Amy Dixon-Kolar is a seasoned singer-songwriter whose entrancing music and lyrics, honest, distinctive vocals and fluid guitar stylings bring a new perspective to the everyday. Her take on life comes from her years as a teacher, interpreter, mom, social activist and performer. Amy performs mostly acoustic folk music – original, traditional, contemporary and Celtic. Her songs have been recognized in songwriting contests and by organizations across the globe. Amy’s music has been played on many Folk radio programs as well as hundreds of indie internet stations, garnering enthusiastic reviews from listeners around the world.
With a father who was an amateur jazz drummer and a mother who introduced the family to all types of musical genres, from classical to world music, opera to folk, Amy came to a love of music naturally. She has traveled the country, playing coffeehouses, clubs, schools, college campuses, festivals and house concerts. She has toured the midwest and the northeast and was chosen to appear in the official showcase for the 2010 Folk Alliance Region Midwest (FARM) and was part of the Folk DJ showcase at FARM in 2012 . She has also been invited to perform for a number of political gatherings – sharing her music of women, peace and social justice.
Amy's first CD, Now It's Time, was released in 2008 and is a celebration of finding one's voice, of coming back to what gives the soul joy and purpose. Gathering together some of the finest performers on Chicago's folk music scene, Amy’s album speaks to the person inside, finding her/his own voice, to family, friends, community. It will make you smile, laugh, think, remember, and may bring a tear to your eye.
In January, 2009, she was invited to participate in the celebration of President Obama’s inauguration by singing her song Rosa Sat – a Song for Barack Obama on Chicago’s NPR station, WBEZ. Rosa Sat has gone on to become a YouTube sensation, receiving over 300,000 hits since it was posted, and it is being sung by choirs, social justice groups, at folk music gatherings, and in schools around the world! Since appearing on YouTube, Rosa Sat has been arranged for choral performance by J. David Moore, commissioned by MUSE, the Cincinnati-based women's choir. Amy also traveled to Philadelphia to perform her own arrangement of 'Rosa', and some of her other songs, with Anna Crusis, Philly's premier women's chorus. "Rosa Sat" has become an inspiration for classroom poetry contests, workshops on music and social justice, and art exhibits, and has been the showpiece at choral gatherings and Black History month celebrations. In 2010, ‘Rosa Sat’ placed first runner up in the Music2Life songwriting competition, sponsored by Noel Paul Stookey and judged by luminaries and personal heroes including Judy Collins, Tom Paxton, Peter Yarrow, Buffy St. Marie, and Paul Winter, and she had the honor of singing at the Kerrville Folk Festival.
Amy’s collaboration with Sue Fink and Patti Shaffner has resulted in the forming of SongSisters and the recording of the SongSisters Live! album - see more information here.
January, 2014 saw the release of Amy’s second CD Dancing Through the Storm. Widely heard around the world, Dancing Through the Storm, was one of the top played albums by Folk DJ’s in March, 2014. It was also picked as one of the top favorite albums of 2014 by WDCB’s Folk DJ, Lilli Kuzma.
Amy’s newest project is recording holiday music as singles. In December, 2014, Amy recorded her own version of Angels We Have Heard on High and, along with Joe Jencks, a traditional version of Auld Lang Syne.
All of Amy’s music is available through CDBaby and ITunes, or by writing to Amy directly.