Amy Campbell brings together classical training and folk sensibilities to create music that reaches into human experience and comes back with stories written from the soul. Devoted equally to lyrical craft, innovative musicianship, and engaging performances, Amy's dozen years of writing, composing, and touring have cemented her position in hearts and playlists across the world.
Amy has just completed a FACTOR-supported recording project produced by the incomparable Don Kerr (Ron Sexsmith, The Rheostatics, Karyn Ellis). Letters Home features performances by Ben Whiteley (New Country Rehab, The Good Lovelies) on upright bass, Jaron-Freeman Fox (The David Woodhead Confabulation, Delhi 2 Dublin) and Mary McGeer (The Talisker Players Chamber Orchestra) on strings, Jeff Heisholt (The Trews, Pete Elkas) on organs, David Matheson (Moxy Fruvous, Barenaked Ladies) on piano and guest vocals by Rose Cousins. Don's arrangements are simple and tight, and beautifully complement Amy's signature rythmic guitar compositions and thought-provoking, heart-rending lyrics.
Letters Home was released in July, 2012 with CD release parties with a sold out at the Carleton in Halifax on July 22nd and a packed house at Hugh's Room in Toronto on July 24th.
November 2008 saw the release of a full length album and book project entitled Oh Heart, Oh Highway. A successful release tour included appearances at the Halifax Pop Explosion, Toronto's The Cameron House, The BobCat concert series (Ottawa) and the legendary Yellow Door Coffeehouse (Montreal). New fans were drawn in by the album's cinematic narratives, and ambitious artistic vision; as evidenced in March 2009, when Oh Heart, Oh Highway reached #1 on the coveted and influential Galaxie Folk/Roots chart.
Seven years of touring have led to several noteworthy appearances: Campbell has performed as a supporting act to Penny Lang, Veda Hille, Justin Rutledge, Richard Bruckner, Old Man Luedecke, and Thea Gilmore (in the UK); toured as support for Emm Gryner; and is a regular at noteworthy folk venues Club Passim (Boston), Hugh's Room (Toronto), and The Blacksheep Inn (Wakefield, QC), among others. Festival appearances include "The Stan Rogers Festival" (Nova Scotia), "The Cutting Edge of the Campfire Festival" (Boston), "Ladyfest NY" (New York), an MPress Records showcase at the IndieGrrl Festival (Nashville), The Amherst Island Folk Festival (Ontario), and Island Folk Festival (Victoria, BC).
Amy's work is supplemented by her community activism – Over the last six years she created an independent music program for participants at Sketch (Toronto working arts studio for homeless and street-involved youth), with whom she works regularly and intensely. She also has ongoing roles in such projects as Babes for Breasts (touring concert in support of the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation), The Music Project (a songwriting program for teens at Camp Trillium), and Youth Without Shelter - a homeless shelter in Toronto, where she guides at-risk youth through a process of songwriting and recording.
Amy's catalogue is available through iTunes, and online or via mail-order at www.amycampbell.ca.
"Simply put, Campbell is well poised to one day inherit Joni Mitchell's place as Canada's quintessential female singer-songwriter."
–Cindy Filipenko, Herizons
Career Highlights
•Oh Heart, Oh Highway reached number one on Galaxie's influential Folk/Roots Chart - March 2009. Then in January 2010 it placed #11 on their Top Folk/Roots Spins of 2009 chart.
•Showcase Artist: North By Northeast Festival (2009)
•Featured on Sonicbids "Listen Volume 5" compilation CD (2009).
•Voted "best female artist" in Reverb's best of music poll (Halifax).
•Winner: Best Folk and Nominee: Best Song, Ontario Independent Music Awards (2008).
•Placed top 20 of ourstage.com's "Lilith Fair Talent Search" (2010).
•Chosen by the Songwriters Association of Canada to perform with Justin Rutledge at their web launch party (2010).
•Featured on "2010 Indiegrrl Compilation CD" (2010).
•Showcase artist: Nova Scotia Music Week
•Showcase artist: East Coast Music Awards.
•Emerging Artist Showcase: Mariposa Folk Festival.
For publicity inquiries contact:
Jane Harbury Publicity
29 Oxford St, Toronto, ON M5T 1N8 416-960-1568
jane@harbury.ca / jennifer@harbury.ca
Connect online:
twitter.com/amycampbellsong • facebook.com/amycampbellmusic youtube.com/amycampbellmusic • reverbnation.com/amycampbell
