Our Artist of the Week is Amanda Shires! We'll play three tracks from her newest vinyl, Down Fell The Doves (2013). Amanda is a singer-songwriter who grew up in Lubbock and Mineral Wells, Texas. She's a violinist and also plays the ukulele. Amanda first picked up the violin when she was 10 and got her start in music as a 15 year old playing fiddle for the Texas Playboys. Down Fell The Doves is her fourth solo album and displays her steady growth as a singer and songwriter. She has also collaborated on albums and toured with her husband, Jason Isbell, as well as Justin Townes Earle, Todd Snider, Hayes Carll, and Rod Picott. Among her influences she claims Leonard Cohen for his poetic songwriting. She even wrote a tribute song for him on Down Fell The Doves and discussed the song and his influence on her during a short interview with All Things Considered (http://www.npr.org/2013/08/04/207951179/violinist-amanda-shires-picks-up-the-pieces (link is external)). Her website (http://amandashiresmusic.com/ (link is external)) has a few videos, a store where you can pick-up her albums, and a news feed. She is also active on Twitter (https://twitter.com/amandashires (link is external)).
