Bio
Amy Hart was born and raised in the Chicago area. She began her musical journey at the age of 2 at the family piano. In high school she started playing guitar and starting bands. Her first performances included festivals and street fairs, in Chicago and grew into the vibrant blues club scene in the 80's. Her stage experience includes shows at Kingston Mines, opening for Koko Taylor, Playing B.L.U.E.S. with Junior Welles and James Cotton. Her early performances featured Harvey Mandel on Guitar, and included Chicagofest, Taste of Chicago and Two number one releases with WLUP FM 98 Chicago Rocks compilations which brought her to the attention of Producer John Ryan. (Santana, The Allman Brothers...)
Amy moved out to LA in the mid 80's, but what looked really promising became the start of her "me too" story... she still had some dues to pay, after recording "Too Cruel" on the Mercury Records Soundtrack to 'Girls Just Wanna Have Fun' ("I personally wasn't willing! But I don't judge anyone for anything they choose, it just did not suit me"). She moved back to Chicago with dreams of putting her own label together. Her first album Dreamer was recorded in 1989 but was waylayed after the band broke up prior to its release. Hey! Thats rock nd roll baby! She travelled around solo playing clubs and shows in Lake Tahoe, New York, Chicago, and ended up in Nashville where she recorded and released her first full album, "Every Beat of My Heart" in 2000 on her own label, Painted Rock Records.
Her music is a blend of Americana, Country, Roots and Blues.
She has a daughter, Emily, from her first marriage to jazz bassist Brian Derek which ended in 1997. In 2001 they moved to Destin FL where she entertained for 10 years on the local scene. After Emily graduated high school Amy moved back to Nashville where she lives today.
She met acoustic bassist Wally Hoffmann at a jam at Kimbros in 2011 and they were married for eight years. They toured and recorded together releasing "Congratulations" and "Live At The Mayne Stage" which was recorded at the Mayne Stage in Chicago and aired on the live music show of the same name on PBS in 2014. Amy headlined the Himalayan Blues Fest with Sean Carney in 2012 which inspired her single "Blues at The Top Of The World" featured on Siruis XM, The Charley West Blues Fest and the Lancaster Roots and Blues Fest in 2015. Wally and Amy traveled and worked with a band and as a duo. Wally passed away in Jan 2018 after battling lung cancer.
She took a few years off before putting a new band together to play in and around Nashville and then COVID-!9 changed the world.
Amy searched thru her stuff and finally found the first album she made in 1989, Dreamer. She made it her pandemic project, and she and Craig Williams (Owner and Producer of Dr Caw Studios in Glenview IL), mixed and mastered over the internet and Warren Meigs designed the cover art. Painted Rock Records is proud to present Amy Hart and The Essential Trio are proud to present DREAMER as a legacy album loud and proud. Ride your bike is th first single out in early February with the full 1p songs coming to your favorite digital outlet end of March 2021.
