Biography
When New Orleans-based singer, songwriter, bandleader, and fiddle player Amanda Shaw shares the spotlight with the Cute Guys, the contrast stands out immediately. Having reached age sixteen in 2007, Shaw fronts a lineup of seasoned musicians—drummer Mike Barras, guitarist Brint Anderson, and bassist Ronnie Falgout—whose youngest member had already turned forty-five. These veterans have backed her since her days as a ten-year-old prodigy. After classical violin studies and an early appearance with the Baton Rouge Symphony Orchestra, Shaw chose to focus on traditional Cajun dance music. Since then she has become a regular presence at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. Her third CD, I'm Not a Bubblegum Pop Princess, has moved enough units to stay on the Festival’s Top Ten list from 2003 onward. The group’s wide-ranging set blends traditional Cajun dance music with rock, country, and funk-flavored R&B, earning her local popularity plus guest spots on The Rosie O’Donnell Show, Emeril Live, and Univision’s Sabado Gigante. She has also appeared in three films, most prominently the IMAX documentary Hurricane on the Bayou, which profiles four New Orleans musicians—Tab Benoit, Allen Toussaint, Chubby Carrier, and Shaw—before and after Katrina. At an age when most peers were drawn to an entirely different type of cute guy, Shaw’s technical command, striking appearance, and unexpectedly mature vocals positioned her for a standout career.
Born in Boston in 1991, Shaw relocated with her family to New Orleans, her father’s hometown, while still young. At three she watched a symphony orchestra on television and immediately gravitated toward the violin. Her rapid progress led to a debut performance with the Baton Rouge Symphony Orchestra at age seven, making her the youngest soloist ever featured there. The Rosie O’Donnell Show soon reached out to her parents, resulting in two appearances in 1999 and 2001. New Orleans surroundings introduced her to funk, soul, jazz, blues, zydeco, and Cajun music through family outings. By nine she had set aside classical training to pursue fiddling, sitting in with jazz, blues, and Cajun ensembles and learning by ear. At ten she began leading her own band—later known as the Cute Guys—while also performing solo and duo dates.
Her debut album, Little Black Dog, presented traditional Cajun dance tunes delivered with energy by Shaw and the Cute Guys. By the time she recorded I'm Not a Bubblegum Pop Princess in 2003, rock and country elements had entered the mix. The Cute Guys produced the album, which included covers of the Clash’s “Should I Stay or Should I Go?” and a slightly altered Ramones track, “I Wanna Be Your Girlfriend.” Success with Bubblegum secured her contract with Rounder Records. Producer Scott Billington spent nearly four years refining Pretty Runs Out, her Rounder debut, choosing songs and arranging co-writing sessions with Jim McCormick, Shannon McNally, and Anders Osborne. In early 2007 Rounder released the limited-edition five-song EP and DVD Home Again to build on her Jazz and Heritage Festival following; the package featured three tracks from Pretty Runs Out plus two previously unreleased numbers, “Who Do You Think You Are?” and “Perrodin Two Step.” Pretty Runs Out reached stores in early January 2008 as a thirteen-track collection highlighting Shaw’s fiddling skill alongside her ease with country, pop, and roots-rock material.
Born in Boston in 1991, Shaw relocated with her family to New Orleans, her father’s hometown, while still young. At three she watched a symphony orchestra on television and immediately gravitated toward the violin. Her rapid progress led to a debut performance with the Baton Rouge Symphony Orchestra at age seven, making her the youngest soloist ever featured there. The Rosie O’Donnell Show soon reached out to her parents, resulting in two appearances in 1999 and 2001. New Orleans surroundings introduced her to funk, soul, jazz, blues, zydeco, and Cajun music through family outings. By nine she had set aside classical training to pursue fiddling, sitting in with jazz, blues, and Cajun ensembles and learning by ear. At ten she began leading her own band—later known as the Cute Guys—while also performing solo and duo dates.
Her debut album, Little Black Dog, presented traditional Cajun dance tunes delivered with energy by Shaw and the Cute Guys. By the time she recorded I'm Not a Bubblegum Pop Princess in 2003, rock and country elements had entered the mix. The Cute Guys produced the album, which included covers of the Clash’s “Should I Stay or Should I Go?” and a slightly altered Ramones track, “I Wanna Be Your Girlfriend.” Success with Bubblegum secured her contract with Rounder Records. Producer Scott Billington spent nearly four years refining Pretty Runs Out, her Rounder debut, choosing songs and arranging co-writing sessions with Jim McCormick, Shannon McNally, and Anders Osborne. In early 2007 Rounder released the limited-edition five-song EP and DVD Home Again to build on her Jazz and Heritage Festival following; the package featured three tracks from Pretty Runs Out plus two previously unreleased numbers, “Who Do You Think You Are?” and “Perrodin Two Step.” Pretty Runs Out reached stores in early January 2008 as a thirteen-track collection highlighting Shaw’s fiddling skill alongside her ease with country, pop, and roots-rock material.
Albums
Singles
