Courtney Marie Andrews

Courtney Marie Andrews (born November 7, 1990) is an American singer-songwriter originally from Phoenix, Arizona, United States.[1] She released her first widely distributed and breakthrough album, Honest Life, in 2016. From 2010 to 2011, Andrews was an auxiliary member of Jimmy Eat World, appearing on their 2010 album Invented and acting as their keyboardist and backing vocalist on the subsequent tour.[2]

Courtney Marie Andrews
Andrews in 2016
Background information
Born (1990-11-07) November 7, 1990
OriginPhoenix, Arizona, U.S.
Genres
Americana
Occupation(s)Singer-songwriter
Years active2007–present
LabelsRiver Jones Music, Mama Bird Recording Co., Loose, Fat Possum Records
Associated actsDamien Jurado, Jimmy Eat World

History

Early years

Andrews began playing guitar and writing songs at the age of 13 or 14[1][3] and began performing at 15.

In September 2009, Jim Adkins of the band Jimmy Eat World asked Andrews to sing with him on a live cover of Wilco and Feist's song "You and I".[4] In 2010, she recorded backup vocals for Jimmy Eat World[5] on five songs for their album Invented. She subsequently joined them on stage to perform during the album's release and full 2010/2011 tours, acting as their keyboardist and backing vocalist.[2][6]

In 2011, Andrews relocated to Seattle, Washington. It was there that she began playing electric guitar in long-time admirer Damien Jurado's band.

Honest Life

It was while living in Belgium for four months playing guitar and singing with Belgian star Milow that the songs for Honest Life, Andrews' fifth album, started taking shape. Written on the back of heartbreak and homesickness, Honest Life tells the story of Andrews' first true growing pains as a woman, the desire to fit somewhere when nowhere fits and the longing to return home to the people she knows and loves. The album was produced entirely by Andrews at Litho Studios in Seattle with recording engineer Floyd Reitsma and was released on August 19, 2016, in North America by Mama Bird Recording Co. and on January 20, 2017, in the UK and Europe by Loose.

It was well received by US critics. In addition to being The Bluegrass Situation's Album of the Year,[7] Rolling Stone named Honest Life one of the Top 40 country albums of 2016[8] as well as naming Andrews one of ten new country artists people need to know.[9] Stereogum praised Andrews' songwriting, calling it "an expert marriage of gracefully confessional songwriting with country-folk arrangements that recall Joni Mitchell" while naming Honest Life the No. 6 best country album of 2016.[10] While naming it the No. 38 best album of 2016,[11] American Songwriter called the single "How Quickly Your Heart Mends" the No. 4 song of 2016[12] and continued to praise Andrews' songwriting saying "she writes with such empathy and insight that she gives Lucinda a run for her money". The single "Rookie Dreaming" was placed on the year end Heavy Rotation list by NPR and was placed on their "Folk Alley's 10 Favorite Albums of 2016" list.[13]

Upon its release in the UK/EU, Honest Life reached No. 1 on the Official UK Americana Chart and No. 1 on the Independent Album Breakers Chart after the first week. It received a five-star review from The Daily Telegraph[14] who called it "an absolutely perfect little gem of an album" and four-star reviews from both MOJO and Q magazines.

On April 11, Courtney performed "Table For One" and "Honest Life" on Later...with Jools Holland. She was joined by B. J. Cole on both songs and Jools Holland joined the pair on "Honest Life".

May Your Kindness Remain

May Your Kindness Remain is Andrews' sixth album and the follow-up to her breakthrough album, Honest Life. The album was released on March 23, 2018, in the UK and Europe by Loose and the rest of the world by Fat Possum Records and Mama Bird Recording Co. Produced by Mark Howard (Lucinda Williams, Bob Dylan, Emmylou Harris, Tom Waits), the album was recorded over eight days at a rented house-turned-studio in Los Angeles, California. In addition to Andrews on vocals and electric/acoustic guitar, the album features Dillon Warnek (electric guitar), Daniel Walter (organ, Wurlitzer, accordion), Charles Wicklander (piano, Wurlitzer), William Mapp (drums, percussion), Alex Sabel (bass) and C.C. White (background vocals).

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."

