noted for your personal wish list." Rein van den Berg, Johnny's Garden and rootsville.be
Instrumentation
Amanda Pearcy: vocals & rhythm guitar
Players on the debut CD, "Waitin' On Sunday":
Mike Daly - pedal steel guitar; Ron de la Vega - upright bass; Mickey Grimm - drums, percussion; Tim Lorsch - violin, baritone violin, cello, mandolin; Scott Neubert - acoustic guitar, dobro; Amanda Pearcy - vocal, acoustic guitar; Rick Plant - electric guitar; Gene Rabbai- organ; Jeff Taylor - accordion
Discography
The debut CD of 12 original songs, "Waitin' On Sunday", produced by Tim Lorsch and released September 22nd, 2009, debuted at #23 on the Roots Music Report - Roots/Americana Country Weekly Chart for the week of 09/18/09.
“It smacks of authenticity and a bit of road weary living. Something that should resonate with most of us in these times when the road of life is anything but smooth.” Dan Alloway, “Folk Fury”, KTEP-FM, El Paso, Texas
"Amanda Pearcy's debut CD, "Waitin' On Sunday", is one of those CDs that takes a lifetime to create. It's a deeply personal CD from a singer/songwriter who can share her joys and sorrows in a way that makes you thankful for the experience. Her vocal style is full, authentic, confident and melodic while still being thoroughly grounded in south-central Texas. Highlights for me are "Waitin' On Sunday" and "Paint By Numbers"." Calvin Powers, Taproot Radio
"...a pure debut, full of integrity, where everything falls into place...authentic and refreshing...certainly to be noted for your personal wish list." Rein van den Berg, Johnny's Garden and rootsville.be
Links
| http://www.myspace.com/amandapearcymusic |