Nantucket To Nashville by Amy England

VornDick lined up an all star band for England while she was in Nashville: Guitarists Johnny Hiland and flatpicker Russ Barenberg, known for his work with Bluegrass artist Jerry Douglas; Mark Fain on bass and Andy Leftwich on fiddle, both part of Ricky Skaggs band; and drummer Bob Mater, who plays with Nancy Griffith.

Producer Bil VornDick also helped England to get five songs from “Nantucket to Nashville” signed to prominent Nashville publisher Jim Denny. Denny is currently working to get the songs into the hands and ears of Country Billboard charting artists.

“Being able to make this recording in Nashville with Bil was a dream come true. The musicians were great and we had a lot of fun making the cd” says England. The ten songs on “Nantucket to Nashville” were recorded at Bil VornDick’s Mountainside Studios. The studio is complete with a dancehall ballroom harkening back the building’s former life as a popular roadhouse where artists from Patsy Cline to J.J. Cale performed and communed.

“In one month I learned so much about music and Country music history. Even though I stayed pretty busy working – sometimes twelve hour days in the studio – I wrote a lot while I was there. Nashville is such a rich town, with warm beautiful countryside and amazing talent all around, it’s hard not to be inspired.”

England was born and raised in Pound Ridge, NY to a large family of six children. Her music and writing is steeped in family tradition. "Our dad brought us up on Country music. He was an editor who played banjo on the side and my mom was always playing the piano and singing. My grandma made sure we all had piano lessons; she was a great fiddle player herself. She loved us to be in touch with our Irish roots through music. My

great-grandfather founded Nolan's Marching Band, who were big in Brooklyn in the 1920's" England says. "We grew up with music around." England's brother, Andrew Hunt, also in Brooklyn, recently released his third cd, “Broken Wheel”, on Rustic Records / Hayden's Ferry.

Roots Music Report, where England’s first cd “Heart Like Mine” charted on the top 40 Folk chart, says, "It's interesting that a singer/songwriter of great talent would live on a small island. This folk singer guitarist finds a lot of great hooks around Nantucket but you don't have to live on an island to identify with Amy's words ... her stories are universal. England gives thanks on her cd to “Nantucket Island, for the island people, the island spirit, for the summer splendor and even more for the little known beauty of the dream season.” “I owe a lot to the island,” says England, “it’s a great muse, and always provides new inspiration.” Bil VornDick adds “Amy's songs are like sitting on a beach with good friends, in front of a campfire.”

England has appeared on "H.U.A.C.: Hot Unsigned (& Unsung) Americana Compilation", released by the Nashville indie, Catamount Records and on Shut Eye Records, "United States of Americana" series. Her songs hit the top 100 Americana Music Association chart and the top 40 Roots Music Report.

England will be playing at several festivals this summer including Ossippee Bluegrass Festival where she is a finalist in the New England Songwriting Contest. She will be at NERFA this fall and the 2008 Folk Alliance in Memphis in February. Find out more at www.amyengland.net.

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