Amy Wadge
| Amy Wadge | |
|---|---|
 Amy Wadge at The Celtic Festival of Wales 2010 |
|
| Background information | |
| Born | 1975 |
| Origin | Backwell, Somerset, England |
| Genres | Rock/Folk |
| Occupations | Singer-songwriter, Actress |
| Instruments | Singing, piano/keyboard, guitar, viola |
| Years active | 1992–present |
| Labels | Choice Music |
| Website | www.amywadge.com |
Amy Wadge is a songstress, songwriter, and actress.
Contents |
[edit] Early life and musical beginnings
Amy Wadge (born 1975) was born and brought up in Backwell, a small village just outside Bristol, England. Her father's passion for music influenced Amy enormously and she was exposed to the sounds of everyone from The Beatles to Elton John, Pink Floyd to Joni Mitchell, from a very tender age. She started writing her own songs at the age of nine, originally on the family piano. Then, when she was 11 her parents bought her, her first guitar from a junk shop. Amy taught herself to play along to Tracy Chapman's debut album and she discovered her passion for the guitar.
While still at school, she regularly gigged around Bristol's numerous, celebrated music venues. Amy caught the performing bug and determined that this was what she was going to do. At the age of 14, she signed her first record deal with her band 'Two Of A Mind' and released her first single at the age of 16.
[edit] Career
Having moved to Wales and graduated from the Royal Welsh College and Music and Drama, she started performing at Open Mic sessions in Cardiff's Toucan Club and soon started developing a fan base and gaining critical recognition. She was quickly spotted and received encouragement from some of the big players in the city, among them, Manics/Catatonia/Super Furry Animals producer, Greg Haver, who recorded her debut mini-album, The Famous Hour. So striking was this album that the BBC invited her to launch the digital radio station BBC 6 Music along with Lenny Kravitz and The Stereophonics.
In 2002, Wadge won "Best Female Solo Act" at the annual Welsh Music Awards, ahead of Charlotte Church. In 2003 she toured Australia with the Welsh Rugby Team during the Rugby World Cup with the song Adre Nôl. Later that year she retained her "Best Female Solo Act" at the Welsh Music Awards.
2004 saw her release her first full album, WOJ - a play on her surname, which is often mispronounced - to critical acclaim.
2006 saw the release of her second album, No Sudden Moves. The album includes a cover of the Manic Street Preachers single A Design For Life.
2008 saw the release of her third album, Bump which (according to her own sleeve notes) was recorded over two days when she was 8 months pregnant. It includes a cover of Don't Leave Me This Way (originally recorded by Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes, and later covered by The Communards).
On Monday 2 November 2009, Amy released her new single "Hold Me" with new record label, Choice Music. Amy also released a Welsh version of the track ("Dal Fi") which was a fundraiser for her daughter’s ‘Ysgol Feithrin’ (Welsh nursery schools), with 20p from the sale of every Welsh language download being donated to the Welsh Nursery Schools Movement.
2010 and 2011 saw Amy work with Pete Riley. They released a CD (Rivers Apart) as well as two live DVD's and toured extensively together.
[edit] Personal life
Amy is married to actor Alun ap Brinley, lives in Wales and is currently learning Welsh. In fact, her single USA? We'll wait and see was released in both English and Welsh.
[edit] Discography
[edit] Albums
- The Famous Hour (mini-album) (2002) - FF Vinyl
- WOJ (2004) - Manhaton Records
- No Sudden Moves (2006) - Manhaton Records
- Bump (2008) - Amy Wadge Records
- Acoustig (2009)
- Rivers Apart (2010) - with Pete Riley
[edit] Singles
- The Great Pretender (1992)
- Saddest Eyes (2001) - FF Vinyl
- Just in Time (2004) - Manhaton Records
- USA? We'll wait and see.../USA, oes angen mwy...? (2005) - Manhaton Records
- A Design for Life (2005) - Manhaton Records
- Hold Me (2009) - Choice Music
[edit] DVDs
- Amy Wadge 'Live' Mini DVD (2006) - Manhaton Records
- Amy Wadge and Pete Riley, Live at Acapela DVD (2010)
- Rivers Apart DVD Amy Wadge and Pete Riley (2011)
