(Amanda Cook – Photo by CDC Artistry/Christina Stevens)
Amanda Cook, originally from Jay, Florida, has emerged as a significant bluegrass artist based in the mountains of Southwest Virginia. Raised on bluegrass music by her banjo-playing father, Amanda took her first step into the genre’s professional world in 2007 by forming the band High Cotton. This early experience ignited her ambition to pursue music at a professional level.
In 2013, Amanda launched her solo career with the self-released album One Stop Along the Road, which garnered regional acclaim and led her to assemble a full touring band. Her moving performances, combined with a down-to-earth presence, have built her a devoted fan base. This momentum carried her forward, and in early 2017, Amanda signed with Mountain Fever Records.
Her single, “Another Highway This Time”, written by Thomm Jutz and Mark Fain was released in 2022. “Thomm sent me the demo of “Another Highway This Time” in early 2021, shortly after the passing of our best friend and guitar player Aaron ‘Frosty’ Foster. To me, the song perfectly expressed how I was feeling,” Amanda explained. “We know that we will always cherish the memories we have with Frosty from our travels and time together as a band. We recorded it as an uplifting remembrance of an incredible person that we were lucky enough to have called our friend. The bluegrass world lost so many beloved members of our community this year, and I truly believe ‘Another Highway This Time’ is a song we can all relate to about loss. It’s comforting to know it’s not the end, like the lyrics say, ‘It’s Just Another Highway This Time.”
The talented musicians on “Another Highway This Time” included Amanda Cook on lead vocals; Carolyne Van Lierop on banjo and harmony vocals; Troy Boone on mandolin and harmony vocals; Josh Faul on bass; George Mason on fiddle; and Brady Wallen on guitar.
“Look Me Up By The Ocean Door,” which appeared on her 2022 album, Changes, featured Amanda Cook, on lead vocals, joined by her touring band with Carolyne Van Lierop on banjo and harmony vocals, Troy Boone on mandolin, Brady Wallen on guitar and harmony vocals, George Mason on fiddle, and Josh Faul on upright bass.
“On a road trip to play in Michigan last year, Carolyne played ‘Look Me Up By The Ocean Door’ by the Cox Family. I immediately said, ‘OOOOh, we should totally do this song!’ Her response was ‘yeah, that’s why I played it!” “So many times, we forget about songs we love so much, and they come back to us randomly. I’ve always loved the Cox family and their contribution to Bluegrass music. This was so much fun to record, and it’s even more fun to perform live. I hope everyone loves what we did with such a classic song,” said Amanda.
In 2024, Mountain Fever Records released Amanda Cook’s Restless Soul album. The album features Amanda Cook on lead vocals, supported by her touring band, Carolyne Van Lierop on banjo and harmony vocals, Troy Boone on mandolin and harmony vocals, Brady Wallen on guitar and harmony vocals, Joshua Faul on bass and harmony vocals, and George Mason on fiddle. Guest musician Aaron Ramsey also joins on guitar for the tracks “Put Me Away” and “It’s Almost Over.” The project was produced, engineered, mixed and mastered by Aaron Ramsey.
Amanda and her band embraced a new strategy for the album’s production, by collaborating closely with Aaron Ramsey throughout the recording sessions. Amanda reflects, “When we started this project, we took a fresh approach by writing arrangements and recording the tracks together in the moment, rather than relying on preproduction. This method infused the album with a genuine sense of authenticity, as the creative energy flowed from the entire group. This album is truly a 100% collaborative effort, and I’m incredibly proud to share it with the world.”
Discography:
One Stop Along The Road (self released, 2014)
Deep Water (Mountain Fever Records, 2017)
Point of No Return (Mountain Fever Records, 2019)
Narrowing the Gap (Mountain Fever Records, 2021)
Changes (Mountain Fever Records, 2022)
Restless Soul (Mountain Fever Records, 2024)
Author: Angel Romero
Angel Romero y Ruiz has dedicated his life to musical exploration. His efforts included the creation of two online portals, worldmusiccentral.org and musicasdelmundo.com. In addition, Angel is the co-founder of the Transglobal World Music Chart, a panel of world music DJs and writers that celebrates global sounds. Furthermore, he delved into the record business, producing world music studio albums and compilations. His works have appeared on Alula Records, Ellipsis Arts, Indígena Records and Music of the World.