Amanda Rose Shires (born March 5, 1982) is an American singer-songwriter and

fiddle A fiddle is a bowed string musical instrument, most often a violin. It is a colloquial term for the violin, used by players in all genres, including classical music. Although in many cases violins and fiddles are essentially synonymous, th ...

player. Shires has released seven solo albums starting in 2005, her most recent being '' Take It Like a Man'' in 2022. In 2019, she founded a country music supergroup called

The Highwomen The Highwomen is an American country music supergroup composed of Brandi Carlile, Natalie Hemby, Maren Morris, and Amanda Shires, formed in 2019. The group's self-titled debut album was released on September 6, 2019, by Elektra Records and ...

alongside

Brandi Carlile Brandi Marie Carlile ( ; born June 1, 1981) is an American singer-songwriter and producer whose music spans many genres, including folk rock, alternative country, Americana, and classic rock. , Carlile has released seven studio albums. She has ...

Maren Morris Maren Larae Morris (born April 10, 1990) is an American singer-songwriter. While rooted in the Country music, country genre, her music also blends elements of Pop music, pop, R&B music, R&B, and Hip-Hop music, hip-hop. Born and raised in Arlingt ...

and

Natalie Hemby Natalie Nicole Hemby Wrucke (born March 24, 1977) is an American country music songwriter and singer. She has written songs for Lee Ann Womack, Eli Young Band, Toby Keith, Miranda Lambert, Sunny Sweeney, Little Big Town, Jon Pardi, Kacey Musgrav ...

. She has performed as a member of the

Texas Playboys James Robert Wills (March 6, 1905 – May 13, 1975) was an American Western swing musician, songwriter, and bandleader. Considered by music authorities as the founder of Western swing, he was known widely as the King of Western Swing (although ...

, Thrift Store Cowboys, and

Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit Michael Jason Isbell (; born February 1, 1979) is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. He is known for his solo career, his work with the band The 400 Unit, and as a member of Drive-By Truckers for six years, from 2001 to 2007. Isbell h ...

, as well as in a duo with Rod Picott. Along with Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit, Shires won the

Grammy Award for Best Americana Album The Grammy Award for Best Americana Album is an honor presented to recording artists for quality albums in the Americana music genre at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards. Honors ...

for their 2017 album ''

The Nashville Sound ''The Nashville Sound'' is the sixth studio album by Jason Isbell, and the third credited to "Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit" (the first since '' Here We Rest'' in 2011). It was released on June 16, 2017. The album was produced by Dave Cobb, who ha ...

''.

Early life

Following her parents' divorce, Shires' childhood was divided between the Texas cities of

Lubbock Lubbock ( ) is the 10th-most populous city in the U.S. state of Texas and the seat of government of Lubbock County. With a population of 260,993 in 2021, the city is also the 85th-most populous in the United States. The city is in the northwe ...

and Mineral Wells. Her mother is a retired nurse. She also used to be a

barrel racer Barrel racing is a rodeo event in which a horse and rider attempt to run a cloverleaf pattern around preset barrels in the fastest time. In collegiate and professional ranks, it is usually a women's event, though both sexes compete at amateur and ...

rodeo Rodeo () is a competitive equestrian sport that arose out of the working practices of cattle herding in Spain and Mexico, expanding throughout the Americas and to other nations. It was originally based on the skills required of the working va ...

s. Her father owns a

wholesale Wholesaling or distributing is the sale of goods or merchandise to retailers; to industrial, commercial, institutional or other professional business users; or to other wholesalers (wholesale businesses) and related subordinated services. In ...

nursery in Mineral Wells and has a hobby of

gold prospecting Gold prospecting is the act of searching for new gold deposits. Methods used vary with the type of deposit sought and the resources of the prospector. Although traditionally a commercial activity, in some developed countries placer gold prospe ...

Alaska Alaska ( ; russian: Аляска, Alyaska; ale, Alax̂sxax̂; ; ems, Alas'kaaq; Yup'ik: ''Alaskaq''; tli, Anáaski) is a state located in the Western United States on the northwest extremity of North America. A semi-exclave of the U.S., ...

. She is distantly related to noted photographer Erica Shires, who produced the video for the song "Swimmer". At the age of 10, she happened to be with her father while he was shopping for hunting gear at a

pawn shop A pawnbroker is an individual or business (pawnshop or pawn shop) that offers secured loans to people, with items of personal property used as collateral. The items having been ''pawned'' to the broker are themselves called ''pledges'' or ...

in Mineral Wells.Dougherty, Steve (August 1, 2013).
Amanda Shires: A Texas Prodigy Steps Out; She's on the Road With a New Album, Sometimes Appearing with Husband Jason Isbell
. ''The Wall Street Journal''.Wilson, Calvin (August 15, 2004).

