Annette Wasilik

70 WORD BIO:

Annette writes award-winning songs of love and longing; angels and demons. Annette's debut album, Songs from the Talking House was named Contemporary Folk Recording of the Year by the Washington Area Music Association. She released Love & Fire in January 2020 which landed at #6 on the Folk Alliance DJ chart and #1 on NACC chart. Now she is beginning to tour nationally. Annette also co-hosts Local Cream, a monthly songwriters' showcase.

 

Annette Wasilik

150 WORD BIO:

Annette has been writing songs ever since she found a Sears Silvertone abandoned in a tin wardrobe in the basement when she was 14.  "Songwriting," Annette says, “is like diving for pearls. I sink down and watch what happens.” She began performing locally but when her daughter was small, Annette stopped performing, turning her focus to building a massage practice and caring for her family. Later when she was able to turn her full attention to her music, she dug in. Her debut album, Songs from the Talking House  won Contemporary Folk Recording of the Year from The Washington Area Music Association in 2016. Her 2020 recording, Love & Fire released at #6 on the FolkDJ chart and #1 on the NACC chart and landed #40 on Folk DJ chart for the year.  She has created and hosts “Local Cream”, a popular monthly songwriter showcase.

 

 

 

ANNETTE WASILIK Longer BIO:

"Love & Fire is a masterpiece." ~ Tom Prasada-Rao

Love & Fire, released in January, 2020 was Annette's first national release and landed #6 on FAI Folk DJ chart and #1 on NACC chart and ended up #40 for the entire year.

 

 

Annette's performances are marked by her compelling alto and moving songs that "touch you to the bone". In the tradition of the poet songwriter, with rich tones reminiscent of Linda Thompson or Natalie Merchant, she weaves a spell both startling in its intimacy and expansive in its vision. Her songwriting influences include Jane Siberry, Lucinda Williams, Mary Gauthier and John Prine to mention just a few. Both down to earth and deeply atmospheric, Annette’s songs are explorations into longing, love, loss, God, home, homesickness and hope.

"I found my first guitar in an old tin wardrobe in my basement. Its bridge was broken but it was love at first sight, as if I found a buried treasure in my backyard. The room spun and everything. I glued the bridge back on and never looked back." On songwriting Annette says, "It feels like diving for pearls. I sink down and don't know what's going to happen. Usually a combination of emotion, melody and phrasing opens the way for the lyrics. Later the editing comes in."

In her late teens and twenties. Annette was performing in local cafes, small venues and eventually festivals. When her daughter was small, Annette took a break from performing to attend her family and grow her healing practice. Now she is out performing again and becoming known in the DC area and nationally as a powerful songwriter and performer. Annette's debut CD, Songs from the Talking House, was awarded Contemporary Folk Recording of the Year by the Washington Area Music Association in April 2016. She also won Honorable Mention for her song Don't Look Down in the 2016 MidAtlantic Song Contest. Her January 2020 release, Love & Fire, is her first album on the Azalea City Cooperative label. On release, it landed at #6 on FAI Folk DJ chart and #1 on the NACC chart and ended up #40 for the year. (That's ahead of Bob Dylan and several Folk Alliance nominees. Woot!)

In 2019, Annette created a new concert series, Local Cream, to showcase the best local and regional songwriters. 

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Award and Honors:

Songs from the Talking House voted Contemporary Folk Recording of the Year, Washington Area Music Association

Love & Fire CD #6 on FolkDJ Charts for weeks

Love & Fire CD #1 on NACC chart

"The World is on Fire" closed Chicago's 90.0FM DJ, Lilli Kuzma's, 2020 wrap-up Folk Festival.

"Almost" chosen #2 Song of the Year by DJ Ken Nagelburg of Baton Rouge WHYR radio.

"Almost" Finalist in The Great American Songwriting Competition

"On a Night Like This" Finalist MASC (MidAtlantic Song Contest)

"Don't Look Down" HM MASC