When Alejandro Escovedo asked Amy Farris to join him on tour, the young fiddler told everyone at the law office she was working at that she would never be coming back. An Austin, TX native who was classically trained on violin, Amy Farris found out early into her lessons that she was a first-rate improviser. When Escovedo heard the violinist could solo like a fierce guitar player, Farris was loaded into the van and experienced the coast-to-coast lifestyle of a rock & roller firsthand. She returned home to Austin and instantly became more involved with the city's healthy music scene. Recordings and tours with Ray Price, Tish Hinojosa, Bruce Robison, and a six-year gig in Kelly Willis' band followed. Willis' band spent two years on the Lilth Fair tour, an experience Farris loved, especially when her hero, Emmylou Harris joined the tour.
When Willis took a break from touring, Farris decided it was time to work on her own career. Her songwriting was influenced by two of her favorite bands, the Beatles and X. Through a friend, Farris got her demos to Dave Alvin, a guitarist/singer/songwriter who spent time in X and shared Farris' love of American roots rock. He agreed to work with her and Farris soon moved to Los Angeles to record her "Americana pop" debut. Yep Roc released Anyway in May of 2004. ~ David Jeffries, Rovi