May Your Kindness Remain received critical acclaim for its release in the United States from Rolling Stone, NPR Music, Chicago Tribune, American Songwriter, WXPN The Key, Bluegrass Situation and more. Of the single and Andrews, Fader declares "Kindness of Strangers' rules...incredible cut...what a voice she has – it always lifts me up"[15] and Paste Magazine recounts that the album is "a rare blend of power and feeling that can bring you to your knees".[16] Naming May Your Kindness Remain as the album of the week, Stereogum describes the album as "...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,"[17] while BrooklynVegan describes the album as "more proof that Courtney is a force to be reckoned with".[18]

Upon its release in Europe, May Your Kindness Remain received No. 1 placement on the Euro Americana Chart for April 2018,[19] as well as placing No. 1 on the UK Americana Albums Charts, UK Independent Albums Breakers Charts, No. 5 on the UK Independent Albums Chart. The Daily Telegraph called the album "another absolute beauty, a set of nuanced, compassionate portraits and vignettes of good people in difficult circumstances".[20] Additionally, MYKR placed in at No. 19 in Sweden for general music charts upon its release. The album received positive reception in the United States as well, placing No. 12 on the US Top New Artist Albums Chart and No. 14 on the US Americana/Folk Albums Chart. Andrews subsequently received the "International Artist of the Year" award by the UK Americana Awards for May Your Kindness Remain in February 2018.[21]

On March 31, 2018, following the release of May Your Kindness Remain, Andrews made her US national television debut on CBS This Morning Saturday where she performed "May Your Kindness Remain", "Kindness of Strangers", and "Two Cold Nights in Buffalo". Shortly after, the band appeared on NPR's World Cafe series performing the album's title track.[22] In May 2018, Andrews was nominated for "Emerging Artist of the Year" by the Americana Music Association in the United States.[23] She later performed on air at the Americana Music and Honors awards ceremony on September 13, 2018, at the legendary Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, Tennessee.[24]

In June 2018, Rolling Stone named May Your Kindness Remain as one of the 25 Best Country and Americana Albums of 2018.[25] In the United Kingdom, The Guardian similarly called the album one of the 25 Best Albums of 2018.[26]

Old Flowers

Andrews released her seventh album Old Flowers on July 24, 2020, via Fat Possum Records/Loose.[27] The album initially had a June release date, but Andrews moved its release back due to the COVID-19 pandemic's impact on vinyl record production and independent record stores.[28] The album was met with immediate critical acclaim from The New York Times[29] and it received 5 stars from The London Times.[30] Rolling Stone described the single "It Must Be Someone Else's Fault" as bringing "to mind classic Bob Dylan and Joni Mitchell, but Andrews' bell-clear voice and fearless message of introspection are unmistakably her own".[31]

Discography

Albums

Year Title Label Number
2008 Urban Myths River Jones Music ?
2009 Painter's Hands and a Seventh Son River Jones Music ?
2010 For One I Knew River Jones Music ?
2011No One's Slate Is CleanHouse Arrest1645
2013On My PageHouse Arrest/Fat Possum/Loose1646, VJ236
2016Honest LifeMama Bird/Fat Possum/LooseMB013, VJ228
2018May Your Kindness RemainFat Possum/Mama Bird/LooseFP1651-1, 1651–2, VJ240
2020Old FlowersFat Possum

Singles

Year Title Label Number
2016"How Quickly Your Heart Mends"Mama Bird/LooseVJS59
2017"Sea Town"/"Near You"Loose/Mama Bird/Fat PossumVJS80, MB017-7, FP1641-7

Music Videos

Year Title
2017"Put The Fire Out"
2017"Took You Up"
2017"Irene"
2018"Kindness of Strangers"
2018"Heart and Mind"
2020"Burlap String"
2020"It Must Be Someone Else's Fault"

Awards and nominations
YearAssociationCategoryNominated WorkResult
2018UK Americana Awards[32]International Artist of the YearCourtney Marie AndrewsWon
2018 Americana Music Honors & Awards Emerging Artist of the Year Courtney Marie Andrews Nominated

