Amy LaVere is an American singer, songwriter,
upright bass
The double bass (), also known simply as the bass () (or #Terminology, by other names), is the largest and lowest-pitched Bow (music), bowed (or plucked) string instrument in the modern orchestra, symphony orchestra (excluding unorthodox addit ...
player and actress based in
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the U.S. state of Tennessee. It is the seat of Shelby County in the southwest part of the state; it is situated along the Mississippi River. With a population of 633,104 at the 2020 U.S. census, Memphis is the second-mos ...
. Her music is classified as
Americana
Americana may refer to:
*Americana (music), a genre or style of American music
*Americana (culture), artifacts of the culture of the United States
Film, radio and television
* ''Americana'' (1992 TV series), a documentary series presented by J ...
. She has released six albums on
Memphis
Memphis most commonly refers to:
* Memphis, Egypt, a former capital of ancient Egypt
* Memphis, Tennessee, a major American city
Memphis may also refer to:
Places United States
* Memphis, Alabama
* Memphis, Florida
* Memphis, Indiana
* Memp ...
label
Archer Records Archer Records is an independent record label with notoriety in the classical guitar and Americana genres. The label was founded in 2001 in downtown Memphis by Ward Archer, who founded Cotton Row Recording Studios in 1978 and is a former trustee of ...
, and has acting credits in motion pictures.
Early life
LaVere was born in
Shreveport, Louisiana
Shreveport ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is the third most populous city in Louisiana after New Orleans and Baton Rouge, respectively. The Shreveport–Bossier City metropolitan area, with a population of 393,406 in 2020, is t ...
, and grew up in
Bethany, Louisiana, a small
Texas
Texas (, ; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2 ...
–
Louisiana
Louisiana , group=pronunciation (French: ''La Louisiane'') is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It is the 20th-smallest by area and the 25th most populous of the 50 U.S. states. Louisiana is borde ...
border town in the
Piney Woods
The Piney Woods is a temperate coniferous forest terrestrial ecoregion in the Southern United States covering of East Texas, southern Arkansas, western Louisiana, and southeastern Oklahoma. These coniferous forests are dominated by several spec ...
region,
[Boden, Sarah]
"Flash Forward"
''The Observer
''The Observer'' is a British newspaper published on Sundays. It is a sister paper to ''The Guardian'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', whose parent company Guardian Media Group Limited acquired it in 1993. First published in 1791, it is the w ...
'', July 13, 2008. Retrieved November 7, 2011 nurtured by musical parents with a passion for traditional country music. Her family moved 13 times by the time she entered high school, ultimately landing in
Detroit
Detroit ( , ; , ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is also the largest U.S. city on the United States–Canada border, and the seat of government of Wayne County. The City of Detroit had a population of 639,111 at th ...
where LaVere fronted the
alt rockband Last Minute while still in her teens.
Career
The early 1990s found LaVere in
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 ...
as part of the burgeoning
Lower Broadway
Broadway is a major thoroughfare in the downtown area in Nashville, Tennessee. It includes Lower Broadway, an entertainment district renowned for honky tonks and live country music.
The street is also home to retail shops, restaurants, dessert s ...
scene, where she began to play upright bass as half of the popular roots duo The Gabe & Amy Show. By 1999, she had moved to
Memphis
Memphis most commonly refers to:
* Memphis, Egypt, a former capital of ancient Egypt
* Memphis, Tennessee, a major American city
Memphis may also refer to:
Places United States
* Memphis, Alabama
* Memphis, Florida
* Memphis, Indiana
* Memp ...
where she began work at
Sun Studio
Sun Studio is a recording studio opened by rock-and-roll pioneer Sam Phillips at 706 Union Avenue in Memphis, Tennessee, on January 3, 1950. It was originally called Memphis Recording Service, sharing the same building with the Sun Records label ...
.
In early 2006, LaVere released her debut album ''This World Is Not My Home'' on indie label
Archer Records Archer Records is an independent record label with notoriety in the classical guitar and Americana genres. The label was founded in 2001 in downtown Memphis by Ward Archer, who founded Cotton Row Recording Studios in 1978 and is a former trustee of ...
to instant national acclaim. She was joined on her album by many accomplished artists, including southern
bluesman Jimbo Mathus
James H. Mathis Jr. (born August 1967), known as Jimbo Mathus, is an American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and member of the swing revival band Squirrel Nut Zippers.
Early life and career
He was born in Oxford, Mississippi to Jimmy Mathis and ...
