photo by A. Pearcy

photo by Cowboy Johnson  

cover photo by Todd V. Wolfson 

"this is a pure debut, full of integrity, where everything falls into place..." 

"...authentic and refreshing..." 

"...certainly to be noted for your personal wish list."

now available on iTunes and cdbaby

Bio

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, Texas, 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, and while two stepping in old time dance halls in Bastrop County, Texas.

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 lifetime ago to her, Amanda and her first husband made their home in the Lost Pines of Bastrop, Texas, east of Austin.  She hung cloth diapers out on the line to dry and he 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 only 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 she needed more reliable transportation with her young son, Amanda regrettably sold the cars and put a down payment on a little truck.  After a few hard years in Smithville, Texas (which included another short and semi-tragic marriage), she packed up her son and moved to Wimberley, Texas, where she met her beloved Cowboy and where she “damn near killed the three of us” in that truck, flipping it, and nearly missing a tree after a wet curve 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', been down some rough roads, and I figure I have a few more yet to go. But I'm also blessed beyond my wildest dreams. And that's something I don't take for granted.”

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"Obviously music analysis always remains a personal choice. Without arrogance I dare to state that my ears hardly have deceived me within the genre this site stands for. This album of Amanda Pearcy’s produced by Tim Lorsch is an example of such a classical finding. Long before Waitin’On Sunday had been completed, I had the opportunity to listen to some of Amanda’s demos and was already mesmerized by songs found on this album. Those initial recordings have now been dressed into their final shape. It’s difficult to deny that this change was done exceptionally tastefully. Lorsch did an excellent job with the stellar musicians that he included. The historical pictures from Amanda’s family archive are a beautiful addition to the inlays and round out the own written texts and songs. The whole thought thru concept is entitled for a well deserved compliment. In this way my personal preference remains for a physical disc above a digital up- or download. One has to assume that primates like to hold an object before they taste.

The twelve songs have been shaped according a skilful Texan recipe, sincerely and tastefully injected with a dash of melancholy and a measured portion of temperament. Needless to say that fine-tuning within an ideal ambiance requires recognizable instruments such as pedal steel, guitar, standing bass, mandolin, violin, and of course, not to be left out, an agonizingly slow accordion. I think that Amanda Pearcy should be considered as a fresh generation within the Americana scene that this Southern state has to offer. The country stirrings have been mixed slightly to the background, which allows, despite all consideration for tradition, this album to embrace more of a country folk variant. Funny contradiction is that I personally consider Indian Summers as one of her best songs, even though this holds that country feeling still the most. 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. Sam Baker should have brought her along on his upcoming trip to the Netherlands. Waitin’On Sunday is available end of September, and certainly to be noted for your personal wish list." Rein Van Den Berg, No Depression, Johnny's Garden and Rootsville.be

© 2006-2010 amanda pearcy