Anders Osborne
Encyclopedia
Anders Osborne is a songwriter and singer.
Anders was born in 1966 in Uddevalla, Sweden, left home at age sixteen, and hitchhiked and played music throughout Europe
, North Africa
, the Middle East
, Asia
, and the U.S. He settled in New Orleans in 1985 and still calls Louisiana
his home.
During his first decade in New Orleans, Anders lived in the French Quarter
and played regularly in local clubs. After gaining a following, Anders received an independent record deal with Rabadash Records out of New Orleans, and released "Doin’ Fine" in 1989.
Anders and his band toured the U.S. during these years and in 1995, he was signed to Okeh Records
. He released "Which Way to Here", an album that dealt with spirituality and tolerance. The record became Osborne’s first commercial break with two top-five singles “Favorite Son” and “Pleasin’ You.” Both were featured in several Hollywood movies, and the latter was later recorded by Jonny Lang
.
Shanachie Entertainment
signed Osborne in 1998 and in 1999 released his fourth album, "Living Room", a very personal record that signified some new directions in Anders’ music after the breakup with his longtime partner Theresa Andersson
, drug use, and a family death. This album also features guest appearances by Keb Mo, Kirk Joseph and Tommy Malone.
Keb' Mo's 1999 Grammy
award winning album "Slow Down", featured two songs co-written with Osborne.
Since 1994, Anders has been working as a professional songwriter in Nashville
, first for Polygram and now for Universal where he writes and produces for other artists.
His song, “Watch the Wind Blow By
,” was recorded by country music
star Tim McGraw
, hitting No. 1 on the country charts for 2 weeks and selling over 3 million albums.
Osborne's "Coming Down" was nominated for the 8th Annual Independent Music Awards
Folk/Singer-Songwriter Album of the year.
Anders was born in 1966 in Uddevalla, Sweden, left home at age sixteen, and hitchhiked and played music throughout Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, North Africa
North Africa
North Africa or Northern Africa is the northernmost region of the African continent, linked by the Sahara to Sub-Saharan Africa. Geopolitically, the United Nations definition of Northern Africa includes eight countries or territories; Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, South Sudan, Sudan, Tunisia, and...
, the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
, Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
, and the U.S. He settled in New Orleans in 1985 and still calls Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
his home.
During his first decade in New Orleans, Anders lived in the French Quarter
French Quarter
The French Quarter, also known as Vieux Carré, is the oldest neighborhood in the city of New Orleans. When New Orleans was founded in 1718 by Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienville, the city was originally centered on the French Quarter, or the Vieux Carré as it was known then...
and played regularly in local clubs. After gaining a following, Anders received an independent record deal with Rabadash Records out of New Orleans, and released "Doin’ Fine" in 1989.
Anders and his band toured the U.S. during these years and in 1995, he was signed to Okeh Records
Okeh Records
Okeh Records began as an independent record label based in the United States of America in 1918. From 1926 on, it was a subsidiary of Columbia Records.-History:...
. He released "Which Way to Here", an album that dealt with spirituality and tolerance. The record became Osborne’s first commercial break with two top-five singles “Favorite Son” and “Pleasin’ You.” Both were featured in several Hollywood movies, and the latter was later recorded by Jonny Lang
Jonny Lang
Jonny Lang is a Grammy award-winning American blues, gospel, and rock singer, songwriter and recording artist. Lang's music is notable for both his unusual voice, which has been compared to that of a forty-year-old blues veteran, and for his guitar solos...
.
Shanachie Entertainment
Shanachie Records
Shanachie Records was founded in 1976 by Richard Nevins and Dan Collins. According to Harvey Pekar , it is one of the largest independent record labels in the world, and is currently distributed by E1 Music. Starting as a label that specialized in fiddle music, they began releasing work by Celtic...
signed Osborne in 1998 and in 1999 released his fourth album, "Living Room", a very personal record that signified some new directions in Anders’ music after the breakup with his longtime partner Theresa Andersson
Theresa Andersson
Theresa Andersson is a singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist.-General:Andersson came to New Orleans in 1990 to play violin with fellow singer-songwriter and Swede, Anders Osborne. Nine years later, she left the band...
, drug use, and a family death. This album also features guest appearances by Keb Mo, Kirk Joseph and Tommy Malone.
Keb' Mo's 1999 Grammy
Grammy Awards of 1999
The 41st Grammy Awards were held on February 24, 1999. They recognized accomplishments by musicians from the year 1998. Lauryn Hill was the nights big winner winning a total of 5 awards including Album of the Year and Best New Artist. Madonna won three awards while country musicians the Dixie...
award winning album "Slow Down", featured two songs co-written with Osborne.
Since 1994, Anders has been working as a professional songwriter in Nashville
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
, first for Polygram and now for Universal where he writes and produces for other artists.
His song, “Watch the Wind Blow By
Watch the Wind Blow By
"Watch the Wind Blow By" is a song written by Anders Osborne and Dylan Altman and recorded by American country music singer Tim McGraw. It was released in October 2003 as the fourth and final single from McGraw's 2002 album, Tim McGraw and the Dancehall Doctors. The song reached the top of the...
,” was recorded by country music
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...
star Tim McGraw
Tim McGraw
Samuel Timothy "Tim" McGraw is an American country singer and actor. Many of McGraw's albums and singles have topped the country music charts with total album sales in excess of 40 million units in the US, making him the eighth best-selling artist, and the third best-selling country singer, in the...
, hitting No. 1 on the country charts for 2 weeks and selling over 3 million albums.
Osborne's "Coming Down" was nominated for the 8th Annual Independent Music Awards
The Independent Music Awards
The Independent Music Awards is an international program that honors top-ranked independent artists and releases in more than 50 Album, Song, Music Video and Design categories....
Folk/Singer-Songwriter Album of the year.
Discography
- 1989 Doin' Fine (Rabadash)
- 1993 Break The Chain (Rabadash)
- 1995 Which Way to Here (Okeh)
- 1998 Live at Tipitina'sTipitina'sTipitina's is a music venue located at the corner of Napoleon Avenue and Tchoupitoulas Street in Uptown New Orleans, Louisiana, USA.Local music enthusiasts opened the venue on January 14, 1977. The name was inspired by a well-known song by Professor Longhair who also performed there until his death...
(Shanachie) - 1999 Living Room (Shanachie)
- 2001 Ash Wednesday Blues (Shanachie)
- 2002 Bury the Hatchet (Shanachie) with Big Chief Monk BoudreauxMonk boudreauxBig Chief Monk Boudreaux is the Big Chief of the Mardi Gras Indian tribe, the Golden Eagles. He is widely known for his long time collaboration with Big Chief Bo Dollis in The Wild Magnolias.-History:In the late 1960s, Boudreaux joined the Wild Magnolias, the Mardi Gras Indian group led by his Big...
- 2006 Tipitina's Live 2006 (MunckMix)
- 2007 Coming Down (M.C. Records)
- 2010 American Patchwork (Alligator)
External links
- Official website
- Biography at Universal Music Publishing Group
- Living Room review by George Graham
- Anders Osborne: A direct language, a beautiful mystery Feature interview from HonestTune.com