Courtney Marie Andrews is nominated for “Emerging Artist of the Year” at the 2018 Americana Music Association Honors & Awards. The annual awards show is scheduled for September 12 at Nashville’s historic Ryman Auditorium.
The nomination follows a landmark year for Andrews with the release of her acclaimed new album, May Your Kindness Remain—out now on Fat Possum Records/Mama Bird Recording Co. Produced by Mark Howard (Lucinda Williams, Bob Dylan, Emmylou Harris, Tom Waits), May Your Kindness Remain continues to receive overwhelming critical praise….
“…a collection of songs, borne from interactions with others, that strives for
healing and empathy in the midst of division and discord.”
“A punk-steeped folkie casting sideways glances at mainstream country
à la Lucinda Williams…”
“…a mix of stark country songs and soulful, twangy rockers—all driven by the Arizona native’s distinctive (and impressive) voice.”
“astonishingly beautiful new album”
“…it’s a head-spinning discovery, a warm and gorgeous and fully formed piece of work. The kindness isn’t just in the lyrics. It’s in the way music like this can nourish you, can make your insides glow. An album like this can be a refuge.”
“…awash in church organ, lush harmonies, and a soaring, impassioned
lead vocal from Andrews, whose twang quivers and shudders as she scales
the song’s climactic final refrain.”
“…a rare blend of power and feeling that can bring you to your knees.”
“…a well-balanced collection of Andrews’s acutely perceptive songwriting.”
“Unafraid to get loud and swaggering, but just as comfortable in that bottom-of-your-heart, devastatingly hushed moments, Andrews is a bold, beautiful new voice who is completely worthy of your attention.”
“…a gorgeous dose of Courtney’s Joni Mitchell-esque folk that brings
in some unexpected distorted guitar, gospel-inspired harmonies, and more. It’s
more proof that Courtney is a force to be reckoned with”
“Her emotive voice and illustrative lyricism make her a
necessary minister in these modern times.”
“…it’s the voice and the words and the force of Courtney Marie Andrews that propels this album…She never hits a wrong note, never strikes a false tone,
never sounds like she’s trying too hard, but always seems to be reinventing and reinvigorating the tune on the fly.”
In support of the album, Andrews will continue touring this spring and summer with stops at Nashville’s Musician Corner, Timber! Outdoor Music Festival, XPoNential Music Festival, and Pilgrimage Music & Cultural Festival. Tickets are on-sale now. See below for full details.
Of the album and the inspiration behind its ten songs, Andrews comments, “The people that I’ve met on the road these past few years got me thinking about my childhood, and the people around me that I’ve known, and the stories that come from my family. It became clear how many people are struggling through the same issues. People are constantly chasing that bigger life. A lot of people are poor in America—and because of those unattainable goals, they’re also mentally unstable, or sad, or depressed or unfulfilled. A lot of people—myself included at some point in my life—are loving somebody through this. That’s sort of the theme of the record: coming to terms with depression and the reality of the world we’re living in.”
In addition to Andrews on vocals and electric/acoustic guitar, the album features Dillon Warnek (electric guitar), Daniel Walker (organ, Wurlitzer, accordion), Charles Wicklander (piano, Wurlitzer), William Mapp (drums, percussion), Alex Sabel (bass) and C.C. White (background vocals).
The new album is the follow-up to Andrews’ breakthrough album, Honest Life, which received overwhelming acclaim and landed on multiple “Best of 2016” lists, including at NPR Music, Rolling Stone, Stereogum, The Bluegrass Situation, American Songwriter, Paste Magazine, Folk Alley and ABC News among others. The Bluegrass Situation called her, “a singular voice, one that can only be understood by being heard,” while Stereogum described the debut as, “an expert marriage of gracefully confessional songwriting with country-folk arrangements that recall Joni Mitchell.” Upon its release in the U.K., the album reached #1 on the U.K. Americana Chart and #1 on the Independent Album Breakers Chart and was awarded a five-star review from The Daily Telegraph who called it, “an absolutely perfect little gem of an album.” In April 2017, Andrews made her debut on the BBC’s legendary “Later…with Jools Holland” program.
MAY YOUR KINDNESS REMAIN TRACK LIST
- May Your Kindness Remain
- Lift The Lonely From My Heart
- Two Cold Nights In Buffalo
- Rough Around The Edges
- Border
- Took You Up
- This House
- Kindness Of Strangers
- I’ve Hurt Worse
- Long Road Back To You
COURTNEY MARIE ANDREWS TOUR DATES
May 25—Nashville, TN—Musician’s Corner
July 7—Roskilde, Denmark—Roskilde Festival
July 14—Leavenworth, WA—Timber! Outdoor Music Featival
July 28—Philadelphia, PA—XPoNential Music Festival
August 9—Goteborg, Sweden—Way Out West
August 10—Gothenburg, Sweden—Slottskogen
August 14—Schorndorf, Germany—Manufaktur
August 15—Dresden, Germany—Palais Summer Festival
August 16—Mulheim An Der Ruhr, Germany—Raumfarhtzentrum Saarner Kuppe
August 16-19—Wales, U.K.—Green Man Festival
August 19—Colchester, U.K.—Little Rabbit Barn
August 20—Nottingham, U.K.—Rescue Rooms
August 21—Norwich, U.K.—Norwich Arts Center
August 22—Southampton, U.K.—Talking Heads
August 24—Ghent, Belgium—DOK
August 25—Amsterdam, Netherlands—Once In A Blue Moon Festival
September 22-23—Franklin, TN—Pilgrimage Music & Cultural Festival