April 7th, 2025 New Blog Log

How have you been? This month I have been working at expanding my skills and deepening my crafts in voice over work, songwriting and music performance… taking classes and trying to get better..  I’m just freaking excited about this stuff and I’m nerding out..

I just finished a three week course for Commercial voiceover training based online but from RealVoice LA with Craig Thomas. Not gonna lie; I was a bit concerned I wouldn’t have gas in the tank from 4-7pm to really act in real time as was needed from class participants.. didn’t go as bad as I expected! I would highly recommend working with Craig and the fee was affordable.

Sidebar: I know some of you have reached out to me and asked me about VO.. So if you ARE looking into voiceacting, it is HIGHLY competitive and I am feeling pressure myself on upping my game as there are so many talented people and lots of people trying to break into the market.

I am writing a new song about every two weeks but I would like to up that to write once a week or more. Have any great lyrics? Reach out! Did you know I co-wrote two songs with a friend named Linda Corey? I reworked her lyrics and created “Heavy Heart” (Please Dear Sun) and “You Can Win” (Embrace) from what she sent me. Creating something new has been a lifelong joy of mine and feels as necessary as breathing to me. Over the coming months I have some new music endevors I can’t wait to share with you.. but not yet!

I am working with David Ostrom of Ostrom Entertainment for booking music for the year; feel free to reach out if you know of great venue, band show or house concert I should try to play at! I can be booked solo/duo/band shows for original folk-rock or family friendly shows. His email is: info@ostromentertainment.com Thanks for your help on this!

I’m not sure why but venues seem to be hesitant to book original music (and band shows) where they compensate the artists. In order to pay my musicians in the band for a couple of these shows, I trying to find sponsors to help pay bandmates to perform.

Lastly I am still working hard at doing a similar type of thing and bringing live music perforances for FREE at MN + WI public schools! Let me know if you’d like to partner in this important opportunity and I can let you know what we can do to showcase your business by helping kids feel the joy and inspiration that comes from a musical experience!

Peace, Love, Rock + Soul

Amanda

Keeping On, Keeping Hearts

In June 2014, I released my first EP called, "Keeping Hearts." It is a warm blend of romantic rock originals. This album was the result of a successful Kickstarter campaign funded by my fans. I am overwhelmed by your generosity and support... Thank you for your support and pushing me to keep releasing my music!

BEHIND THE WRITING

My favorite song on Keeping Hearts is, "Love Is Falling." I think I was engrossed with a bunch of different challenges in my own life, but I was also reflecting on the hardships faced by some kids and single parents when I wrote it. 

"Hey Now" is a lazy love song covered by Wildflower, my women's contemporary folk group. "Call" is a light rock love song with a killer solo by local guitarist Jim Trouten.  "Arise" is my solo piano piece about conquering personal obsessions. I think everyone goes through periods of time where we run into ourselves into moments of madness and need to break away from whatever thoughts or actions that are keeping us hostage.

I wrote "Running Down The Sun" after hearing about a woman (The Huntress, AKA Sarah Hunter) trying to overcome her history of substance abuse through the pursuit of athletics. Thank you for you telling her story and supporting her upcoming documentary. Finally, "Soul 90" is my first official gospel release, although I have been writing other pieces that are unreleased.

UPDATE! Sarah has qualified for the AG World Triathlon Championships in Sydney - consider helping with her travel costs here: https://www.gofundme.com/agworld-championship-australia-918

Youtube Update on her competitions: https://www.youtube.com/attribution_link?a=54pHYVxh0bc&u=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3D1asfyZPG2o8%26feature%3Dplayer_embedded

Click below to follow her Facebook updates; absolutely inspiring. https://www.facebook.com/HunterHuntress888/?ref=profile_intro_card

Why Embrace?

The story continues about my sister. 17 Months after loosing her son Bryce, Susie suddenly lost her husband Tim to a brain aneurysm. The boys only had time to quickly say goodbye to their dad. The songs I wrote for her and the boys on "Embrace" are: "Someday" + "Forever." Remembering... Tim and Bryce. 

Embrace was released in August 2012. Embrace is acoustic based album with 16 songs including two cover songs. My sister Mina Lewis sang "Aint No Way" by Carolyn Franklin and I covered, "At Last." Most of the pieces are my writing; and two pieces were co-written by myself and Linda Corey, who overcame breast cancer and wanted to share her poetry, which now are lyrics to "You Can Win," and "Pages Of My Heart." Stephanie Kuglin wrote the song, "Kiss Me Again." Mina wrote her first piece, "Rooted Love." Local artists & musicians featured on this album are: Aleah Harvey, Jake Ilika, Scott Lochner, John Stampka, Jim Trouten & Rich McDonald.

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