Anchor ads are not supported on this page.

4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs

Amanda Waggener Leaves Michigan Behind

Amanda Waggener sings: “I’d die for ya, lie for ya, steal for your lips...”
Amanda Waggener sings: “I’d die for ya, lie for ya, steal for your lips...”

"Being in a band is like being married to four or five very different people at once,” says singer/songwriter Amanda Waggener. “And, let’s face it, being married to just one person is tough enough. I’ve seen fights between band members, and I’ve experienced breakups of bands that felt just like a divorce.”

Growing up in Traverse City, Michigan, Waggener says music was always her passion. “When I first started to really sing, I was five years old and singing country music. I knew every Patsy Cline and Loretta Lynn song that there was. One day, my parents realized that I was born the same exact day as Patsy Cline, just 50 years later.”

Having racked up hundreds of hours onstage in nightclubs and bars before she was old enough to drink, she departed Michigan in hopes of finding a musical combo to play her brand of soulful blues-rock. “I regret not getting out of there sooner and moving to a bigger place with a better music scene.”

In San Diego, Waggener formed a writing and production partnership with Poway singer/guitarist John Naylor.

“Musically, John’s guitar and writing style gives us our edge, with a retro flavor and lots of hooks. Lyrically, I write about life experiences such as heartbreak, observations, and of course love. Our next CD will be the heaviest blues sound that I’ve had to date.”

Rounding out the group are Brad Smith (of the Tighten Ups) and Ed Adams (Redhanded). Amanda Waggener and her band perform at the Point Loma Sports Grill & Pub on Saturday, May 7.

WHAT’S IN YOUR MUSIC PLAYER?

Sponsored
Sponsored
  1. Susan Tedeschi, Just Won’t Burn. “It’s rocking, soulful blues. Her voice is out of this world, and you just can’t help but groove to that CD.”
  2. Paramore, Brand New Eyes. “Hayley [Williams] just rocks it, and her voice is so recognizable.”
  3. The Jimi Hendrix Experience, Are You Experienced. “Let’s face it, you can’t go wrong with Hendrix.”
  4. Maroon 5, Songs About Jane. “Creative lyrics, feel-good songs, and soulful grooves.”

MUSIC YOU’RE EMBARRASSED TO LOVE?

“I have some Justin Bieber on my iPod. He’s a talented kid, though!”

FIRST GIG?

“I first sang in front of an audience at age six, at a muscular dystrophy benefit. My grandmother accompanied me on the piano. I sang my heart out to my favorite Patsy Cline songs.”

FAVORITE GIG?

“I was smitten when I got to open for the always-incredible Jonny Lang. It was my most memorable show, and I got an autographed picture that you can still find today, proudly framed and displayed in my living room.”

OTHER BRUSH WITH FAME?

“My favorite singer is Susan Tedeschi, and at every concert that I’ve been to, she has signed a T-shirt for me. She’s the celebrity that makes me most starstruck...I guess because she’s had a huge influence on me and my music.”

EVER WIN ANYTHING?

“In my hometown, there was a contest on one of the local rock radio stations where a listener could call in to vote for their favorite local artist for the opportunity to open for David Lee Roth, and I won! The story was featured on the local news, and the show was great. My uncle, who idolizes Roth, joined my band lineup for that show. What a moment to remember.”

WHO SHOULD PLAY YOU IN A MOVIE?

“Kate Hudson is just so adorable, goofy, and quirky. She just has this light and energy about her, and she seems like a laid-back, down-to-earth, fun kind of person.”

BEST LOCAL SINGER?

“I caught a show last fall by Tori Roze & the Hot Mess, and I loved her stylish vocals, her image, and her creative songs.”

YOUR MOST AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL LYRIC?

“From the song ‘Diamonds and Gold’: Have you ever been in love like this? I’d die for ya, lie for ya, steal for your lips/ I’d take a bullet on a cold winter’s day, and when the sun comes up I’ll make you smile, brighter than its rays.” ■

Here's something you might be interested in.
Submit a free classified
or view all
Previous article

Looking back at race relations in Coronado

A former football player recalls the good and the bad
Amanda Waggener sings: “I’d die for ya, lie for ya, steal for your lips...”
Amanda Waggener sings: “I’d die for ya, lie for ya, steal for your lips...”

"Being in a band is like being married to four or five very different people at once,” says singer/songwriter Amanda Waggener. “And, let’s face it, being married to just one person is tough enough. I’ve seen fights between band members, and I’ve experienced breakups of bands that felt just like a divorce.”

Growing up in Traverse City, Michigan, Waggener says music was always her passion. “When I first started to really sing, I was five years old and singing country music. I knew every Patsy Cline and Loretta Lynn song that there was. One day, my parents realized that I was born the same exact day as Patsy Cline, just 50 years later.”

Having racked up hundreds of hours onstage in nightclubs and bars before she was old enough to drink, she departed Michigan in hopes of finding a musical combo to play her brand of soulful blues-rock. “I regret not getting out of there sooner and moving to a bigger place with a better music scene.”

