RISING Phoenix singer-songwriter Courtney Marie Andrews is doing everything to prepare diligently for Friday's sold-out solo acoustic gig at Pocklington Arts Centre.

At the time of writing (Wed), Courtney, 28, was resting up on Tuesday and Wednesday, after losing her voice, understandably calling off a Tuesday interview with The Press to preserve her vocal cords.

Wednesday's gig at Bristol has been moved to December 17; likewise Thursday's concert in Oxford has a new date, December 15. 

Consequently, the quotes below come from the Loose Music press release for Courtney's 2018 album, May Your Kindness Remain, released in March.

Predominately written on the road – in the van, in hotels and in the homes of family and friends – the songs were inspired by the people Courtney met along the way. "More than anything it got me thinking about my childhood, and the people around me that I’ve known, and the stories that come from my family," she says. "It became clear how many people are struggling through the same issues."

Full of vivid depictions of complex people and places with all too common difficulties, the album conveys the psychological impact of the unrealistic picture of success embedded in modern American culture. "People are constantly chasing that bigger life. A lot of people are poor in America and because of those unattainable goals, they’re also mentally unstable, or sad, or depressed or unfulfilled," says Courtney.

"A lot of people, myself included at some point in my life, are loving somebody through this. That’s sort of the theme of the record: coming to terms with depression and the reality of the world we’re living in. Mental illness is a taboo in this culture, or not taken seriously. I’ve grown up around it a lot, and sort of feel like I understand it from all sides."

Renting a house in Los Angeles for eight days, Courtney recorded May Your Kindness Remain with Mark Howard, producer for Lucinda Williams, Bob Dylan, Emmylou Harris and Tom Waits, at the helm as her band set up in a circle, watching each other across the room, playing each song live.

“I wanted to make a record in LA. In that house, overlooking a city that epitomises both America’s diversity and also the commonality of very real struggles against often unrealistic hopes and dreams," she says.

Looking forward to playing host to Courtney's 8pm gig, arts centre director Janet Farmer says: "We're so excited to be bringing Courtney Marie Andrews to Pocklington. She's a real talent. We were lucky enough to see her perform a fantastic showcase at South By South West (SXSW) in Austin, Texas in March, so this will be a really special show."