ABOUT AMBER:
"Amber Norgaard's passion for her music is evident in every song she sings...Hints of Ani DiFranco peek through; elements of Melissa Etheridge, Patty Griffin and the Indigo Girls are all present..." --TUCSON WEEKLY
Described as "The love child of Natalie Merchant, Sarah McLachlan and Melissa Etheridge," Amber often has the audience stunned at how such a big voice and dynamic energy come from such a petite artist. The Tucson Lifestyle Magazine claims, "Solo, or with her band, she's proved to be a singer/ songwriter to be reckoned with." And the Iowa Entertainer comments, "Her lyrics don't paint a picture, they grab your arm."
Hailing from the Iowa plains, Amber emerged from the family farm with a burning desire to see the world and be of service to others. After graduating from Creighton School of Nursing in Omaha, Nebraska, Amber headed south with guitar in hand to do volunteer work in the Dominican Republic, then to the Pacific Northwest. Eventually she settled in Alaska for six years working as a nurse in the southwestern Alaskan bush region. With her third paycheck, she mail-ordered her first digital keyboard. The long, dark cold nights, mixed with the extreme Alaskan lifestyle, proved to be the perfect environment for a young songwriter.
In January 2004, Amber said goodbye to her Alaskan lifestyle and headed south again—this time traveling 4500 miles across the continent to the Sonoran Desert. She had partially recorded song tracks in one hand and determination (or guitar and keyboard) in the other. Armed with the confidence of being a semi-finalist in the Alaska Public Radio Song of the Year Contest, she put her music to disc and hit the ground running with the release her debut album SOUL IN MOTION in July 2004.
With the success of her debut album exceeding expectations, Amber went back to the studio even more determined to share her soul with the world. Evolving from hard work and tireless nights of songcrafting, her new album RISING was released in May 2006. Amber has been a finalist in several songwriting competitions, and her music was selected to appear on the New York-based Music Independence Summit Connection's compilation CD. In August 2007, Amber was awarded the "Up and Coming Artist of the Year" in the Tucson Area Music Awards (TAMMIES). In October 2007, she was the second place winner of the Winery Music Awards (Paso Robles, CA).
Amber tours throughout the nation. She has performed at events such as the 2007 Winery Music Awards (Paso Robles, CA), the Invasion of the GoGirls at South by Southwest (SXSW) in Austin, TX, the Provincetown Women's Kickass Independent Songwriters showcase (Provincetown, MA), Big Arizona Music Festival (Tucson, AZ), McDowell Mountain Music Festival (Scottsdale, AZ), the Alaska Women's Music Festival (Anchorage & Fairbanks, AK), the Sedona Jam Emerging Artist Music Festival (Sedona, AZ), and multiple pride festivals, music festivals, street and art fairs, charity events, and many other venues nationwide.
Amber's music is a mix of pop, folk and rock. Her sound has been compared to that of Carole King, Dar Williams, Melissa Etheridge, the Indigo Girls and Sarah McLachlan. Her well-crafted lyrics address the human spirit, and her passionate performance resonates deeply with those who listen to her music. As the Tucson Lifestyle Magazine describes, "She's a registered nurse, but these days the only shot she's likely to give you is one to your heart as you listen to her eloquent lyrics."
HONORS:
~Awarded "Up & Coming Artist of the Year" in the 2007 Tucson Area Music Awards (TAMMIES)
~Second Place Winner - 2007 Winery Music Awards
~Runner-up in the 2007 TAMMIES for female vocalist, songwriter and best new release
~Voted BEST SONG in the 2007 Winery Music Awards Semi-Finals
~Finalist - Unisong Songwriting Competition (2007)
~Finalist - Give Us Your Poor Compilation CD featuring celebrity, homeless and indie artist songs (2007)
~Honourable Mention - 2007 We Are Listening Singer/ Songwriter Awards
~Amber's song "Turquoise Sea" is included on Music Independence Summit Connection's compilation CD (2007)
~Runner-Up: Tucson Area Music Awards (2006 TAMMIES)
ABOUT ACOUSTIC DREAMS:
Due to popular demand for an acoustic album, Amber released the ACOUSTIC DREAMS EP in October 2007. The five song EP features George Nardo and Mark Cherry on acoustic guitar, Michelle Maliniak on trumpet, Michael Gilbert Ronstadt on cello, Joel Gottschalk and Jay Trapp on bass, and the multi-grammy nominated Will Clipman on percussion. All the songs on the EP were produced by George Nardo (Luna Recording Studio, Tucson, AZ) and Amber; except 'Cold Kiss Goodnight', which was produced by Jim Pavett (Allusion Studios, Tucson, AZ).
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