, formerly of the
Squirrel Nut Zippers
Squirrel Nut Zippers is an American swing and jazz band formed in 1993 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, by Jimbo Mathus, James "Jimbo" Mathus (vocals and guitar), Tom Maxwell (singer), Tom Maxwell (vocals and guitar), ...
. The ''
Los Angeles Daily News
The ''Los Angeles Daily News'' is the second-largest-circulating paid daily newspaper of Los Angeles, California. It is the flagship of the Southern California News Group, a branch of Colorado-based Digital First Media.
The offices of the ''Dai ...
'' raved at the time, "Something like this doesn't come along every day." LaVere also began a nascent acting career starting with her cameo as
Rockabilly
Rockabilly is one of the earliest styles of rock and roll music. It dates back to the early 1950s in the United States, especially the Southern United States, South. As a genre it blends the sound of Western music (North America), Western music ...
queen
Wanda Jackson
Wanda LaVonne Jackson (born October 20, 1937) is an American singer and songwriter. Since the 1950s, she has recorded and released music in the genres of rock, country and gospel. She was among the first women to have a career in rock and roll, ...
in ''
Walk The Line
''Walk the Line'' is a 2005 American biographical musical romantic drama film directed by James Mangold. The screenplay, written by Mangold and Gill Dennis, is based on two autobiographies authored by singer-songwriter Johnny Cash, 1975's '' Man ...
'' and continued with featured role in
Craig Brewer
Craig Brewer (born December 6, 1971) is an American filmmaker. His 2005 movie ''Hustle & Flow'' won the Audience Award at the 2005 Sundance Film Festival and achieved commercial success, along with an Academy Award for Best Original Song, " It's ...
's ''
Black Snake Moan''.
In 2007, LaVere went into the studio with producer,
Jim Dickinson
James Luther Dickinson (November 15, 1941 – August 15, 2009) was an American record producer, pianist, and singer who fronted, among others, the band Mud Boy and the Neutrons, based in Memphis, Tennessee.
Biography
Dickinson was born in Lit ...
to record her second album, ''Anchors & Anvils''. Dickinson captured LaVere and band at his Zebra Ranch recording barn 'art project' in rural Mississippi.
Archer Records released ''Anchors and Anvils''
in May 2007. Her second album rose to number six on the
Americana Music Charts and earned LaVere a nomination for the
Americana Music Association Awards' Best New Or Emerging Artist. She toured the United States from coast to coast, played a series of dates with
The Swell Season
The Swell Season is a folk rock duo formed by Irish musician Glen Hansard and Czech singer and pianist Markéta Irglová. "The Swell Season" name is derived from Hansard's favourite novel by Josef Škvorecký from 1975 bearing the same title. ...
, performed at the Austin City Limits Festival,
and shared the stage at the
Americana Music Conference with
Lyle Lovett
Lyle Pearce Lovett (born November 1, 1957) Lyle Lovett Pageat Allmusic – Lovett's Genre and Styles. Retrieved February 2, 2007 is an American singer, songwriter, actor and record producer. Active since 1980, he has recorded 13 albums and relea ...
,
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 others.
On October 1, 2008, she opened for
Seasick Steve
Steven Gene Wold (né Leach, 19 March 1951),/nowiki>freight_trains.html" ;"title="freight_trains.html" ;"title="/nowiki>freight trains">/nowiki>freight trains">freight_trains.html" ;"title="/nowiki>freight trains">/nowiki>freight trains/nowiki> fo ...
at the
Royal Albert Hall
The Royal Albert Hall is a concert hall on the northern edge of South Kensington, London. One of the UK's most treasured and distinctive buildings, it is held in trust for the nation and managed by a registered charity which receives no govern ...
in
London
London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...
. In 2009 she opened for musical group
Lucero on their 1372 Overton Park US Tour and also toured as a special guest with
Seasick Steve
Steven Gene Wold (né Leach, 19 March 1951),/nowiki>freight_trains.html" ;"title="freight_trains.html" ;"title="/nowiki>freight trains">/nowiki>freight trains">freight_trains.html" ;"title="/nowiki>freight trains">/nowiki>freight trains/nowiki> fo ...
.
In 2011, LaVere released her third album ''Stranger Me'' to critical acclaim. ''
Spin Magazine
''Spin'' (stylized in all caps) is an American music magazine founded in 1985 by publisher Bob Guccione, Jr. Now owned by Next Management Partners, the magazine is an online publication since it stopped issuing a print edition in 2012.
