Amy Chappell

[John]

Amy's web site is at http://www.amychappell.com

Here is a photo and bio (from her web site):

She steps onstage and you think it's just another pretty face. Or at least the same ol' story… singer, Nashville, wannabe a star, blah, blah, blah…then she sings. That's when the room quiets, the forks hit the table and everyone turns…when she sings.

From grade school choirs to the stages of Nashville, Amy Chappell has been entertaining audiences for as long as she can remember. "Music has always been a huge part of my life. I can recall winning my first tape recorder in the 2nd grade for selling the most magazines in one of our school fundraisers. You cannot imagine how excited I was to discover the record button. I sang every song I knew into that tape recorder, and then I sang them again."

At the age of 18, Amy, like every confused, scared, independence-starved teen, was faced with the ever-looming decision… "What do I want to be when I grow up?" It was at this point that the voice of reason stepped in and the voice of "Amy, the singer" stepped out for a few years. She attended the University of Kansas in Lawrence deciding to major in "undeclared," a common field of interest for many entering freshman. Two years passed and it was time to start soul-searching. "When it came down to it, I knew I needed to be involved in music somehow, someway. So, I tried to be reasonable and to fulfill a dream at the same time. Not always an easy task."

As it turned out, Amy received her degree in Music Therapy from the University of Kansas. She has used her degree to work with various populations of people including children and adults being treated for cancer, older adults suffering from Alzheimer's disease, patients with mental illness, and children with disabilities. "I finally ended up in Cleveland, OH, after finishing school and an internship, and was again at a crossroads. I needed to find a job and a residence…the question was where?"

The "where?" would become more and more evident to Amy through the urging of her own heart and the support of family and friends who knew just what music meant to her. While Amy was traveling her rather crooked path to Nashville and the inevitable decision of pursuing a music career, she was busy writing. That little songwriter within was becoming more and more present and persistent and down-right pushy. She had received her first guitar from her father in the summer of 1994 after graduating high school. "The first song I learned on my guitar was a 3-chord waltz from a Patty Loveless album. After learning a few chords, the notion of trying to write a song sort of came naturally to me. Let me clarify that…the notion to write came naturally, the art of songwriting is still and I assume will always be a work in progress."

At any rate, Amy's intense desire to create and perform finally won out and her fans are reaping the benefits. Honest songs that speak to the realm of human emotion with intelligent hooks that audiences hum for days and don't know why. Love, love lost, good times, bad times….the themes are universal, the delivery is pure Amy Chappell.

[Google]

 

[John]

AGE: 27

HOMETOWN: Hutchinson, KS

CURRENTLY RESIDES: Nashville, TN

BIO: Amy is a singer/songwriter who lives in Nashville and plays in small venues around town. Her greatest influences are female singer/songwriters like the Indigo girls or Lucinda Williams. Amy has a degree in music therapy, and currently works as an Outreach Advocate for people with mental illnesses and substance abuse problems.

QUOTE: "For me, the music that I sing and write is more than just a reflection of my life experiences…it’s how I get through them. Songwriting helps me to embrace and express any emotion that I might be feeling, good, bad, or otherwise. And that expression becomes even more fulfilling when I’m able to share my music with an audience who relates to its message. That’s why this show is such an amazing opportunity."

OFFICIAL WEBSITE: www.amychappell.com

[fluff]

I haven't heard of her influences, but she sounds like another person who is very passionate about her music.

[lobeck]

Based on her influences, it sounds like she might be on the "folk" end of the country spectrum...

[fluff]

I'm not really into what I traditionally think of as folk.

[Zhora]

If you want to hear Amy before the show starts, head over to her website for music clips. If you like what you hear, her CD's are only $8.

[Bill]

I listened. She sounds like Dolly Parton to me, but that isn't bad depending on the song.

This paragraph from her bio gave me a headache:

"At the age of 18, Amy, like every confused, scared, independence-starved teen, was faced with the ever-looming decision… "What do I want to be when I grow up?" It was at this point that the voice of reason stepped in and the voice of "Amy, the singer" stepped out for a few years. She attended the University of Kansas in Lawrence deciding to major in "undeclared," a common field of interest for many entering freshman. Two years passed and it was time to start soul-searching. "When it came down to it, I knew I needed to be involved in music somehow, someway. So, I tried to be reasonable and to fulfill a dream at the same time. Not always an easy task."

[Zhora]

I thought she sounded pretty good on the show. She seems really nice. I don't know if she is a dynamo on stage, but they certainly didn't show anything too terribly spectacular, (nothing that lived up to Robert and Charlie's glowing words anyway). I can't wait to hear her sing an entire song, so I can tell if I like her voice.

[Paulie]

I want to vote for her so she'll stay around for a while. She really draws my attention, whether she's on stage or just wandering through the house. I thought she did a good job singing one of my favorite songs, too.

[Zhora]

I thought this was a nice picture of her.