Anders Osborne
Bio
Born in Uddevalla, Sweden, and raised on Gotland Island in the Baltic Sea, Anders Osborne began his musical education by listening to his father, a professional pop and jazz drummer who toured the same German club circuit as the Beatles. Osborne cut his musical teeth playing drums, but soon switched to guitar. By 17, his wanderlust led him to travel across Europe and the Middle East. Eventually, he wound up in the United States, where he lived for brief periods in New York, New Orleans, and California. Then it was on to Southeast Asia before a return trip to America, which led him back to New Orleans, where he's lived now for more than a decade.
"My grandfather had a lot to do with me moving down here," Osborne says. "He was a sailor, and when I came to New Orleans, he told me he used to live here. He started sending me all these photographs of him in New Orleans, addresses and stuff like that. I just felt connected to his memories of the place. It's in my DNA, I guess."
The city has become a big part of Osborne's sound, as well. Second-line rhythms and brass-band bass permeate his songs, but he's no dilettante. He brings as much to the table as his chosen hometown. "When I first came here, I tried to fit in and be like everybody else, and I realized pretty early that this is ridiculous. I am who I am, and I'm bringing something from my heritage as well. Still, there's so much great music here, that I'm inspired by something I hear every day."
The fruits of his inspiration can be heard on five previous albums - two independent releases, Doin' Fine (1990) and Break the Chains (1994). Which Way To Here (1995) appeared on Sony's Okeh label. In 1998, Osborne made his Shanachie debut with the New Orleans concert recording Live at Tipitina's, which reveled in his musical debt to the city and showed off the passion present in all of Osborne's live performances. His 1999 album Living Room created a sound that acknowledged no borders as they're usually understood, but defined its own space in the world and demanded to be heard. His release Ash Wednesday Blues (2001) continued in the tradition of previous recordings, combining elements of blues, folk and R&B. It featured contributions from Neville Brother Cyril Neville, New Orlean's keyboard wizard Davell Crawford, Keb' Mo and Johnny Lang.
Osborne working between the lines that separate distinct genres should come as no surprise. His musical philosophy is such that anything he can conceive is fair game. "I don't look at music in categories at all," he says. "I like all kinds of music, but as long as I can feel the roots, feel some sort of heart and soul, feel the connection to everything, then it's real for me."
Keb' Mo's 1998 Grammy award winning album Slow Down, featured two songs co-written with Osborne. Other artists who have recorded Osborne's songs include Johnny Lang, Sam Bush and country superstar Tim McGraw. In March 2004 Anders celebrated his first number one song recorded by Tim McGraw called "Watch The Wind Blow By."
"My grandfather had a lot to do with me moving down here," Osborne says. "He was a sailor, and when I came to New Orleans, he told me he used to live here. He started sending me all these photographs of him in New Orleans, addresses and stuff like that. I just felt connected to his memories of the place. It's in my DNA, I guess."
The city has become a big part of Osborne's sound, as well. Second-line rhythms and brass-band bass permeate his songs, but he's no dilettante. He brings as much to the table as his chosen hometown. "When I first came here, I tried to fit in and be like everybody else, and I realized pretty early that this is ridiculous. I am who I am, and I'm bringing something from my heritage as well. Still, there's so much great music here, that I'm inspired by something I hear every day."
The fruits of his inspiration can be heard on five previous albums - two independent releases, Doin' Fine (1990) and Break the Chains (1994). Which Way To Here (1995) appeared on Sony's Okeh label. In 1998, Osborne made his Shanachie debut with the New Orleans concert recording Live at Tipitina's, which reveled in his musical debt to the city and showed off the passion present in all of Osborne's live performances. His 1999 album Living Room created a sound that acknowledged no borders as they're usually understood, but defined its own space in the world and demanded to be heard. His release Ash Wednesday Blues (2001) continued in the tradition of previous recordings, combining elements of blues, folk and R&B. It featured contributions from Neville Brother Cyril Neville, New Orlean's keyboard wizard Davell Crawford, Keb' Mo and Johnny Lang.
Osborne working between the lines that separate distinct genres should come as no surprise. His musical philosophy is such that anything he can conceive is fair game. "I don't look at music in categories at all," he says. "I like all kinds of music, but as long as I can feel the roots, feel some sort of heart and soul, feel the connection to everything, then it's real for me."
Keb' Mo's 1998 Grammy award winning album Slow Down, featured two songs co-written with Osborne. Other artists who have recorded Osborne's songs include Johnny Lang, Sam Bush and country superstar Tim McGraw. In March 2004 Anders celebrated his first number one song recorded by Tim McGraw called "Watch The Wind Blow By."