Java.March.2017

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