Amber Dotson's voice is soulful and full-bodied, soaked in emotion and unmistakably country. Her songs focus on the everyday ups-and-downs of a woman coping with love, romance and life. The melodies and arrangements are unfussy and gimmick-free. Musically and vocally, this Texas native is bringing new life to that old feeling that once was such a big part of country music.

Hometown:
Garland, Texas.

The beginning:
"I remember my dad teaching me how to two-step, dancing around our pool table, listening to Merle Haggard, George Strait, Marty Robbins and Willie Nelson."

Getting Serious:
After winning local singing competitions - performing anywhere she could - and singing demos in Dallas, Amber moved to Nashville in her early 20s.

Finding her voice:
A devoted fan of Reba McEntire and Patty Loveless, she soon discovered another touchstone artist who has profoundly affected her. "I'd never really listened to Tammy Wynette or studied her style before I moved to Nashville, but once I really started listening to her, it all clicked. You can't not believe every word she sings. You knew that she'd lived it. I've never consciously tried to imitate her, but after I'd lived life a little bit, my dad pointed it out to me when he said to me one day 'Your voice Amber - there's more soul in it now.' Thank you Tammy."

Songwriting:
"When I got to Nashville and signed with Sony/Tree, I learned how to swim by being thrown into the river. You walk into the office and pass by these huge portraits of all these great songwriters, and by the time you get to the end of the hall, HOLY COW, I'm supposed to write a song now?!

But I learned and got better."

Condensed theory on songwriting:
"Try to come up with something cool, make something rhyme with it, and hopefully touch someone else's life."

Working woman:
?I was working three jobs - one was delivering lost luggage from the airport. I still hate to carry luggage. I also worked at a computer company in an office with no windows, and I bartended and waited tables. My singing career was on a roller coaster ride the whole time, and I finally got to the point where I felt that maybe I was not supposed to be in this slow-as-a-hydraulic-worm music business. Maybe I?m just supposed to have a normal life and leave Nashville to some other singer. That?s when everything happened.?

That grit in her voice?:
?I?m deathly allergic to cats, but I had a roommate in Nashville who had a cat. My voice got so bad that people were asking me, ?How many cigarettes did you smoke today?? I don?t smoke, but my voice was so gravelly that I finally went to the doctor and he told me my throat was totally inflamed. It was Kitty. Since then my voice has had that sound to it. When I told my managers, Erv Woolsey and Donny Kees, what was going on, Erv said, ?I kinda like it. You?re going to have to get a cat on the bus.??

Fun Facts:
Instruments: Guitar, piano
Favorite Food: Mexican
Guilty pleasure: Whataburger with cheese and jalapenos
Favorite Movie: Lonesome Dove
Who would you want to play you in a movie?: Sandra Bullock
Favorite color: Pink
Favorite season: Spring
Hobby: Bass fishing
Pets: Fender, a little ten pound poodle. His registered name is High Strung Fender.
Music in the family: Dad sang in a band that played around Odessa, Texas. Mom used to play the clarinet. Little sister sings.
Other family connection: Mom is the personal assistant to Ross Perot.
Big win: In college the choir sang at Carnegie Hall after winning a national competition.
Fun win: At 20, won a trip to Cancun from a Karaoke contest.