Review by Pat Joseph & Staff
The W.A M. Awards celebrate the year’s most outstanding independent artists from around the world in multiple genres and categories. "Best Song" and "Best Album" nominations were based on Artistry, Musicianship, Originality, Professionalism, Diversity, and Excellence. W.A.M. stands for "We Are the Music Makers.' Amanda Lynn's Song
"Without Sunshine " was the 2020 W.A.M. Award Winner for Best Song in the Roots / Americana / Bluegrass / Blues music category. Amanda also won a 2020 W.A.M. award for Best Album for "Rocket."
“Without Sunshine” is, simply put, a beautiful song. A lovely minimalist arrangement of a cello, acoustic guitar, and the enchanting vocals of Amanda Lynn create a wide open space for the song to float into your heart. Familiar and expertly delivered instrumental ornamentations grab the listener from the opening notes and maintain captivation until the ending, never completely resolving the feeling. This is a song that sticks with you.
The first verse features a fingerpicked style acoustic guitar and sporadic cello fills, which builds to full guitar strumming and sustained cello tones during the power-house chorus. This allows Lynn’s vocals draw you in at first, and blow you away on the chorus. She delivers masterfully timed blue notes to drive the song’s message home. The song rises and falls in a way that feels natural and satisfying.
Honest and motivational, the lyrics of “Without Sunshine” call to mind a theme of perseverance. “I guess we’ll cope, yeah we’ll somehow get by, right now we’re learning to live without sunshine.” Dark, but not melancholy, inspirational but not sappy, this song offers up intimate encouragement without being preachy.
“Without Sunshine” does an excellent job of matching its lyrics with instrumental supplementation. The music and lyrics elevate one another and blend together to create a sum greater than the parts. The vocal expressions of Amanda Lynn are undeniable, and the instrumental performances are delivered perfectly.
For digital outlets and streaming, here are Amanda's LINKS.
About Amanda Lynn
Amanda Lynn was born in Cartersville, Georgia. And these were her early memories...
“I remember I would set up a stage in the back of my Dad’s Red 1980’s Chevrolet pickup. My audiences were my stuffed animals and baby dolls, all sorted carefully in lawn chairs to view the stage perfectly. I remember using a broom or a rake as a microphone. I would spend all day in my imagination.”
From this young age, Amanda knew she had the gift (or burden) of writing songs. "I always felt like I had something to say and I was on a mission that most people around me would never understand, but I had to do it. Nothing else could ever fulfill me...And as much as I ran from writing songs, they would always seem to hunt me down and find me."
Compared to a female version of Chris Stapleton with a dash of Dolly Parton, Tom Petty, and Sturgill Simpson; Amanda Lynn breaks the traditional mold with stories of her journey through the tiny towns of Southeast. With 2019 singles "Magnolia", "Criminals", and "Music City", Rocket, is sure to be her 2020 success story.