"Being in a band is like being married to four or five very different people at once,” says singer/songwriter Amanda Waggener. “And, let’s face it, being married to just one person is tough enough. I’ve seen fights between band members, and I’ve experienced breakups of bands that felt just like a divorce.”
Growing up in Traverse City, Michigan, Waggener says music was always her passion. “When I first started to really sing, I was five years old and singing country music. I knew every Patsy Cline and Loretta Lynn song that there was. One day, my parents realized that I was born the same exact day as Patsy Cline, just 50 years later.”
Having racked up hundreds of hours onstage in nightclubs and bars before she was old enough to drink, she departed Michigan in hopes of finding a musical combo to play her brand of soulful blues-rock. “I regret not getting out of there sooner and moving to a bigger place with a better music scene.”
In San Diego, Waggener formed a writing and production partnership with Poway singer/guitarist John Naylor.
“Musically, John’s guitar and writing style gives us our edge, with a retro flavor and lots of hooks. Lyrically, I write about life experiences such as heartbreak, observations, and of course love. Our next CD will be the heaviest blues sound that I’ve had to date.”
Rounding out the group are Brad Smith (of the Tighten Ups) and Ed Adams (Redhanded).
Waggener has performed over a thousand shows, sharing the stage with recording artists such as Jonny Lang, Jeff Healey, and Robert Cray. Drawing from the diverse worlds of rock,
blues, R&B, and pop music, she released her debut album Favorite Kiss in 2001, at age 17. Her sophomore effort was released in early 2011.