. ''St. Louis Post Dispatch''. She saw an inexpensive Chinese-made

for sale and her father agreed to buy it for her on the condition that she learn to play it. It took a while for her to play it well; she usually practiced outside because her dog had a habit of howling while she played. When she was 12, she started taking fiddle lessons in Lubbock from Lanny Fiel, who knew Frankie McCourter from the

.Burton, Tommy (August 27, 2014).
Amanda Shires: Half-Fictitious Fiddler
. ''Jackson Free Press''. She then started learning fiddle from McCourter and was later invited to play at the band's shows. At the age of 15, she joined the

, the former backing band for

Western swing Western swing music is a subgenre of American country music that originated in the late 1920s in the Western United States, West and Southern United States, South among the region's Western music (North America), Western string bands. It is dan ...

legend

Bob Wills James Robert Wills (March 6, 1905 – May 13, 1975) was an American Western swing musician, songwriter, and bandleader. Considered by music authorities as the founder of Western swing, he was known widely as the King of Western Swing (although S ...

Musical career

Shires released her first solo album, the mostly instrumental ''Being Brave'', in 2005. Four years later, having relocated to

Nashville Nashville is the capital city of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the seat of Davidson County. With a population of 689,447 at the 2020 U.S. census, Nashville is the most populous city in the state, 21st most-populous city in the U.S., and the ...

, she released ''West Cross Timbers'' and in the same year released ''Sew Your Heart with Wires'', a collaboration with Rod Picott. Her next solo album, ''Carrying Lightning'' was released in 2011, followed by ''Down Fell The Doves'' in August 2013 and ''My Piece of Land'' in September 2016. The latter proved to be Shires' breakthrough, gaining her a nomination from the

Americana Music Association The Americana Music Association is a not-for-profit trade organization advocating for American Roots Music around the world. It is a network for Americana artists, radio stations, record labels, publishers, and others with the goal of developi ...

. She toured extensively with Picott from 2006. She has also performed and recorded with

, Devotchka,

Chris Isaak Christopher Joseph Isaak (born June 26, 1956) is an American singer, songwriter, guitarist and occasional actor. He is widely known for his breakthrough hit and signature song "Wicked Game", as well as other songs such as "Blue Hotel", "Baby D ...

, Thrift Store Cowboys,

Todd Snider Todd Daniel Snider (born October 11, 1966) is an American singer-songwriter whose music incorporates elements of folk, rock, blues, alt country, and funk. Early career Todd Snider was born in Portland, Oregon, but was raised in nearby Beave ...

, and

Justin Townes Earle Justin Townes Earle (January 4, 1982August 20, 2020) was an American singer-songwriter and musician. After his debut, EP ''Yuma'' (2007), he released eight full-length albums. He was recognized with an Americana Music Award for Emerging Artist ...

. In 2011 she appeared in the movie ''

Country Strong ''Country Strong'' is a 2010 American drama film starring Gwyneth Paltrow, Tim McGraw, Garrett Hedlund, and Leighton Meester. The film, about an emotionally unstable country music star who attempts to resurrect her career, was directed and written ...

'' as one of the musicians backing singer Kelly Canter, played by

Gwyneth Paltrow Gwyneth Kate Paltrow (; born ) is an American actress and businesswoman. She is the recipient of various accolades, including an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award, and a Primetime Emmy Award. Paltrow gained notice for her early work in films ...

. In 2011, Shires began attending Sewanee: The University of the South, a small liberal arts university in

Sewanee, Tennessee Sewanee () is a census-designated place (CDP) in Franklin County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 2,535 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Tullahoma, Tennessee Micropolitan Statistical Area. Sewanee is best known as the home of ...

. She graduated with a Master's of Fine Arts in Poetry in 2017. In 2012, Shires was named Artist of the Year by ''Texas Music'' magazine, appearing on the publication's cover. Shires won the Emerging Artist of the Year Award at the 2017

Americana Music Honors & Awards The Americana Music Honors & Awards is the marquee event for the Americana Music Association. Beginning in 2002, the Americana Music Association honors distinguished members of the music community. Six member-voted awards and several Lifetime Ac ...

