Amanda Shires

Amanda Shires is an American singer-songwriter and violin player from Lubbock, Texas. She works in alternative country, country folk and singer-songwriter styles, and has also been associated with US country.

Early life and training

Born in 1982 in Lubbock, Shires develops an early interest in the fiddle after seeing a green and orange pawn shop instrument at the age of ten. She becomes absorbed by western swing and country fiddle playing. She studies with Lanny Fiel, joins his Ranch Dance Fiddle Band, and while at Lubbock High School performs in school, city and regional orchestras and symphonies.

At sixteen, she begins performing with Tommy Allsup and the Texas Playboys. After high school she attends South Plains College School of Music in Levelland, then continues at Texas Tech University, graduating in 2004 with a degree in geography.

Groups and collaborations

Shires performs with the Texas Playboys, Thrift Store Cowboys, Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit, The Highwomen and Jason Isbell and Friends. She also works as a duo with Rod Picott.

At South Plains College, she becomes a founding member of Thrift Store Cowboys, an alt-country band. The group features Daniel Fluitt and Colt Miller and releases four albums of West Texas indie rock. The band builds a college following, receives a best-seller award from Miles of Music, and Shires’s song “Sidewalk Song” appears on NPR’s All Songs Considered.

Solo releases and songwriting

Shires records and releases her debut solo album, Being Brave, with studio help from Lanny Fiel, Kenny Maines, Andy Wilkinson, Alan Munde, Colt Miller and Daniel Fluitt. The album includes traditional material, Fred Rose’s “Low and Lonely,” and four of her own songs.

Her second solo album, West Cross Timbers, is recorded in Nashville and co-produced with Rod Picott and David Henry. It appears in 2008 and includes eight original songs, “Keep Them Dogs From Barkin’,” co-written with Fiel, a version of Picott’s “Angels And Acrobats,” and the 1920s pop song “Whispering.” CD Baby gives the album a four-star review.

Other work and performances

Shires performs at SXSW in Austin, where Picott notices her and the two later begin working together. She tours the UK and Europe with him and later releases their duo debut, Sew Your Heart With Wires, which contains ten songs co-written by the pair.

She also performs on concert stages with Billy Joe Shaver, Gary P. Nunn, Old 97s, Ian Moore, Blue October, The Flatlanders, Buzz, Cason, The Rowan Brothers, Andy Wilkinson, Whit Smith’s Hot Jazz Caravan, Devotchka and Justin Townes Earle.

Her publishing company is called Little Lambs Eat Ivy.