Amber Cross brings 'Old-School Country'

Listening to the old-school country songs and honest back porch voice of Amber Cross has been likened to putting an archival Smithsonian recording on the turntable. Hers is an authentic voice, both in sound and feeling. She writes from her own life’s struggles and experiences, with great power and emotion and a sense of place.

Originally from Maine, Cross spent her early years surrounded by gospel music in a small town church where her father preached and her mother played piano.

Today she lives on California’s central coast, where she spends her days, as she describes it, “slopping hogs, herding chickens, wandering the hills and writing songs.”

Cross has lived up and down the coast of California, from Sonoma County, the San Joaquin River Valley, San Francisco and the Sierra foothills, and many of her songs evoke these places. She regularly performs at cowboy poetry, bluegrass and other music festivals, including the Live Oak Festival and the Parkfield Bluegrass Festival. She has opened for such artists as Ramblin' Jack Elliott, Dave Stamey, The Austin Lounge Lizards, and others.

Her debut album “You Can Come In” released in March 2013, received a five-star review from Country Music People Magazine, and was their “CD of the Month” in their May 2013 issue. She has recently released a CD of traditional Gospel songs.

Cross plays guitar and performs both solo and with backup players. At Fiddlers Crossing, she will be accompanied by her husband, guitarist James Moore, and by Cajun/old-time fiddler Gary Arcemont.

The concert starts at 7 p.m., with doors opening at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $20, available at Tehachapi Treasure Trove, Tehachapi Furniture, Lucky’s Barbershop, or at the Fiddler’s Crossing Wednesday Open Mics and First Fridays. Tickets are also available online at Fiddlers Crossing.org, and may be reserved by calling (661) 823-9994. Fiddlers Crossing is at 206 East F Street, Downtown Tehachapi at Robinson Street.