"Welcome to your musical punch in the face," says Amanda Duncan from the stage to the crowd as she flashes a knowing smile. Once she starts to sing, the big question is, "How does that huge sound come out of that little body?" Never quite blessed with height, Amanda was blessed with one roaring set of pipes. And even before the 2009 independent release of her "Love I Have For You" EP, Duncan was able to drum up considerable success, based solely on some homemade demos, her live show, and her infectious personality, opening for names such as Eric Hutchinson, Ari Hest, Secondhand Serenade, and Melissa Ferrick.
She is a soldier in the new army of musicians who rely only on themselves to make things happen whether it be branding her name with graphic art or even engineering half of her own record. She draws from a diverse blend of the crooning hits of the 30's and 40's and the pop-country of today, to craft what has become her light-hearted, head-bopping acoustic sound. 180 degrees from the winey, suicidal droning of many singer-songwriters, in a black and white world, Amanda Duncan is a burst of color.
"There are so many songs out there that are reflective of negative issues of people's lives. I want to connect with the positive," says Duncan. For those listeners looking for something refreshing, Amanda delivers. With a love for all things catchy and melodic, she reaches audiences young and old, wielding her acoustic guitar and mandolin and holding tight to her dedication to remaining always honest, never put-on, never false. After the show, she wants to meet every person in the room, to learn about them, and just take the time to have some good old- fashioned conversation.
As a spectator, you'll probably be impressed by her hummable melodies and powerful vocals but what she'd rather is that you find a little bit of yourself in her lyrics and leave a little happier than when you came in.
