Sherrié Austin

by Maria KonickiSherrie Austin has a sound uniquely her own. Her arrangements are often built around chiming acoustic guitars, sparkling mandolins, evocative fiddle lines and the occasional ripple of the steel guitar. Im tiny, so screaming over a wall of electric guitars isnt comfortable. Id rather bring people in, draw them close and find a way to use the dynamics of my voice. Austin, born in Sydney, Australia has been entertaining people and singing country music practically from her birth. At the age of 14, she got her big break by being asked to open for Johnny Cashs 1985 Australian tour and eventually was invited to Nashville by the Australian Country Music Association. At the age of 14, her parents said she was too young and Austin herself agreed. Her second big break came not in music, but in acting, landing the role at age 17 of Pippa McKenna on one of NBCs popular shows, The Facts of Life. Even while acting in Hollywood, Austin continued songwriting, performing, taking keyboard lessons and vocal lessons with Linda Ronstadts vocal coach, Robert Edwards. Musical influences like Emmylou Harris and Dolly Parton eventually drove her from Hollywood to Nashville where she met her co-writer/co-producer Will Rambeaux with whom she collaborated on both of her albums, 1997s Words and 1999s Love in the Real World. Followin a Feelin was issued in early 2001.