Amplified: Fiction from Leading Alt-Country, Indie Rock, Blues and Folk Musicians

by Julie Schaper (Editor), Steven Horwitz (Editor)

Sixteen original short stories by some of the most important young songwriters working today.

Amplifed presents sixteen short stories by some of the most compelling songwriters performing today. With original contributions from Mary Gauthier, Chris Smither, Maria McKee, Patty Larkin, Jim White and Rennie Sparks of The Handsome Family, Amplified showcases artists working in the short story format, many for the first time.

Whether it's Mary Gauthier's haunting story of a girl caught between her warring parents, Rennie Spark's reinvention of the fairy tale, a creepy yet beautifully drawn graphic story by Zak Sally or Cam King's wildly funny apocalyptic Texas tall tale that will make it difficult for the reader to ever think about armadillos the same way again, these stories will break your heart or make you guffaw inappropriately.

The same craftsmanship and narrative drive that these writers evince in their songs are on display in these stories. And who can resist a collection that starts with Maria McKee's opening line, "I had a mystical experience with Johnny Cash's pants..."?

Genres: Music, Short Stories, Fiction, Anthologies

320 pages, Paperback

First published May 5, 2009

Reviews

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

My father bought this for me for my birthday in April, and I've been reading it little by little ever since. Why so long? You would think it would be a sure bet, an anthology of some of my favorite songwriters trying their hand at short fiction. I read a lot of short fiction, and the problem with an anthology like this is that a lot of the stories are good, but few are great.I could only read them in small doses for fear of being underwhelmed.
Many of these writers, absent the economy of song, lose a little of their self-control. Some of the stories are bloated with unnecessary adverbs and adjectives; others expand themes that are tolerable in murder ballads but are far too bleak for me in story form.
The best stories in here are by the best storytellers in song form. Mary Gauthier's songwriting style is suited well to adaptation to fiction (the song title "Drag Queens & Limousines" is already halfway to a story, right?) Ditto for Patty Larkin, who can also tell a story in a single line.
The book also starts well, with a Chris Smithers story that could just as easily be nonfiction; followed by Maria McKee's story that starts with Johnny Cash's pants, it made me wonder how many would be writing about music, though not many more did. There are a lot of preachers, a lot of trucks, a lot of downer endings, and a couple of stories I couldn't make heads or tails of. My favorite stories in here are by my favorite songwriters in here.
All in all, a neat little novelty. Worth reading if you're a fan of a couple of the musicians, but probably not otherwise.

[Bianca Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

A solid little collection of short stories from a well-selected array of musicians. Worth noting this is a well written though exceptionally disturbing collection at times (I'm looking at you, Rennie Sparks). Great for anyone who ever wondered what goes on in the minds of the folks you see on stage at Schubas when they're not playing their songs, or anyone who already viewed armadillos in a vengeful light.

[Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting collection - some are better than others. **shrugs**

[Smiley III · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great!

[Richard · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received this Uncorrected Proof as a gift from Powells in Portland, which if you have to see if you haven't already made the trip (literally miles of aisles of books). This proof contains two stories one by Chris Smither the other by Cam King; Smiither is a PHENOMENAL folk/blues guitarist of the caliber of Jorma Kaukonen and this is his first short story sans music. While he's better accompanied with his guitar, this is an interesting story (one which he will likely set to music). The trade edition will include 16 stories by additional alt-country singer songwriters e.g., Maria McKee, mary Gauthier, Patty Larkin et al.

[Richmond · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alt/country and No Depression fans should read this stat. I'm not a name-dropper, but there are some major players from the music world who contributed to this book. Some are grim and black, others warm, most are lyrical.

[Agatha Donkar Lund · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some of these were great; some were less than great; Laura Veirs' creeped me the fuck out in the best possible way.

[Jerry Oliver · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some stories rocked like Chris Smither's "Leroy Purcell" and Ben Weaver's "Humanesque." Others were pretty good and some ...not so much.

[Malbadeen]

I am whole heartedly against this book for reasons that are unreasonable, unrealistic and unfair.

[Michael · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5*