Andrea Marie Campise has loved singing and performing since childhood. As a little girl she'd sing along with the radio, brush microphone in hand, and perform for her parents. Her dad worked in the construction trade, so she moved around a lot(including a few years on Nantucket Island) until her family settled down in Spicewood, Texas. Growing up, Andrea Marie sang in high school musicals and choir, studied piano and tuba, and listened to the radio every chance she could get. "My dad used to have Patsy Cline and Willie Nelson tapes in his truck -- I would play DJ, listen to them over, and over and sing along," she says. After graduating from Lake Travis High School, Andrea Marie attended UT for a while and then lived in Santa Monica and Denver. She took her first guitar lesson at Santa Monica College. "As soon as I knew how to play my first three chords, I was downloading tabs off the Internet and trying to learn how to play and sing at the same time," she recalls. In Denver she lived next to a restaurant/bar that did karaoke every night of the week. "I loved going and singing up on stage and I just couldn't seem to get enough of it. Doing karaoke gave me the courage to get up on stage and do what I do now." Eventually, Andrea Marie got homesick and moved back to Spicewood. Her singing career didn't get serious until 2002, when she started playing as a duo with guitarist and music teacher John Fink. "We started writing music and learning a lot of cover material, then playing anywhere and everywhere we could." After playing regularly at several Austin open mics and building a following, they eventually found a drummer and bass player and started the full band. Andrea Marie and the Magnolias now perform originals and covers 4-5 nights a week around Texas and are frequently booked for private functions. Andrea Marie graduated from Texas State University with a degree in communication studies and minor in mass communications -- she finds her communications background helpful for promoting the band. Andrea Marie has a vocal style all her own. She cites Patsy Cline, James Taylor, Otis Redding, and the Beatles as early musical influences. When I moved back to Austin I really started getting into local bands like Kelly Willis, Reckless Kelly, Seth Walker, The Greencards, Rusty Weir, and so many others," she says. One of her biggest idols, Willie Nelson, lives and records just down the road from her home in Spicewood. She's a huge Dixie Chicks fan as well. What keeps her going? "I love making people happy and evoking memories with music, whether they be happy or sad," she says. "People relate music and lyrics to their own lives and personal experiences -- each time I get up on stage and sing an original tune or a cover, I do that for people." She says that people often thank her for doing a particular song because it reminded them of a past event in their life. But beyond that, there's the sheer joy of making music." I like making the audience happy, but singing and performing truly makes me happy and content -- I wouldn't be complete without it. Performing is such a thrill. Music is a tough career and industry -- I found that out very quickly -- but I will never give up on it!"