Latest Collection is Her Sincere Love Letter to Country Music and its Traditional Sound
Written by Matt Corirossi
Iconic American novelist, screenwriter, and film producer Nicolas Sparks wrote in his romance book A Walk to Remember the quote “Love is like the wind, you can't see it but you can feel it." This shrewd observation spotlights the truth that affection has an elusive quality. One of the major questions within a relationship is when will someone know if they are experiencing true love? Individuals are visual people and confirmation can easily be located through perception. Unfortunately, lasting endearment is not apparent. Instead, tenderness within a union is sensory and something that must be felt. It is a warm and comforting feeling that when present, provides a sense of belongness and security. The person feels like they can achieve anything as they have a support system and a purpose. This phenomenon is something that everyone seeks out and can find successfully within a wide variety of scenarios. In the music industry, artists ultimately stick with their profession because they love what they do and have an overwhelming desire to express it to an audience.
Red River, New Mexico-raised country singer Amanda Kate Ferris has created a distinctive musical sound that is rooted in a deep fondness for country music. She describes her sonic footprint as ‘90s country with a modern flare. This label is backed by an appreciation of the iconic artists that paved the way before her. Ferris grew up listening to Wynonna Judd, Faith Hill, and Brooks & Dunn. To expand her musical horizons, she is influenced by pop vocalists Celine Dion and Christina Aguilera. With numerous guiding forces, she concentrated on her training to ensure that her vocals delivered the emotional weight of every song. She believes that a song’s story is crucial and strives to connect the lyrics’ narrative to her audience.
Fueling Ferris’ admiration for country music is her trademark work ethic. Studying the greats like Garth Brooks, George Strait, and Reba McEntire forged her desire to outwork everyone to achieve her goals within the Texas music scene and beyond. If she would not, someone else would and in the process, claim her spot. Ferris explained the importance of work ethic to publication Country Music International as, “When I think of music icons, I think of Garth, George, Reba…and what they all have in common is that they all worked really hard to get to where they are. George played every honky tonk in Texas, Reba sang at any rodeo that would have her, etc. It takes hard work, perseverance, and simply knowing who you are to stay grounded.” She dedicates herself to becoming the best version of herself. Being her best version of herself includes encouraging others, especially female artists, to join her in bringing traditional country music back to the forefront of the industry. Her commitment to her craft led her to the theme of her latest ten-track album Rope the Wind. The overall mood of the collection is a love letter to country music. While the path within the industry may present challenges, it is also extremely rewarding. Ferris details the album’s tone to publication All Country News as, “Sometimes, the outcome may not be exactly what you thought, but the journey will be everything and more than you imagined. It’s always been about the music for me. People often confuse my dream of country music with wanting fame, but that’s not it. This is the dream. Country Music, I love you forever and always!" Rope the Wind was released on July 26th and is available for streaming on all major platforms.
Rope the Wind Cover Art. Photograph Credit: Amanda Kate Ferris’ Facebook Page
Ferris’ musical ambitions were shaped by a childhood living in a small town and the legacy of her mother, Kathy Wright. Wright was one of the original “Dean Martin Golddiggers” in the 1960s and seen on Martin’s television show. Ferris quickly followed in her mother’s footsteps as she began singing at the age of two. Her first performances were in church as she developed her voice. Ferris started songwriting at the age of 14 and made the decision to pursue music as her full-time profession. While listening to her mother’s sets at honky tonks in California, New Mexico, and Texas, she solidified her love of classic country music. Ferris was motivated to perform her own sets full of traditionally inspired music as part of a house cover band in California.
Like the country legends before her, Ferris embarked on moving to Nashville, Tennessee at the age of 22. While in Music City, she attempted to break through the crowded singer-songwriter scene. The next few years involved her participating in numerous groups, chasing various opportunities, and refining her skills. However, she struggled to find permanent traction and increasingly felt that the town was not helping her career blossom. As a response, she left Nashville and looked for advancement elsewhere.
Ferris took a four-year hiatus from music in California as she took care of her family. Music never left her as she continued her songwriting. Ferris was presented with the opportunity to become the lead singer of the Country Club Band, an award-winning cover band in Southern California.
As part of the Country Club Band, Ferris sang Carrie Underwood’s hits. On one occasion, a producer for the E! Network talent competition show Clash of the Cover Bands heard her set and was impressed. The producer asked her to be a part of the show and Ferris agreed. Her tenue was a success as she advanced to the show’s finals. Despite not winning, the program convinced her to begin recording her original music as a solo artist. She rededicated herself to crafting that Texas country music that she loved as a youth. Ferris wanted to recreate the steel guitar and fiddle-melodies that she was drawn to and knew that Texas’ audience was the perfect place for that sound.
Ferris’ sound was first showcased on her self-titled EP, released in 2021 and further polished in her follow-up release of her EP Pedal Steel in 2022. After the two EP releases, Ferris felt that it was time to record an album. This led to the release of her latest album Rope the Wind.
Rope the Wind, produced by Jimmy Ritchey, consists of songs that were broken up into two parts. Five songs were released on Pedal Steel and five songs were unique to Rope the Wind. However, the ten-songs are a complete project and meant to be listened to sequentially as a group. Ferris meticulously arranged the track’s order to create a seamless listening experience from one song to the next. “Rope the Wind” emerged as the obvious choice for the opening song due to its prevalent message that connects with the album’s entire aesthetic. “Rope the Wind”, written by Ben Goldsmith, Emily Landis, and Jenna Paulette, is an emotional release where someone realizes that you cannot change another person. The poignant lyrics cement the actuality that hoping for someone to modify their nature is futile as they are going to make their own decisions, with or without your involvement. Ferris’ reflective vocals drive the song’s narrative to an empowering conclusion. The resulting takeaway is that a person must follow their own instincts instead of focusing on someone else. The powerful story commands the listener’s attention throughout the single and is currently in rotation on Texas country radio.
“Rope the Wind” has a strong connection to Ferris’ own voyage within the country music industry. She views the song as a commentary on doing the impossible, which has been a common occurrence during her career. Ferris states her relationship with the song’s message to publication Entertainment Focus as, “It talks about doing the impossible, which has been the story of my career, really. I'm always reaching for something that I've been told a million times I can't do. I've been told a million times that it's impossible to have a career in Country music – you know, if you haven't made it by the time you are 25 years old the likelihood is you are not going to make it. Or it's because I'm female or because my music is ‘too country.' It feels like I've always been trying to rope the wind, right?”
Ferris has high hopes that “Rope the Wind” will resonate as much as her Number 1 Texas radio hit “Tequila and Jesus”. Besides these two songs, other focus tracks are “Are You a Real Cowboy?” featuring renowned fiddle player Jenee Fleenor, “Chili Pepper Lights”, and “Build a Life”. Her entire album was presented at Texas Live! at fellow country singer Morgan Wallen’s post party, which doubled as an album release party. During her show, she received an enthusiastic response from the crowd.
Those seeking to stay updated on Amanda Kate Ferris’ music can follow her online at amandakateferris.com.
Ferris constructed her surging career based on a healthy portion of respect for country music. With a foundation firmly rooted in a reverence for classic and ‘90s country, a desire to see more artists, especially females, partake in the style, and a work ethic that is second to none, she is making waves within the Texas country music scene. Her latest single “Rope the Wind” is expected to continue to her success as a leading ambassador of the Texas neo-traditional sound.