Amaryah

Whether it was fate or just a childish whim, Amaryah's one desire has always been to make music. Even from a young age, the talent to create beautiful music was evident in her endeavors. Her songs have natural melodies and provoking lyrics. Her musical experience began in Grand Rapids, MI. Amaryah's family was unable to afford a piano, so at age five, Amaryah started praying for a piano everyday. A couple years and countless prayers later, a friend of the family gave her an old player piano and she started taking lessons.

Amaryah's family moved many times during her childhood, exposing her to various cultures and musical styles. She dabbled in everything from bluegrass/folk to punk though she eventually settled in the singer/songwriter niche. As a child, Amaryah often accompanied her parents in service projects. Therefore, her first audiences were her toughest- prisoners and regulars at the local food kitchen.

While attending middle school in Springfield, MO, Amaryah's charismatic personality got her in trouble with her teachers. Unable to handle Amaryah's abundant energy, one teacher, on several occasions, put Amaryah in the closet of the classroom. When the school found out about these incidents, they removed Amaryah from that teacher's class and placed her in the school's stringed orchestra. Though Amaryah knew nothing about the violin upon joining and was largely self-taught, within months she moved from last chair violin to induction into the school's chapter of Strolling Strings. Furthermore, Amaryah joined the school's jazz band (as pianist), performed in several local musicals, and received many awards in the state's music contests.

Another move found her in Lowell, MA where, shortly after turning 16, circumstances left Amaryah in charge of corporate music at her church. Out of both necessity and desire, she quickly picked up her mother's old Martin guitar and discovered her singing voice. She had written poetry since childhood; however, it was during her high school years that she was able to cultivate her songwriting voice.

In 2003, Amaryah teamed up with two friends and formed the band, Down Like Velvet (which has since disbanded). With the band and as a solo artist, Amaryah has played in many venues in the midwest and east coast. She graduated from North Central University in Minneapolis where she was the first female guitar major to graduated from the univeristy in it's history.