Java.March.2017
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Singer/songwriter Courtney Marie Andrews is an expatriate<br />
Phoenician, but not because of a lack of love for the Valley of<br />
the Sun. The 26-year-old Scorpio was born here and raised all<br />
around Phoenix, but she currently makes her home in the Seattle<br />
area. After getting her start in the folk scene around town, Andrews has<br />
built a solid career, releasing six solo albums and playing with artists like<br />
Damien Jurado and Jimmy Eat World, as well as doing multiple national<br />
and European tours. Andrews says she “loves the desert” and misses her<br />
hometown, but is much too busy to say that she’s ready to move back home<br />
after living outside of Phoenix for the past six years.<br />
Most recently, Andrews released Honest Life (Mama Bird Recordings) in<br />
August of 2016, and the record is nothing short of sublime. Tracks like “15<br />
Highway Lines” and “Let the Good One Go” exude a timeless talent that<br />
belies Andrews’ relative youth. They are reminiscent of Joni Mitchell and<br />
Emmy Lou Harris yet at the same time remain uniquely her own. Currently,<br />
Andrews is touring in Europe until mid-March in support of Honest Life. She<br />
will return to the States for a few shows and then head home to Seattle.<br />
We caught up with her a few weeks ago to talk about her career and her roots<br />
in Phoenix.<br />
Hi, how are you? Is this still a good time to chat?<br />
It is. I’m just driving [and talking on the phone], which is technically illegal, but<br />
I do it all the time.<br />
Are you up in Washington?<br />
I am, but I’m on the road to play in Oregon. It’s a classic Northwest day. It’s<br />
cold and gray and gloomy.<br />
We’re doing a series on expat Phoenicians. Tell me about your<br />
connection to Phoenix.<br />
I was born and raised in Phoenix. I grew up around 19th Avenue and Union<br />
Hills. My mom moved around a lot when I was a kid. She bought our house<br />
when I was 12, so I lived there for a long time.<br />
Did you go to Barry Goldwater High School?<br />
I did (laughs). I actually went to Barry Goldwater my freshman and sophomore<br />
year, but I couldn’t handle it because I was too much of a weird kid. So I<br />
went to the first performing arts school in the north part of the Valley, ACAA<br />
[Arizona Conservatory for Arts and Academics]. It was for the artist and<br />
slacker kids.<br />
When did you pick up the guitar? When did you know you had to<br />
do music?<br />
I think in middle school. I’ve always sang, and I don’t really know where that<br />
came from. My mother would put on musicals and I would sing along. My<br />
uncle lived in Mexico and got my first guitar for 35 pesos. He sent it to my<br />
mom, and I started playing it.<br />
In middle school, I started a feminist punk band. Phoenix had such a huge<br />
punk and metal hardcore scene before I started getting into indie and art.<br />
When I was 12 or 13, I wasn’t aware of the [indie and art] scene yet. I think I<br />
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