| Amy Kuney | |
|---|---|
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Amy Kathryn Kuney |
| Born | August 6, 1985 [1] |
| Origin | Tulsa, Oklahoma, United States |
| Genres | Pop, Pop rock |
| Occupations | Singer-songwriter, guitarist |
| Instruments | Vocals, Guitar, Piano |
| Years active | 2005–present |
| Website | www.amykuney.com |
Amy Kathryn Kuney (born August 6, 1985[1]) is a singer, songwriter, guitarist, and pianist from Tulsa, Oklahoma.
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At the age of 13, Kuney's dad moved the family from their home in Oklahoma to Honduras to live as missionaries after he saw a video highlighting the destruction of Hurricane Mitch.[2]
In March 2003, while on a Guatemala sightseeing trip at the age of 17, Kuney and her friends were kidnapped by a group of rebels who eventually let them go.[2][3] Kuney used this experience to focus her songwriting efforts and wrote the song "How the Wind Must Feel" about the experience.[2]
Kuney began piano lessons at the age of four and participated in piano recitals and church performances growing up.[2]
Kuney wrote her first song at the age of twelve.[4]
She started playing guitar when she taught herself guitar chords off of a poster her dad bought from Wal-Mart after a trip to the United States at the age of 16.[4][5]
Kuney signed to the independent record label Spin Move Records in 2005, which released her self-titled EP.[6]
Kuney acted and sang her songs in two episodes of Gilmore Girls in 2005 and 2006.[7] In Let Me Hear Your Balalaikas Ringing Out, Kuney sang Tom Dooley in a club scene and in Partings she sang one of her own songs, "Relationship Wrecked."[5][7]
Passions played Kuney's song "So Help Me God" twice in February 2006, "How the Wind Must Feel" three times in one show, and "In the Dark" three times.[5]
Kuney's song, which she co-wrote with Tim Myers, "All Downhill From Here" opened the season 5 finale of One Tree Hill (TV series) on May 19, 2008.[8]
Kuney opened for Kate Voegele along with The Veronicas on three dates in Summer 2008.[9]
After he heard her cover of his song, The Blower's Daughter, on YouTube, Damien Rice invited Kuney to play shows with him in Iceland in July 2008.[10]
Spin Move Records released Kuney's debut full-length album, "Bird's Eye View," on August 12, 2008.[6]
On Jan. 27, 2009, Kuney released a single package for her song, "Thank You For Last Night." The single release included a single mix of "Thank You For Last Night," a Spanish version, "Gracias Por Anoche," and a cover of Nanci Griffith's 1988 release, "Little Love Affairs."[6]
Kuney wrote the song "Chocolate" in honor of Somebody's Mother's Chocolate Sauce because Lynn Lasher invested in Kuney's career.[11] The song is offered as a free download on the Somebody's Mother's Chocolate Sauce website.[12]
Kuney won the grand prize on OurStage.com with the single mix of her song, "Thank You For Last Night," in March 2009. Placed in the "Pop" music channel, the song beat out the winners from every other channel.[13] Kuney also won the chance perform at JetBlue Airways' new Terminal 5 at John F. Kennedy International Airport through OurStage.com's "Live from T5 Contest" during July 2009.[14][15]
Kuney opened for Kate Voegele for ten dates on Voegele's Lift Me Up Tour from May 29, 2009 to June 11, 2009.[16]
LnA Clothing featured Kuney's song, "Simple Things," on "The Invisible DJ LnA Music Tee," which the company released online and at Ron Herman stores starting in May 2009. Purchasers of the t-shirt received a code to download all of the songs listed on the t-shirt from the LnA website.[17]
As part of Donate Life's Concert Series at The Grove at Farmers Market presented by Palm, Inc. and the Palm Pre and hosted by KBIG-FM, Kuney opened for Gavin Rossdale during the last date on August 26, 2009. Varsity Fan Club also performed.[18][19]
