Jill Andrews: She's confident, and it shows

Thursday, October 15 (updated 8:26 am)
By Carole Perkins

Jill Andrews stands like an apparition in the spotlight's orb on stage at The Neighborhood Theatre in Charlotte. She takes her time adjusting the strings on her acoustic guitar as she introduces herself and band member Josh Oliver.

Andrews is wearing the same boots she wore as former lead female singer for the everybodyfields band, but she has shed her timid demeanor of the girl next door. Stepping to the mike is a confident woman with a new husband, baby, band and EP in tow.

With a voice so angelic and voluminous it seems to fill the empty spaces in the rafters, Andrews sings:

"Say you're tired/ say you're busy/ you can lie to me/ it should come easy/ for you have been doing it for a while/ look away when I'm talking/ please don't say what you're thinking/ you have been thinking for a while."

The lyrics to "Worth Keeping" set the tone for her new self-titled EP, a stirring compilation of quintessential Andrews' penned songs, redolent in somber imagery and resonating with the universal vassals of loneliness and unrequited love. Josh Oliver delivers a stellar keyboard performance, while Robert Richard's lead guitar, Vince Ilagan's bass and Chad Melton's drums meld into a unique sound that becomes first cousin to the everybodyfields.

Back in the dressing room, Andrews sits on a sofa and talks about starting over with a new band.

"I feel humbled," she says. "It drives me a little bit and gives me more ambition because I know I have a lot of work to do. With the everybodyfields, we worked so hard and toured so much we didn't even have friends. I don't necessarily want that life again at all because now I have a family."

Andrews and her husband/manager, Clinton, met at an everybodyfields show in Knoxville, Tenn., where they now live with baby boy, Nico, almost 5 months old.

"When I first saw him, I thought to myself, 'I have to meet this guy,'" Andrews says. "He was wearing some pretty standout clothing. He had really tight jeans and a really, really tight shirt. So I went up to him and said, 'Hi, I'm Jill Andrews.' He looked at me and said, 'I know who you are.' Then we just started hanging out. He's a great guy."

Andrews and Sam Quinn, former lead male singer for the everybodyfields and Andrews' ex-boyfriend, created three artistically compelling CDs as the everybodyfields, amassing a loyal fan base that was crushed to learn of the split. Their last official show was New Year's Eve. Deciding not to release a fourth album as the everybodyfields, Andrews took her songs and used three on her new EP.

"With the everybodyfields, we kind of knew it was the end, but we waited to tell everybody else. Our personalities were as different as our voices, and we couldn't agree on most things except how much we loved singing together," she says of the duo whose dovetail harmonies have been compared to Emmylou Harris and the late Gram Parsons.

"It's a lot like divorce; it's very hard. But at the same time Sam and I are still very much in contact. He sent me a text message while I was on stage tonight," she laughs.

"I definitely wish the best for him. Sam is incredibly talented, and I've always known that."

Andrews says she's definitely not opposed to a future reunion, although right now she wants to "see what's out there."

"We've only gone out on one tour," she says. "Nico was with us and I swear, he is just the best baby in the world. He sleeps through the night and hardly ever cries. Everyone in my band is so helpful. Like, we'll stop at a gas station and I'll take Nico out of his car seat to feed him and everybody will say do you need anything?" Andrews says. "My family is very supportive of me and they're going to be on the road with me. We're going to make it work as much as we can."

She says natural childbirth when Nico was born gave her more confidence as a woman ---- and a singer.

"I feel like I've found my voice," she says. "I haven't had it long, maybe for about a year. I really don't know where it came from because I was so timid with my voice and my personality. It was probably everyone's encouragement. It just builds and builds."

Clinton walks into the room and perches on the armrest, snuggling in while Andrews talks about her new life.

"I'm really proud of her," he says. "You can tell she's really captured her own voice, and she's ambitious enough and strong enough to do something about it. I think her heart has a lot to share, and I'm proud of her for doing it."

Asked if the love song, "City Noise," from her new EP was inspired by Clinton, Andrews just smiles.

"I feel like the ceiling is going to fall in anytime now. I am lucky," she says. "I am so lucky."