Born in Baltimore, Maryland—with a musical theater and classical background—singer/songwriter Amy Andrews now resides in Atlanta, Georgia. Andrews is not following the hip-hop train that has helped to put Atlanta on the map. Instead, the out folk singer has taken her independent spirit—she has released an EP and a live record—and has a career where success and fame don't necessarily go hand in hand.
Ahead of her Chicago appearance, Windy City Times spoke with Andrews about living her truth, the fame monster and the Divine Miss M.
Windy City Times: You trained in musical theater and classical performance?
Amy Andrews: I started in musical theatre when I was six and I went to a performing arts high school. When I went to college I went to a small liberal arts school called Randolph-Macon Woman's College—which no longer exists. I majored in vocal music rerformance.
WCT: Is it true that you grew up wanting to be Bette Midler?
Amy Andrews: I still want to be Bette Midler! She was more popular on the radio in the eighties and I was
just completely drawn to her. When I was eight she was coming to town and my mom saw this as an opportunity to take me to my first concert.
WCT: What makes her so special?
Amy Andrews: She is such an incredible performer and her shows are almost like vaudeville—it has dancing, comedy and she is very bawdy. The way she engaged her audience was very incredible and her persona just seems like a natural extension of her.
WCT: Your self-titled debut EP was released in 2012 and the live album—LIVE at Red Clay Theatre—came out last year. When can we expect new music from you?
Amy Andrews: I'm hopefully going to be recording in the studio in the fall, which will be my first full-length studio album. I will maybe have a few friends accompanying me with some other instruments, but so far it's an acoustic record. I'm very excited about it.
WCT: At the age of 14 you almost purchased a book at Barnes & Noble with a lesbian subtext, but after seeing the cover photo, you decided against it.
Amy Andrews: There were two female symbols interlocking inside a heart on the cover of the book. I was at the end of middle school or early high school and I had a boyfriend at that time. I knew that
I was gay and I remember having a discussion with him where he told me that I was gay and I was like "Yes." But I was not out publically or really living it at all. I remember feeling like the cover of the book just outed me to the person behind the counter. Looking back, I think that it was an opportunity for a pivotal moment in my life that I was not ready for at 14 years old.
WCT: When did you feel comfortable coming out?
Amy Andrews: It was later in high school. There was a teacher who was openly gay and I thought of her as such a great role model. I wanted to be open with whom I was because she was very open and comfortable. Maybe it was part of being in an arts school or the changing times of those years.
WCT: How did you get involved in organizations such as LifeLine Animal Project?
Amy Andrews: I am absolutely in support of their work even if I have never personally experienced the interactions with people who commit crimes against animals—as some of my friends who work in the animal welfare community. I still absolutely support their work and wish that I could give them the time that some people are able to. That's what motivated me to have benefit concerts and fundraisers, to speak about these organizations and their work and raise awareness for them. I wanted to help so I would say, "I'm going to be in this town, can I do a concert for you and you'll get 100 percent of the revenue of the concert."
WCT: What is your definition of fame?
Amy Andrews: I have been thinking about this recently and just what is my definition of success and I don't think that it's necessarily fame. I love artists like Patti Griffin and Canadian singer Rose Cousins is one of my favorite artists out there right now. If you can tour full time and make all of your living and save for retirement doing what you love, I just think that is the true definition of success for me.
WCT: Katy Perry's roots are in gospel music and she became a global superstar after getting a pop music makeover. Would you want to be a pop star?
Amy Andrews: I feel very successful and in other ways I think of mega stars and wonder at what costs to them is success. You have to give up your privacy, your flexibility and your ability to really have control of your career. I don't think that I would be willing to give up all of that to have that much fame and fortune.
Amy Andrews performs at Homolatte in Chicago, 5024 N. Sheridan Rd., on Tuesday, June 17. Visit www.homolatte.com or www.amyandrewsmusic.com .
