Ten of my Favorite Things: Amy England
On the eve of releasing her album "Nantucket to Nashville," the folk and country musician counts her blessings
BY MARLI GUZZETTA INDEPENDENT ARTS EDITOR
Topography is the stuff of identity when you have a last name like "England," and Nantucket folk musician Amy England named her new album accordingly. Released this Saturday, "From Nantucket to Nashville" spanned two years and the distance from here (where England wrote her songs) to Music City (where she recorded them with Grammy-winner Bil VornDick).

Amy England COURTESY AMY ENGLAND

"In one month I learned so much about music and country music history. Even though I stayed pretty busy working - sometimes 12-hour days in the studio - I wrote a lot while I was there," England said. "Nashville is such a rich town, with warm beautiful countryside and amazing talent all around, it's hard not to be inspired."

Recently, England acquired a publishing deal with Nashvillian Jim Denny, who is working to get England's writing onto the albums of country music well-knowns.

"Listening to Amy perform her music, you get a sense that her songs are actual accounts of actual events. The undeniable raw magnetism of her voice only serves to make them even more authentic," said Denny, who listed highlights of the album as "Keeps Me Walking" ("with its haunting guitar"), the "lullabye Waltz" "Darlin" and the "catchy, yet tragic" "If it Weren't for You."

England called the publishing gig "a back door to the music business."

"If just one of my songs gets picked up by one of the big artists, then I get money and recognition. More of my CDs would sell. Plus, with success in publishing, I don't need to uproot my family," said England, who has a daughter with her husband, Peter. For the sake of staying on Nantucket, England is happy to send her music down South.

It may seem odd to some people that a country and folk musician would live on a little New England island, but England was raised on country music as a child in upstate New York. "Our dad brought us up on country music. He was an editor who played banjo on the side and my mom was always playing the piano and singing. My grandma made sure we all had piano lessons; she was a great fiddle player herself. She loved us to be in touch with our Irish roots through music. My greatgrandfather founded Nolan's Marching Band, who were big in Brooklyn in the 1920s," England said. "We grew up with music around."

This summer, England is doing a few festivals before going on an Eastern seaboard tour this fall. In November, England will play the New England Folk Alliance and then the Memphis Folk Alliance in February.

"Nantucket to Nashville" will be available at England's release concert and subsequent party - Sat., June 30, 8 p.m., beginning at the Unitarian Church - and also at Bookworks, Wolfhound, the Artists' Association of Nantucket and the Maria Mitchell Association gift shop. You can hear some of England's work at

www.myspace.com/amyenglandmusic.

For a quick primer, however, we offer you 10 of Amy England's most beloved things:

1. My big loving family and friends. Peter, Ella, my Ma, Nan, Bebe, six siblings, in-laws, outlaws.

2. Music: singing, playing, writing, listening. Mostly I write folk, country and Americana, but I like many genres, and especially exploring new music. Right now, we're listening to Mavis Staples, Nashville compilations and Richard Thompson

3. Romance and a bit of mystery. Where would we be without it?

4. Nature. Being immersed in it - on the beach, in the forest, working in the garden, watching the seasons change.

5. Kind, compassionate and sometimes spiritual people. Selfless folks who are superhuman heroes on a grand scale or within their community or family. I try to have them rub off on me.

6. Nantucket. For so many reasons.

7. Leaving Nantucket. Traveling, meeting new people, learning about other cultures …

8. Yoga. Must do more.

9. Food. Eating out, cooking in, Italian, Mid-Eastern, anything Southern fried.

10. Favorite moment of the day. Home from work, Peter's reading to Ella and I'm making fresh pesto or playing guitar while pasta cooks.