. In 2017, she supported

John Prine John Edward Prine (; October 10, 1946 – April 7, 2020) was an American singer-songwriter of country-folk music. He was active as a composer, recording artist, live performer, and occasional actor from the early 1970s until his death. He ...

on his worldwide tour alongside Isbell for select dates. In 2018, Shires announced that she was working on a new album, ''To The Sunset'' due for release on August 3, 2018 which, like ''My Piece of Land'', will be produced by

Dave Cobb Dave Cobb (born July 9, 1974) is an American record producer based in Nashville, Tennessee, best known for producing the work of Chris Stapleton, Brandi Carlile, John Prine, Sturgill Simpson, Jason Isbell, The Highwomen and Rival Sons . Cobb i ...

. Isbell revealed on Twitter that

Gillian Welch Gillian Howard Welch (; born October 2, 1967) is an American singer-songwriter. She performs with her musical partner, guitarist David Rawlings. Their sparse and dark musical style, which combines elements of Appalachian music, bluegrass, countr ...

and

David Rawlings David Todd Rawlings (born December 31, 1969) is an American guitarist, singer, and record producer. He is known for his partnership with singer and songwriter Gillian Welch. He and Welch were nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Son ...

will make a guest appearance. As a member of the 400 Unit, Shires won the

for ''

''. Shires contributed to ''

The Tree of Forgiveness ''The Tree of Forgiveness'' is the eighteenth and final studio album by American country folk singer John Prine. The album was released on April 13, 2018. It is the last album released by Prine before his death on April 7, 2020. Background The alb ...

'', the 2018 album by

. ''To The Sunset'' was released on August 3, 2018. In 2019, Shires formed the country group

, along with

, and

. "Redesigning Women" was the first single from their self-titled debut album released on September 6, 2019.

Musical style

David Menconi of the magazine ''

Spin Spin or spinning most often refers to: * Spinning (textiles), the creation of yarn or thread by twisting fibers together, traditionally by hand spinning * Spin, the rotation of an object around a central axis * Spin (propaganda), an intentionally b ...

'' said that Shires "sings ..like an earthbound

Emmylou Harris Emmylou Harris (born April 2, 1947) is an American singer, songwriter and musician. She has released dozens of albums and singles over the course of her career and has won 14 Grammys, the Polar Music Prize, and numerous other honors, including ...

", and her vocals have been likened to those of

Dolly Parton Dolly Rebecca Parton (born January 19, 1946) is an American singer-songwriter, actress, philanthropist, and businesswoman, known primarily for her work in country music. After achieving success as a songwriter for others, Parton made her album d ...

. The imagery in her songwriting has been compared to that of

Tom Waits Thomas Alan Waits (born December 7, 1949) is an American musician, composer, songwriter, and actor. His lyrics often focus on the underbelly of society and are delivered in his trademark deep, gravelly voice. He worked primarily in jazz during ...

. Although her principal instrument is the fiddle, she also plays the

ukulele The ukulele ( ; from haw, ukulele , approximately ), also called Uke, is a member of the lute family of instruments of Portuguese origin and popularized in Hawaii. It generally employs four nylon strings. The tone and volume of the instrumen ...

Personal life

Shires began dating fellow musician

Jason Isbell Michael Jason Isbell (; born February 1, 1979) is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. He is known for his solo career, his work with the band The 400 Unit, and as a member of Drive-By Truckers for six years, from 2001 to 2007. Isbell h ...

in 2011. The couple married on February 23, 2013 and had their first child on September 1, 2015. She was previously in a relationship with singer Rod Picott.

Discography

Solo albums

*''Being Brave'' (2005) *''West Cross Timbers'' (2009) *''Carrying Lightning'' (2011) * ''Down Fell the Doves'' (2013) *''My Piece of Land'' (2016) *''To the Sunset'' (2018) *''For Christmas'' (2021) *'' Take It Like a Man'' (2022)

With Rod Picott

*''Sew Your Heart with Wires'' (2009)

With Jason Isbell

*'' Here We Rest'' (2011) *''

Southeastern The points of the compass are a set of horizontal, radially arrayed compass directions (or azimuths) used in navigation and cartography. A compass rose is primarily composed of four cardinal directions—north, east, south, and west—each se ...

'' (2013) *''

Something More Than Free ''Something More Than Free'' is the fifth studio album by Jason Isbell, released on July 17, 2015. It was produced by Dave Cobb, who had produced Isbell's previous record, ''Southeastern'' (2013). At the 58th Annual Grammy Awards, the album won t ...

'' (2015) *''Sea Songs'' (2015 single) *"

If I Needed You "If I Needed You" is a song written by Townes Van Zandt and performed on his 1972 album ''The Late Great Townes Van Zandt''. It was covered 9 years later by American country music artists Emmylou Harris and Don Williams as a duet, and was released ...

