Background
The daughter of a minister, Black spent her early years in Missouri and Alabama before relocating with her family to Boston, Massachusetts.
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Amy Black
Edit ProfileEducation
She studied at Northeastern University.
Career
During her college years she pursued singing as a pastime, forming several bands. After receiving her degree, Black pursued a career in marketing. In 2008, Black began singing publicly at open mic nights in the Boston area.
She formed the band Amy Black and the Red Clay Rascals, an acoustic roots music ensemble, and began to play at Boston area venues.
Black reformed the band in 2010, adding electric guitar and dropping the “Red Clay Rascals” to perform as "Amy Black."
In late 2010, Black collaborated with producer Lorne Entress on her first solo album, One Time. Released in March 2011, the album features nine of Black"s original songs and three cover songs.
Musicians on the album include singer/songwriter Mark Erelli on guitar and vocals and Nashville-based bluegrass player Stuart Duncan on fiddle and mandolin. Black plays primarily on the East Coast of the United States, and the Southern United States performing regularly at a number of Massachusetts venues including Club Passim Johnny Doctorate"s Uptown in Somerville, Massachusetts.
The Birchmere in Alexandria, Virginia.
Eddie"s Attic in Decatur, Georgia and The Bluebird Cafe in Nashville, Tennessee. Black was a guest on the Music City Roots program at Loveless Cafe in Nashville, Tennessee in 2011. Since 2011, Black has opened shows for Chris Isaak, The Court Yard Hounds, Rodney Crowell, Suzy Bogguss, Joe Ely, Eilen Jewell, Lori McKenna, Emmylou Harris and Kelly Willis.
Black and her band performed at the WUMB-FM Boston Music Festival in June 2011 and in October 2011, they performed at the WUMB-FM Boston Member Concert in Boston, filmed and aired by XFinity.
In September 2012, Black was a featured singer/songwriter at the Americana Music Association"s annual conference. In February 2013, Black was selected for an official showcase at the International Folk Alliance conference held in Toronto, Canada.
In June, 2013 was Black selected to perform as an Emerging Artists for the 2013 Falcon Ridge Folk Festival. In March, 2013, Black released her first live album Amy Black Live at Johnny Doctorate"son
In October, 2013, Black released a four-song European Parliament recorded at Fame Recording Studio in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, featuring Spooner Oldham.
In February 2014, Black released her second album of original music, "This is Home" produced by Lex Price and featuring guitar playing by Will Kimbrough and Oliver Wood of the Wood Brothers. One Time received local and national reviews. Boston Herald music critic Nate Dow wrote, “it is the beautifully imagined sound and soul of her originals that make her a newcomer of note.” Country news site Roughstock noted "Amy Black is something uncommon in the contemporary era.
She combines strong, female centered songs with a solid sense of contemporary country that never gives way to popular sensibilities." Americana and roots music magazine Number Depression observed of her live performances, "Black has a rich voice layered with a light, natural vibrato.
lieutenant’s a smooth, seductive sound and one that easily commands attention."
Black was nominated for the 2012 "Country Acting of the Year" by The New England Music Awards.
