Annie McQueen plays Dana Point’s Music In The Park series at Bluff Park Aug. 21
Annie McQueen is a local OC country girl with a spunky sense of fashion and an angelic voice to go with it. You can catch McQueen’s country act with Summer Watson on Thurs, Aug. 21 at Bluff Park in Dana Point from 6 to 8 p.m.
No stranger to the local music scene Annie plays shows all over Orange County with fellow local musicians. McQueen’s participation in the Orange County Music awards and KROQ concert series proves her love and dedication to her local music.
McQueen’s back up band has a country feel like no other, that blends so well with her soft angelic voice that gives McQueen her distinct sound. McQueen is a showstopper to say the least. McQueen has the whole package with a great sense of style and awe to go with her vibrant upbeat shows.
OC Concert Guide caught up with Annie to see how she got started and her musical connections to other local OC artist.
OCCG: When did you decide music was your calling?
AM: I’ve done some type of musical activity for as long as I can remember. I started in musical theatre when I was around 5 then eventually realized later how much I hated acting. I was completely annoyed by it. I started writing songs and learned to play drums and formed a chick band in high school with some friends. I played drums and sang lead and did that for about 5 years. After some time away from music I bought an Autoharp and began writing again. I met Jonathan O’Brien through a friend by chance one day and ended up sending him some songs and started recording with him shortly after that.
OCCG: You have a beautiful voice, that is a bit different for Country but you manage to make it sound great. How do you think your music stands out from your typical Country band?
AM: I think while my passion has kinda always been country music, I work with a lot of people that come from a more Americana/Indie background, so I am a product of that combination of styles. Vocally, I tend to go back and forth from wanting to scream my head off or making people cry. I love the power and the softness. I could never pick one.
OCCG: What is one song that you have written that has been most meaningful to you and what was it about?
AM: I tend to go back and forth depending on the mood I’m in at the time and what I really feel excited to sing, but “Burned” and “Take Me Home” probably mean the most to me. Two completely different style songs that deal with the same issue of self-destructiveness and making the same mistakes over and over. Like, the “what the hell am I doing and what is wrong with me” moments of my life. Those songs are almost embarrassingly honest, but definitely my favorite.
OCCG: As a musician, how do you build your fan base?
AM: At this point when you’re not really sure if you have fans or not, I think it’s just important to genuinely connect with anyone who even listens to you. More like buds than fans. I’ll get emails from a girl I don’t know who find some kind of comfort in one of my songs and that just kills me. That’s the whole point and I’m just so grateful whenever that connection is made.
OCCG: You have an amazing backing band, how did you meet them?
AM: I’ve had nothing but amazing backing bands over the last few years. Literally the best of the best I’m very very lucky. My current band is kinda a combination of two of my personal favorite local bands. I started playing with Steve Maggiora, Nicky Phakpiseth and Andrew Espantman from Robert Jon & The Wreck when they played for me last year at SXSW in Austin, TX. It was so last minute we never even rehearsed and they just nailed it. They are the most incredible musicians I thank my lucky stars daily for them. I met Ian Cullen from Jeramiah Red shortly after and we became really fast friends and eventually started writing together. We wrote my last EP “This Is What I Wore Last Night” together and I just made him start playing with us. I love my super band so much.
OCCG: What is your favorite place to play in the local area?
AM: House of Blues and Constellation Room @ The Observatory. Great sound and dressing rooms. I like to glam it up and it’s really hard when I have to do it in the bathroom of the bar I’m playing in. But man, I do miss Detroit Bar.
OCCG: Who has been your biggest influence in your musical career?
AM: I’ve been mostly inspired by babes with a voice that just cuts right through you; Dolly, Alison Krauss, Janis, Stevie. I grew up wanting to be in the Dixie Chicks so bad. Natalie Maines is my spirit animal. However now I feel like I’m way more influenced by the people around me, people I meet or write with. My band is so great I just wanna be better for them. I see my friends in other bands killing it and I wanna work harder. There is so much talent around here that you have to take advantage of the drive it gives you.
OCCG: What inspires you to write the most?
AM: Everyone has their own style or method, but I write best in the heat of the moment. Usually moments involving me being real pissed off or over everything. I just can’t write when I’m happy. I’ve tried, it’s awkward. The songs I’m working on right now are kinda brutal I almost feel bad for the people they are about.
OCCG: What’s next for Annie McQueen?
AM: Right now I just wanna focus on writing really good songs, collaborating with new people and playing shows I’ve never played before. It’s been a pretty low key summer so I’m really excited to record with Jon in the fall, throw on some fur and get back at it.