If there were any justice in the world, singer/songwriter Annie Fitzgerald would be sitting at the top of the music mountain amidst popular singers as Alicia Keys and Norah Jones. Her sultry, soothing voice and musicianship is a talent that needs to be shared with the world.
Fitzgerald grew up in Crookston, MN where, at age two, she began to show her artistic talents as a dancer. She began piano lessons at age six. Her talent allowed her the opportunity to travel to New York City, Chicago, Hawaii and Atlanta. By the age of 14, she had become an award-winning choreographer.
She focused on her music in college and received a B.M. in Vocal Performance from the University of Minnesota, and spent a summer training at the Mountview Theatre School in London. After graduation, she worked in and around as an actress in the Minneapolis area as a member of the working theatre community and the Actors Equity Association. While working at Chanhassen Theatres, Annie met pianist/songwriter Billy Barber. She teamed up with him to record his original songs, and was further exposed to the art of songwriting. She worked alongside Barber, Grammy Award winning engineer Tom Tucker and the Kenni Holmen Trio and learned much from the experience. The experience reignited her passion for music and she made the move to New York City in 2005 to hone her songwriting skills and become a smaller fish in a bigger pond. She released her self-titled debut EP the following year with the assistance of Karl Demer at AtomicK Records and co-writer John Lynn.
Their song "Ain't that a Shame" was chosen be on the 2007 Best of the Songwriters Hall of Fame Compilation CD, featuring the most talented of the 57th New Writers Showcase, and they deemed her an artist to watch.
Her work on the EP has caught the ears of millions of listeners on iTunes and hundreds of radio stations nationwide. Her vocal strength coupled with her Jazz-influenced piano playing and folksy yet simple guitar arrangements is an instant hit with any listener. "When I write lyrics," she explains, "I want them to be as accessible as possible to the listener. I want them to be able to listen to my music and connect to an emotion they might be hiding away. That's one of the things music does for me, and I find it so important for me to stay true to who I am and to be the best person I can be."
Annie Fitzgerald is currently performing around NYC and Minneapolis, and working on her full-length debut album.