Anna Fermin
Encyclopedia
Anna Fermin is an American folk
/country
singer and songwriter.
Fermin was born in the Philippines
but moved to Kenosha, Wisconsin
with her family when she was a small child. Fermin attended art school in Chicago
from 1989 and began playing acoustic guitar there. She has cited Steve Earle
's song "Down the Road", which she later recorded, as an early inspiration. She played in a band called Anaboy briefly, then played solo locally before forming a new band called Trigger Gospel with Andon Davis (guitar), Michael Krayniak (double and electric basses) and Paul Bivans (drums). The name "Trigger Gospel" is taken from an old Western paperback
. The group opened for Johnny Cash
at the House of Blues
Chicago in one of their first gigs in 1996. They self-released an EP in 1997. After performing at SXSW in 1998, Lloyd Maines
saw them and offered to produce their debut full-length album, Things to Come, which was released in 1999. 2002's Live Music, Vol. One was recorded at the Old Town School of Folk Music
in Chicago. Jay Bennett
produced 2003's Oh, the Stories We Hold. Trigger Gospel released Go in 2007.
Along the way, Rob Novak replaced Michael Krayniak on bass for a time, after which Krayniak returned. Subsequently, Andon Davis left the band, but has occasionally returned as a guest guitarist. Since Davis's departure, several others have alternated in the guitarist slot, including Frank Kvinge, Scott Ligon, John Rice, and Grant Tye. Ligon also sometimes played keyboards with the band. More recently, Alton Smith (keyboards) has also joined Trigger Gospel.
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
/country
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
singer and songwriter.
Fermin was born in the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
but moved to Kenosha, Wisconsin
Kenosha, Wisconsin
Kenosha is a city and the county seat of Kenosha County in the State of Wisconsin in United States. With a population of 99,218 as of May 2011, Kenosha is the fourth-largest city in Wisconsin. Kenosha is also the fourth-largest city on the western shore of Lake Michigan, following Chicago,...
with her family when she was a small child. Fermin attended art school in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
from 1989 and began playing acoustic guitar there. She has cited Steve Earle
Steve Earle
Stephen Fain "Steve" Earle is an American singer-songwriter known for his rock and Texas Country as well as his political views. He is also a producer, author, a political activist, and an actor, and has written and directed a play....
's song "Down the Road", which she later recorded, as an early inspiration. She played in a band called Anaboy briefly, then played solo locally before forming a new band called Trigger Gospel with Andon Davis (guitar), Michael Krayniak (double and electric basses) and Paul Bivans (drums). The name "Trigger Gospel" is taken from an old Western paperback
Paperback
Paperback, softback or softcover describe and refer to a book by the nature of its binding. The covers of such books are usually made of paper or paperboard, and are usually held together with glue rather than stitches or staples...
. The group opened for Johnny Cash
Johnny Cash
John R. "Johnny" Cash was an American singer-songwriter, actor, and author, who has been called one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century...
at the House of Blues
House of Blues
House of Blues is a chain of 13 live music concert halls and restaurants in major markets throughout the United States. House of Blues first location was in Cambridge's Harvard Square. It was opened in 1992 by Isaac Tigrett, co-founder of Hard Rock Cafe, and Dan Aykroyd, star of The Blues Brothers...
Chicago in one of their first gigs in 1996. They self-released an EP in 1997. After performing at SXSW in 1998, Lloyd Maines
Lloyd Maines
Lloyd Maines is an American Grammy Award-winning country music record producer, musician and songwriter. He was born and raised in Lubbock, Texas and is now based in Bulverde, Texas....
saw them and offered to produce their debut full-length album, Things to Come, which was released in 1999. 2002's Live Music, Vol. One was recorded at the Old Town School of Folk Music
Old Town School of Folk Music
The Old Town School of Folk Music is a Chicago teaching and performing institution that launched the careers of many notable folk music artists...
in Chicago. Jay Bennett
Jay Bennett
Jay Walter Bennett was an American guitarist, multi-instrumentalist, engineer, producer, and singer-songwriter, best known for his work with the band Wilco.-Early life and work with Wilco:...
produced 2003's Oh, the Stories We Hold. Trigger Gospel released Go in 2007.
Along the way, Rob Novak replaced Michael Krayniak on bass for a time, after which Krayniak returned. Subsequently, Andon Davis left the band, but has occasionally returned as a guest guitarist. Since Davis's departure, several others have alternated in the guitarist slot, including Frank Kvinge, Scott Ligon, John Rice, and Grant Tye. Ligon also sometimes played keyboards with the band. More recently, Alton Smith (keyboards) has also joined Trigger Gospel.
Discography
- Trigger Gospel EP (self-released, 1997)
- Things to Come (Sighlow, 1999)
- Live Music, Vol. One (2002)
- Oh, the Stories We Hold (Undertow MusicUndertow MusicUndertow began in 1996 as a collective of independent artists, musicians, filmmakers, designers and creative managers sharing resources, ideas, and a love of music. Undertow Music operates offices in St...
, 2003) - Go (Sighlow, 2007)
Further reading
- "American Woman: Trigger Gospel's Anna Fermin Finds Time on Her Side". Daily Herald, June 4, 1999.
- "Finger on Trigger:Country Fringe Outfit Suits Anna Fermin". Chicago Sun-TimesChicago Sun-TimesThe Chicago Sun-Times is an American daily newspaper published in Chicago, Illinois. It is the flagship paper of the Sun-Times Media Group.-History:The Chicago Sun-Times is the oldest continuously published daily newspaper in the city...
, June 20, 1999. - "Fermin Going Strong Down the Country Music Road". Chicago Sun-TimesChicago Sun-TimesThe Chicago Sun-Times is an American daily newspaper published in Chicago, Illinois. It is the flagship paper of the Sun-Times Media Group.-History:The Chicago Sun-Times is the oldest continuously published daily newspaper in the city...
, December 19, 2003 - "Anna Fermin's Trigger Gospel". St. Louis Post-DispatchSt. Louis Post-DispatchThe St. Louis Post-Dispatch is the major city-wide newspaper in St. Louis, Missouri. Although written to serve Greater St. Louis, the Post-Dispatch is one of the largest newspapers in the Midwestern United States, and is available and read as far west as Kansas City, Missouri, as far south as...
, September 29, 2005. - "Anna Fermin's Trigger Gospel". Riverfront TimesRiverfront TimesThe Riverfront Times is a weekly newspaper in St. Louis, Missouri that consists of local politics, music, arts and dining news in the print edition and daily updates to blogs and photo galleries on its website...
, December 6, 2006.
External links
- http://triggergospel.com/ Trigger Gospel homepage
- http://www.myspace.com/triggergospel Trigger Gospel MySpace page
- http://www.annafermin.com/ Anna Fermin homepage