Venue: One Longfellow Square, Portland, ME ~ September 9, 2013 ~
Amy Black is what you could call a whole lotta woman. Bearing a slight resemblance to Trisha Yearwood, she opened for Eilen Jewell, all bright and brassy, with an acoustic guitar and a voice that could fill church rafters. She played a half dozen or so original, Americana/bluesy tunes, and then blew the roof off with an a cappella version of “Shadow of Doubt” – a tune made famous by Bonnie Raitt. Though she has been a resident of the Northeast for quite a while, she has retained an atmosphere of the southern preacher’s daughter.
Speaking of preachers and their children, I got to thinking that she could probably do powerful covers of “Son of a Preacher Man”, as well as “Proud Mary.” She’s got that passionate, hold-nothing-back kind of stage presence. In fact, I wonder if she has done musical theater. I can definitely see her on Broadway.
Amy Black is one of those brave souls that you feel proud of, because she decided to leave behind her career as a businesswoman, and try her luck at making it as a musician. She has the talent and the personality and quite a set of pipes. She could nail “The Star Spangled Banner” at a presidential inauguration, or at least the Superbowl! I wish her unbridled success. Visit her website, amyblack.com.
Kim lives in Maine, which is lovely, and where she continues her enthusiastic relationship with Art, Music, Nature, Books, Animals, Humor and Trees.