Biography
Sherrié Austin possesses a distinctive sonic identity rooted in arrangements that revolve around chiming acoustic guitars, sparkling mandolins, evocative fiddle lines, and the occasional ripple of steel guitar. “I’m tiny, so screaming over a wall of electric guitars isn’t comfortable,” Austin has said. “I’d rather bring people in, draw them close and find a way to use the dynamics of my voice.” Born in Sydney, Australia, she has been performing and singing country music essentially since infancy. At age fourteen she received her initial major opportunity when invited to open Johnny Cash’s 1985 Australian tour, after which the Australian Country Music Association extended an invitation to Nashville; her parents, however, deemed her too young, a view she shared at the time. Her next significant break arrived through acting rather than music when, at seventeen, she secured the role of Pippa McKenna on NBC’s popular series The Facts of Life.
While working in Hollywood she maintained her focus on songwriting and performing, supplementing these pursuits with keyboard and vocal instruction from Robert Edwards, who served as Linda Ronstadt’s vocal coach. Eventually the pull of influences such as Emmylou Harris and Dolly Parton prompted her relocation to Nashville, where she connected with co-writer and co-producer Will Rambeaux. Together they shaped her two early albums, 1997’s Words and 1999’s Love in the Real World. Followin’ a Feelin’ appeared in early 2001, followed in 2003 by Streets of Heaven, whose title track became a hit single. Beyond her own recordings, Austin has contributed songs to other prominent artists, among them the title track of Blake Shelton’s 2008 album Startin’ Fires and George Strait’s “Where Have You Been All My Life,” featured on the 2009 release Twang. Her first completely independent project, Circus Girl, is slated for release in the fall of 2011.
While working in Hollywood she maintained her focus on songwriting and performing, supplementing these pursuits with keyboard and vocal instruction from Robert Edwards, who served as Linda Ronstadt’s vocal coach. Eventually the pull of influences such as Emmylou Harris and Dolly Parton prompted her relocation to Nashville, where she connected with co-writer and co-producer Will Rambeaux. Together they shaped her two early albums, 1997’s Words and 1999’s Love in the Real World. Followin’ a Feelin’ appeared in early 2001, followed in 2003 by Streets of Heaven, whose title track became a hit single. Beyond her own recordings, Austin has contributed songs to other prominent artists, among them the title track of Blake Shelton’s 2008 album Startin’ Fires and George Strait’s “Where Have You Been All My Life,” featured on the 2009 release Twang. Her first completely independent project, Circus Girl, is slated for release in the fall of 2011.
Albums
