Los Angeles, CA - Audra Mae is set to release her debut album, The Happiest Lamb, on May 18 and will start a run of shows this month at SXSW that includes a stop in New York on March 30 at City Winery.
Since arriving in Los Angeles, Audra Mae has landed a publishing deal with Warner Chappell, a TV placement singing Bob Dylans Forever Young on the FX series Sons of Anarchy, a record deal with SideOneDummy Records, and in late 2009, co-wrote Who I Was Born to Be, the only original track on Susan Boyles chart-topping, 9 million-selling I Dreamed a Dream album. It has turned out to be a dream come true for the 25-year-old singer-songwriter from Oklahoma.
Growing up, show business was in Audra Maes blood. She is the great grand niece of the late Judy Garland and her grandmother turned her on to country and folk artists like Patsy Cline, Dolly Parton and Woody Guthrie, while her grandfather introduced her to jazz.
Audra Mae is a natural without a doubt. The Happiest Lamb, produced by Ted Hutt (The Gaslight Anthem, Lucero) follows the release of her five-song EP Haunt last fall. The album spotlights Maes incredible voice and her songs are timeless affairs augmented with minimal accompaniment, including acoustic guitar, piano, mandolin and sometimes mournful accordions.
By the time she was 17, Audra had taught herself to play guitar and piano. She went to Middle Tennessee State University for a year, flunked out, and moved to California, arriving Jan. 8, 2004, Elvis Presleys birthday, with $20 in her pocket.
Audra will be on the road starting this month and will have extensive tour dates in the months to come. This run will start in Austin, TX at SXSW.
HERE ARE THE TOUR DATES:
3/18/10 Hilton Showcase (SXSW) 7PM (500 East 4th St.)
3/19/10 Embassy Suites Showcase (SXSW) 7PM (300 South Congress Ave.)
3/19/10 ASCAP Showcase at The Driskill (SXSW) 11:15PM (604 Brazos St.)
3/20/10 The Arab Cowboy (SXSW) 10PM (901 W. 24th St.)
3/24/10- Charlottesville, VA- Lunchtime Radio
3/25/10- Annapolis, MD- Ramshead
3/26/10- Philadelphia, PA - WXPN (World Café taping)
3/27/10- Boston, MA- Passim (matinee)
3/28/10- Vienna, VA- Jammin Java
3/30/10- New York, NY- City Winery
3/31/10- Pittsburgh, PA- Club Café
4/2/10- Cleveland, OH- Beachland Tavern
4/3/10- Chicago, IL- Martyrs
4/5/10- St. Paul, MN- Dakota
4/7/10- Denver, CO- Walnut Room
4/21/10- Louisville, KY-Waterfront Wednesday Series
4/24/10- Lawrence, KS-Jackpot Outdoors
4/25/10- Norman, OK- Norman Music Fes