Wendy Duffy

With upbeat pop-rock driven sounds and endless lyrical optimism--Wendy Duffy started writing music in 2002 as a way to express herself and create the kind of music she always loved to listen to growing up. Duffy, who grew up in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, spent nearly every summer hitting up Milwaukee's World Largest Music Festival called Summerfest--listening to the bands that left a lasting impression on her as a fan and an artist. In addition to being an avid concert goer by the age of 7, her grandfather, Burnett Kubly, was an accordian player and shared his music with Wendy at a very young age. Music was timeless to Wendy, as songs were like kodaks from her personal scrap book. One play of a song from 1984, and she was right back to that place and that feeling she had at the age of 6. Duffy always dreamed as young girl she would leave Wisconsin and head West. A few months after graduating college in 2001 from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse and saving some much needed cash, she packed her bags and moved to Los Angeles. Once she landed with her feet firmly planted down, she tried her hand out at acting. Although she ejoyed acting and still does-- it was while attending those acting classes where Wendy realized she had something she wanted to say/share with the world, so she began to write. After she started writing what she calls her "journey", she naturally wanted to learn an instrument so she chose guitar--an instrument she had always wanted to learn.

The story of a small-town-girl trying to make it in the big city is NOT a new one but Duffy has something special that seperates her from all the other dreamers--a "never-give-up-attitude in accepting anything less than living the dream." She's worked several jobs over the years in radio, affiliate radio management, records and publicity to not only make ends meet but to learn the business. Wendy believes her work experience has taught her the "business" side of the industry, something she feels will help her "work" her own career in music. She also briefly sang back up and wrote with a band called Better Off Red (who were and still are great friends of Duffy). Those friends have only strengthened her desire to make the music she has longed to make. She has also truly realized over the past few years, that it takes time and hard work to get where you want to get in life, and this career path is no different, "It's hard to get ahead in the music business--to get where you want to get, which is ultimately making music and getting paid to do it--but enjoying the journey and the process is 75% of the fun," and that is exactly what Wendy is doing. She is enjoying the journey, a journey she feels is only in the early stages of her music career. She is elated about growing into the musician she dreams on becoming. “The songs I have produced so far are truly a reflection of where I’ve come from, where I’ve been and where I am going as a person and an artist,” says Duffy, “I’m constantly writing and to be honest, I don’t feel I can get things produced fast enough—because every time I write and create news songs I like the new one better than the last one.” During her time spent in Los Angeles, she also met and married her husband Drew in June of 2005. Later that summer, they decided to take a much needed "industry break," and spend the next 5 months living/working in Salzburg, Austria. In January of 2006, Duffy moved to the songwriting capital of the world, Nashville, for a richer music scene and so far, it seems to fit Wendy and her husband Drew perfectly; more lowkey and personal.

Over the past 3 years, Wendy has performed at several songwriting venues including 3rd & Lindsley, The Commodore, Brentwood Sports Bar, Hall of Fame Lounge, The Listening Room, Cresent Cafe, Limelight, French Quarter and Ri'chards. Duffy completed her first independently released EP titled Roads Less Traveled in the summer of 2007 and finished her sophomore project titled, October Road, now available on CD Baby/iTunes/. Duffy has been on the road since January 2009 with shows in Wisconsin, Texas, Illinois and Colorado to promote October Road, so check her schedule.

FAVORITE CHILDHOOD MEMORY?
That's tough- I really have too many, but..I will try. It's a toss up. I spent my summers on a lake in Eagle River, Wisconsin and those were such special times. Swimming on the lake, boating, playing games, racing go-karts--we stayed busy as the cottage did NOT have a TV. Yes, and this was just in 1982. No TV? What on earth did we ever do! Second favorite childhood memory? Growing up on top of a Swiss Restaurant my parents owned, The Chateau. I have too many great memories to even start!

SIMPLE THINGS YOU CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT?
Ok, I hate to say something cliche (although it's true), like love--but honestly that would be my number one--I think life is truly all about loving others/giving love and being loved--and all different kinds of love (friend, child, parent, spou