"Annemarie Russell both delights audiences and challenges them to find a more humane, peaceful way of living."
Chestnut Hill Local, Philadelphia

"Life is not always as it seems,” goes the old adage. As a songwriter, wife, friend, activist and teacher, Annemarie Russell works to bring that point home to anyone who will listen.

Russell’s newest release, “The Finest Hour,” her best work of her almost eight year musical career, takes the same questions Russell has always asked and showcases them in a stunning musical array of melody, texture, rhythm and vocal maturity. “The Finest Hour” presents ten new original songs by Russell, consistent in their lyrical prowess and dazzling melody lines, supported by the talent of a band made up of six New York City area musicians, including bassist Tom Hogan, drummer Josh Dion, sax players Shirantha Beddage and Craig Yaremko, pianist Kevin Wilkin, and trumpet and flugelhorn player Nathan Eklund, whom together create a masterful and solid base for Russell’s work.

A native of Seattle, Russell currently calls the greater Portland, Oregon area home. She has played many venues in Seattle, San Francisco and Philadelphia, and has headlined at Eugene, Oregon’s Café Paradiso and Sam Bond’s Garage. Russell has shared the stage with such artists as Anne Weiss, Irina Rivkin, Lisa Sanders, Christine Havrilla, Shannon Beck, John Shipe and Matt Price.

Bridging the gap between acoustic folk and a more driving pop-rock sound, Russell’s work on “The Finest Hour” appeals to a wide range of audience interests. Although her newest album breaks from the more acoustic folk sound of her past two albums, it remains true to Russell’s desire that her songs reflect a real-life picture of the world around her, filled with all its brokenness and joy.

A seeker of justice and truth, Annemarie Russell’s music speaks to listeners across the span of generations. With influences from the Indigo Girls, Joni Mitchell, Nanci Griffith and Carrie Newcomer, Annemarie Russell’s lyrics tell stories spanning the range of human experiences. As Russell writes, “To accept the terms of life, I believe we must be willing to ask the hard questions and take risks that may sometimes end in permanent defeat.” The hard questions and risks are no strangers in Russell's life, and her passionate songwriting leaves no stone unturned in her quest for truth.

PDF version of Annemarie's biography.

PDF version of Annemarie's brief biography.