References
  1. Drew, Cline (October 2008). "Know Your Locals". Java Magazine. Archived from the original on February 20, 2012. Retrieved January 3, 2011.
  2. Mudgway, Sarah (January 12, 2011). "Jimmy Eat World Plus Courtney Marie Andrews Performing an Acoustic Version of Coffee and Cigarettes Live". Coup de Main Magazine. Archived from the original on July 8, 2011. Retrieved January 3, 2011.
  3. Meyer, Mike (July 30, 2009). "Courtney Marie Andrews Gives a Glimpse into a Teen Girl's World". Phoenix New Times. Retrieved April 12, 2010.
  4. Jansen, Steve (April 8, 2010). "By the Time I Get to Phoenix: Courtney Marie Andrews Is the Biggest Star in the Valley's Blooming Pop-Folk Scene". Phoenix New Times. Retrieved April 22, 2015.
  5. Rosen, Steven. "Jimmy Eat World: Have Little Complaints About Their New Album". Ultimate-Guitar.com. Retrieved April 22, 2015.
  6. Pareles, Jon (October 15, 2010). "Jimmy Eat World Plays Terminal 5". The New York Times. Retrieved March 1, 2018.
  7. "BGS Class of 2016: Albums". Thebluegrasssituation.com. December 15, 2016.
  8. "40 Best Country Albums of 2016". Rolling Stone.
  9. "10 New Country Artists You Need to Know Right Now". Rolling Stone.
  10. "The 20 Best Country Albums Of 2016". Stereogum.com. December 16, 2016.
  11. "American Songwriter's Top 50 Albums Of 2016: Presented by D'addario « Page 2 of 5 « American Songwriter". Americansongwriter.com. December 1, 2016. Archived from the original on April 21, 2019. Retrieved January 4, 2017.
  12. "Top 50 Songs of 2016: Presented By Bose « Page 5 of 5 « American Songwriter". Americansongwriter.com. December 7, 2016. Archived from the original on December 2, 2017. Retrieved January 4, 2017.
  13. "Folk Alley's 10 Favorite Albums Of 2016". Npr.org.
  14. McCormick, Neil (December 2, 2017). "A country star from another age: Courtney Marie Andrews, Honest Life, review". Telegraph.co.uk.
  15. "Listen to this Courtney Marie Andrews country song please". The FADER. Retrieved April 9, 2018.
  16. "Courtney Marie Andrews: May Your Kindness Remain Review". pastemagazine.com. Retrieved April 9, 2018.
  17. "Album Of The Week: Courtney Marie Andrews May Your Kindness Remain". Stereogum. March 2, 2018. Archived from the original on April 9, 2018. Retrieved April 9, 2018.
  18. Sacher, Andrew (January 10, 2018). "Courtney Marie Andrews announces new album and tour, shares title track". BrooklynVegan. Retrieved October 28, 2020.
  19. "Monthly list | EuroAmericanaChart". Euroamericanachart.eu. Archived from the original on April 9, 2018. Retrieved April 9, 2018.
  20. McCormick, Neil (February 11, 2018). "Courtney Marie Andrews, interview: 'I'm optimistic about America's working class'". The Daily Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235.
  21. "Loose | Courtney Marie Andrews Crowned 'International Artist of the Year' At The UK Americana Awards". www.loosemusic.com. Archived from the original on September 17, 2018. Retrieved September 17, 2018.
  22. "Courtney Marie Andrews On World Cafe". NPR.org. Retrieved June 6, 2018.
  23. "Americana Announces 2018 Honors & Awards Nominees | AmericanaMusic.org". americanamusic.org. Retrieved September 17, 2018.
  24. Crawford, Robert (September 1, 2018). "2018 Americana Honors & Awards: How to Watch, Performers, Nominees". Rolling Stone. Retrieved September 17, 2018.
  25. "25 Best Country and Americana Albums of 2018 So Far". Rolling Stone. Retrieved June 20, 2018.
  26. Beaumont-Thomas, Ben (June 2, 2018). "Best albums of 2018 so far". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved June 20, 2018.
  27. Uitti, Jacob (July 22, 2020). "Courtney Marie Andrews Shares What Went Into Making 'Old Flowers'". American Songwriter. Retrieved July 24, 2020.
  28. "Courtney Marie Andrews' new album Old Flowers is delayed, but watch "Burlap String" video and pre-order from a local record store". The Key. May 1, 2020. Retrieved July 24, 2020.
  29. Pareles, Jon; Caramanica, Jon; Russonello, Giovanni (July 2, 2020). "Taylor Swift's Heartbreak Dreamscape, and 9 More New Songs". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved July 28, 2020.
  30. Hodgkinson, Will. "Courtney Marie Andrews: Old Flowers review — blue-collar beauty". ISSN 0140-0460. Retrieved July 28, 2020.
  31. Freeman, Jon (May 2, 2020). "Courtney Marie Andrews Releases 'It Must Be Someone Else's Fault' Video". Rolling Stone. Retrieved July 28, 2020.
  32. "UK Americana Awards 2018 winners unveiled – M Magazine". M-magazine.co.uk. February 2, 2018. Archived from the original on June 13, 2018. Retrieved May 19, 2018.

Further reading
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