In San Diego, Waggener formed a writing and production partnership with Poway singer/guitarist John Naylor.

“Musically, John’s guitar and writing style gives us our edge, with a retro flavor and lots of hooks. Lyrically, I write about life experiences such as heartbreak, observations, and of course love. Our next CD will be the heaviest blues sound that I’ve had to date.”

Rounding out the group are Brad Smith (of the Tighten Ups) and Ed Adams (Redhanded). Amanda Waggener and her band perform at the Point Loma Sports Grill & Pub on Saturday, May 7.

WHAT’S IN YOUR MUSIC PLAYER?

Sponsored
Sponsored
  1. Susan Tedeschi, Just Won’t Burn. “It’s rocking, soulful blues. Her voice is out of this world, and you just can’t help but groove to that CD.”
  2. Paramore, Brand New Eyes. “Hayley [Williams] just rocks it, and her voice is so recognizable.”
  3. The Jimi Hendrix Experience, Are You Experienced. “Let’s face it, you can’t go wrong with Hendrix.”
  4. Maroon 5, Songs About Jane. “Creative lyrics, feel-good songs, and soulful grooves.”

MUSIC YOU’RE EMBARRASSED TO LOVE?

“I have some Justin Bieber on my iPod. He’s a talented kid, though!”

FIRST GIG?

“I first sang in front of an audience at age six, at a muscular dystrophy benefit. My grandmother accompanied me on the piano. I sang my heart out to my favorite Patsy Cline songs.”

FAVORITE GIG?

“I was smitten when I got to open for the always-incredible Jonny Lang. It was my most memorable show, and I got an autographed picture that you can still find today, proudly framed and displayed in my living room.”

OTHER BRUSH WITH FAME?

“My favorite singer is Susan Tedeschi, and at every concert that I’ve been to, she has signed a T-shirt for me. She’s the celebrity that makes me most starstruck...I guess because she’s had a huge influence on me and my music.”

EVER WIN ANYTHING?

“In my hometown, there was a contest on one of the local rock radio stations where a listener could call in to vote for their favorite local artist for the opportunity to open for David Lee Roth, and I won! The story was featured on the local news, and the show was great. My uncle, who idolizes Roth, joined my band lineup for that show. What a moment to remember.”

WHO SHOULD PLAY YOU IN A MOVIE?

“Kate Hudson is just so adorable, goofy, and quirky. She just has this light and energy about her, and she seems like a laid-back, down-to-earth, fun kind of person.”

BEST LOCAL SINGER?

“I caught a show last fall by Tori Roze & the Hot Mess, and I loved her stylish vocals, her image, and her creative songs.”

YOUR MOST AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL LYRIC?

“From the song ‘Diamonds and Gold’: Have you ever been in love like this? I’d die for ya, lie for ya, steal for your lips/ I’d take a bullet on a cold winter’s day, and when the sun comes up I’ll make you smile, brighter than its rays.” ■

Comments
Sponsored
Here's something you might be interested in.
Submit a free classified
or view all
Previous article

Tyler Farr, Blue Water Film Festival, Mustache Bash

Events March 21-March 23, 2024
Next Article

India Hawthorne is common in coastal gardens, Citrus trees are in full bloom

The vernal equinox is on March 19
Comments
Ask a Hipster — Advice you didn't know you needed Big Screen — Movie commentary Blurt — Music's inside track Booze News — San Diego spirits Classical Music — Immortal beauty Classifieds — Free and easy Cover Stories — Front-page features Drinks All Around — Bartenders' drink recipes Excerpts — Literary and spiritual excerpts Feast! — Food & drink reviews Feature Stories — Local news & stories Fishing Report — What’s getting hooked from ship and shore From the Archives — Spotlight on the past Golden Dreams — Talk of the town The Gonzo Report — Making the musical scene, or at least reporting from it Letters — Our inbox Movies@Home — Local movie buffs share favorites Movie Reviews — Our critics' picks and pans Musician Interviews — Up close with local artists Neighborhood News from Stringers — Hyperlocal news News Ticker — News & politics Obermeyer — San Diego politics illustrated Outdoors — Weekly changes in flora and fauna Overheard in San Diego — Eavesdropping illustrated Poetry — The old and the new Reader Travel — Travel section built by travelers Reading — The hunt for intellectuals Roam-O-Rama — SoCal's best hiking/biking trails San Diego Beer — Inside San Diego suds SD on the QT — Almost factual news Sheep and Goats — Places of worship Special Issues — The best of Street Style — San Diego streets have style Surf Diego — Real stories from those braving the waves Theater — On stage in San Diego this week Tin Fork — Silver spoon alternative Under the Radar — Matt Potter's undercover work Unforgettable — Long-ago San Diego Unreal Estate — San Diego's priciest pads Your Week — Daily event picks
4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs
Close

Anchor ads are not supported on this page.