" - on ''Gentle Giants: The Songs of

Don Williams Donald Ray Williams (May 27, 1939 – September 8, 2017) was an American country singer, songwriter, and 2010 inductee into the Country Music Hall of Fame. He began his solo career in 1971, singing popular ballads and amassing seventeen number ...

'' (2017) *''

Reunions Reunion may refer to: * Class reunion * Family reunion Reunion, Réunion, Re-union, Reunions or The Reunion may also refer to: Places * Réunion, a French overseas department and island in the Indian Ocean * Reunion, Commerce City, Colorado, US ...

'' (2020) *'' Georgia Blue'' (2021)

With the Highwomen

*''

'' (2019)

Other appearances

*''

Sweeten the Distance ''Sweeten the Distance'' is the tenth studio album by American singer-songwriter Neal Casal, released on November 14, 2011, on Fargo Records. Produced by Thom Monahan, the album is Casal's first since the break-up of The Cardinals in 2009, and fea ...

'' (2011) –

Neal Casal Neal Graeme Casal (November 2, 1968 – August 26, 2019) ...

*'' Nothing's Gonna Change the Way You Feel About Me Now'' –

*''Light Fighter'' – Thrift Store Cowboys *''Welding Burns'' – Rod Picott *'' Agnostic Hymns & Stoner Fables'' –

*''Oh Be Joyful'' –

Shovels & Rope Shovels & Rope are an American folk duo from Charleston, South Carolina composed of husband and wife Michael Trent and Cary Ann Hearst. Combining threads from their individual solo careers, Shovels & Rope blends traditional folk, rock and roll ...

*''Mutt'' –

Cory Branan Cory Branan (born December 15, 1974) is an American singer-songwriter from Mississippi. Early life Branan was born in Memphis, Tennessee, to parents Dallas Lee Branan, a jet mechanic at FedEx, and Peggy Branan (née Rhodes). He grew up in ...

*''Burn. Flicker. Die.'' –

American Aquarium American Aquarium is an American alternative country band from Raleigh, North Carolina, United States. Background Formed in 2006, the band derived its name from the Wilco song, “I Am Trying to Break Your Heart,” and is led by band founder an ...

*''I Can't Love You Any Less'' – ''High Cotton: Tribute to

Alabama (We dare defend our rights) , anthem = "Alabama (state song), Alabama" , image_map = Alabama in United States.svg , seat = Montgomery, Alabama, Montgomery , LargestCity = Huntsville, Alabama, Huntsville , LargestCounty = Baldwin County, Al ...

'' (2013) *''

For Better, or Worse ''For Better, or Worse'' is the seventeenth studio album by John Prine. It consists of tracks in which Prine teams with an all-star array of female singers to tackle carefully chosen vintage country tunes in duets. The album was also released in ...

'' –

(2016) *''Adios'' – Cory Branan (2017) *''Accomplice One'' –

Tommy Emmanuel William Thomas Emmanuel (born 31 May 1955) is an Australian guitarist. Regarded as one of the greatest acoustic guitarists of all time, he is known for his complex fingerstyle technique, energetic performances and use of percussive effects on ...

(2018) *''Tree of Forgiveness'' – John Prine (2018) *''Find a Light'' –

Blackberry Smoke Blackberry Smoke is an American rock band from Atlanta. The lineup consists of Charlie Starr (lead vocals, guitar), Richard Turner (bass, vocals), Brit Turner (drums), Paul Jackson (guitar, vocals), and Brandon Still (keyboards). In 2020, they a ...

(2018) *'' What You See Ain't Always What You Get'' –

Luke Combs Luke Albert Combs (; born March 2, 1990) is an American country music singer and songwriter. Born and raised in North Carolina, Combs began performing as a child, most notably performing at Carnegie Hall. After dropping out of college to pursue a ...

(fiddle on " Without You")

Awards and nominations

The song "When you Need a Train It Never Comes" from ''Carrying Lightning'' was ranked the fifth best song of 2011 by

American Songwriter ''American Songwriter'' is a bimonthly magazine covering songwriting. Established in 1984, it features interviews, songwriting tips, news, reviews and lyric contest. The magazine is based in Nashville, Tennessee. History The ''American Songwri ...

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Shires, Amanda 1982 births Living people 21st-century American singers 21st-century American violinists American country singer-songwriters American women country singers ATO Records artists People from Lubbock, Texas Lubbock High School alumni Singer-songwriters from Texas Country musicians from Texas The Highwomen members 21st-century American women singers