Folk Alley Sessions at 30A: Courtney Marie Andrews

Musician Courtney Marie Andrews has lived, she says, at least 40 lives. And one thing she’s learned over the course of those 40 lives? How to distill the experiences into compelling stories about equally as compelling characters.

The Phoenix, Arizona native has been singing on stages since she was a teenager – really, not THAT long ago, given that she isn’t 30 yet – and to say that her career has been “interesting” isn’t quite enough. She was a back-up singer and keyboardist with Jimmy Eat World for a while, electric guitarist and back-up singer for a few other bands and musicians, a bartender, a busker in cafes and on street corners – the list goes on.

One thing that has remained consistent in her career, though, is her commitment to excellence and quality when it comes to recording music. Andrews is definitely not in this musical game just to make and sell records as fast as she can. Instead, she’s a craftswoman, taking her time and tweaking the music she makes until it’s just right.

During an exclusive session at the 2019 30A Songwriters Festival in Florida, Andrews shared some thoughts about her work ethic, about her background, and, of course, about the music she makes.