Amy Smeets

2006 is ending with quite a bang for Ottawa, Illinois native Amy Smeets. She recently signed her first recording contract with Vitality Records, an independent label in Nashville, Tennessee. “My family was always very musical and my interest in music definitely comes from them,” she stated. Smeets began singing at age 6 and has had the opportunity to sing in a number of settings including choirs, plays and musicals.

Smeets is definitely not afraid to challenge the conventions of contemporary country music. “ I would classify myself as a Country-Soul singer, says Smeets, that’s what I put behind it and that’s what makes it different then what’s out there now,” she elaborated. She is a gifted interpreter- able to sing breezy foot-tappers, freewheeling outlaw country and sentimental ballads

Besides being a passionate singer, she spends a great deal of time perfecting her song writing as well. “I don’t have a set ritual in my song writing, but I really enjoy the process, said Smeets. “I write a lot about the situations I go through in life, but I feel my song writing is really becoming more diverse.”

Currently, she is writing songs for her debut cd, which is scheduled to be released in the first quarter of 2007. She is also really looking forward to entertaining audiences in the new year. “I was really influenced by artists like Barbara Mandrell and Garth Brooks and how they were looked at as dynamic live performers, stated Smeets. That’s how I want to be. I want my audience to leave the show and say wow that was a great performance,” she added.