The reality-thriller Catfish features Kuney's song with Tim Myers during the turning point of the film. The character Megan sends Nev MP3s of her songs, including one named "Downhill." The song, which Megan claims to be her own, is actually a live acoustic YouTube version of Kuney singing "All Downhill From Here."[20]
One Tree Hill featured Kuney's song, "Hope A Little Harder," on their September 21, 2010 episode, "I Can't See You, But I Know You're There."[21]
Her song, "Gasoline Rainbows," was featured as the title track on a compilation album, also titled Gasoline Rainbows, benefitting the Gulf of Mexico following the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, which released on November 30, 2010. The album was put together by Sophia Bush and Austin Nichols and features songs by Damien Rice, Phoenix (band), Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, Silversun Pickups, City and Colour, The National (band), The Black Keys, Onward, Soldiers, Passion Pit, Surfer Blood, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, LCD Soundsystem, and Vampire Weekend.[22]
"Gasoline Rainbows" was also featured in the fourth season of So You Think You Can Dance Canada. A dance to the song was choreographed by Stacey Tookey and performed by dancers Geisha Chin and Joey Arrigo.[23][24]
Kuney is currently in the studio working on her next full-length album, titled "Onyx."[25]
She released her song, "Where I Can't Follow," on August 16, 2011, and "Waiting For You" on September 13, 2011 as the first two of three promotional singles of her new music.[26] The song "Waiting For You" was inspired by and dedicated to Lady Gaga.[27] Her third single, "Kiss Me Like You Mean It," was released on November 1, 2011.[28]
Kuney is well known for her videos on YouTube, which include covers and original songs. Kuney has posted covers of songs by Lady Gaga, Taylor Swift, Joni Mitchell, Colbie Caillat, The Script, Damien Rice, P!nk, Fleetwood Mac, Coldplay, The Moldy Peaches, Jace Everett, Patty Griffin, Iyaz, Leona Lewis, Sam Sparro, and OneRepublic.[29] Ann Powers of the Los Angeles Times commented on Kuney's YouTube videos in the LA Times blog, Soundboard, mentioning that she found her voice "especially lovely."[30]
David Choi and Kuney recorded a cover of Outta Here by Esmée Denters and uploaded it to YouTube on May 21, 2009.[31]
Her cover of The Script's single "The Man Who Can't Be Moved" won the band's YouTube cover contest, which allowed Kuney to meet the band at their show.[32]
Kuney started doing parodies of popular songs released through her YouTube channel with her version of Lady Gaga's "Poker Face." She rewrote the lyrics and retitled the song "Poke Ur Face."[33]
She also responded to the Kanye West and Taylor Swift incident at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards by rewriting the lyrics to Swift's song Love Story from the perspective of Swift's alter-ego, "T-Swizzle."[34]
Kuney parodied an obsession with Twilight actor Robert Pattinson by covering Miley Cyrus's song Obsessed and filming herself with a blow-up doll that modeled Pattinson.[34][35]
She and Sergio Rivero, winner of Operación Triunfo's Fourth Series, covered "Happy" from Leona Lewis as a duet in November.[36]
| Year | Title | Album |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | "All Downhill From Here (feat. Tim Myers)" | All Downhill From Here (Single) |
| "Love Is Trippy" (promo) | Bird's Eye View | |
| "River" | River (Single) | |
| 2010 | "Hope A Little Harder" | Hope A Little Harder (Single) |
| "Gasoline Rainbows" | Gasoline Rainbows | |
| 2011 | "Gasoline Rainbows" | Gasoline Rainbows (Single) |
| "Where I Can't Follow" | Where I Can't Follow (Single) | |
| "Waiting For You" | Waiting For You (Single) | |
| "Kiss Me Like You Mean It" | Kiss Me Like You Mean It (Single) | |
| 2012 | "Show Me Your Fire" | Show Me Your Fire (Single) |
The following songs are credited with Amy Kuney on either lead or backing vocals.