Histor ...
'' called it "the breakup album of the year." ''
Q Magazine
''Q'' was a popular music magazine published monthly in the United Kingdom. It was founded in 1986 by broadcast journalists Mark Ellen and David Hepworth, who were presenters of the BBC television music series ''The Old Grey Whistle Test''. '' ...
'', the ''
Daily Mirror
The ''Daily Mirror'' is a British national daily tabloid. Founded in 1903, it is owned by parent company Reach plc. From 1985 to 1987, and from 1997 to 2002, the title on its masthead was simply ''The Mirror''. It had an average daily print ...
'' and ''The Sun'' all awarded it four stars. ''
Paste Magazine
''Paste'' is a monthly music and entertainment digital magazine, headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, with studios in Atlanta and Manhattan, and owned by Paste Media Group. The magazine began as a website in 1998. It ran as a print publication fro ...
'' said: "LaVere could rest on her lyrics alone, which are witty and feisty enough to stand on their own, but by giving her band boundless license to indulge any whim or eccentricity, she has crafted a well-rounded album that is already among the year's best."
In July 2011, LaVere and her band (guitarist David Cousar, violinist/keyboardist Krista Wroten-Combest and drummer Shawn Zorn), promoted the UK release of ''Stranger Me'' in London and France. On September 28, 2011, LaVere was named "Best Singer in Memphis" for the second consecutive year by the city of Memphis, Tennessee.
In the spring of 2012, LaVere joined band leader
Luther Dickinson
Luther Andrews Dickinson (born January 18, 1973) is the lead guitarist and vocalist for the North Mississippi Allstars and the son of record producer Jim Dickinson. He is also known for being the lead guitarist for The Black Crowes. He hosts ''G ...
(of
The North Mississippi Allstars), guitarist
Shannon McNally
Shannon Maureen McNally (born March 17, 1973) is an American singer and songwriter.
Biography
McNally was born in Hempstead, New York, on Long Island. While studying anthropology at Franklin and Marshall College, she began singing and playing ...
, banjo player
Valerie June
Valerie June Hockett (born January 10, 1982),Hubbell, John (2009),, '' The Commercial Appeal'', May 28, 2009.(aged 27 in May 2009). known as Valerie June, is an American singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist from Memphis, Tennessee, Unite ...
and drummer and fife player
Sharde Thomas, in the quintet bluegrass group, The Wandering. They released their debut album "Go On Now, You Can't Stay Here", and spent the spring of 2012 touring after the record's release. LaVere and McNally have partnered up to tour as a duo in October 2012 as part of their "Chasing the Ghost" tour.
In 2013 LaVere teamed up with Memphis musician John Paul Keith and longtime live drummer Shawn Zorn, performing and recording as "Motel Mirrors".
In 2014 Amy released her 6th Studio record "Runaway's Diary". It was produced by Luther Dickinson
In 2019 Amy released her 7th studio record "Painting Blue" This record was produced by her husband Will Sexton
To present Amy continues to tour and write music.
Discography
*2006: ''This World Is Not My Home''
*2007: ''Anchors and Anvils''
*2009: "Died of Love" (EP)
*2011: ''
Stranger Me''
*2014: ''
Runaway's Diary''
*2015: ''Hallelujah I'm a Dreamer'' (live album)
*2019: ''Painting Blue''
Filmography
References
Watch
Amy LaVere quartet performance on November 30, 2011, at Sportsmens Tavern and Music Hall in
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second-largest city in the U.S. state of New York (behind only New York City) and the seat of Erie County. It is at the eastern end of Lake Erie, at the head of the Niagara River, and is across the Canadian border from South ...
Set 1Set 2
External links
Amy LaVere at Archer Records"Amy LaVere: Country with a Cathartic Twang"by David Dye, ''
World Cafe'',
NPR
National Public Radio (NPR, stylized in all lowercase) is an American privately and state funded nonprofit media organization headquartered in Washington, D.C., with its NPR West headquarters in Culver City, California. It differs from other ...
, May 14, 2007
It's Anchors Away For Amy LaVereat HonestTune.com
Amy Lavere – IMDbprofile on IMDb.com
*
Paste Magazine Review
* https://www.folkradio.co.uk/2020/03/amy-lavere-painting-blue/
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lavere, Amy
Living people
American double-bassists
American women singer-songwriters
People from Caddo Parish, Louisiana
21st-century double-bassists
1975 births
21st-century American women
Singer-songwriters from Louisiana
Thirty Tigers artists