Amy Celeste and the best

“Smooth as silk one minute and powerfully raw in another,  she is making a name for herself” wrote Trevor Warner in describing Amy Celeste’s voice (Paradise Post, March 6, 2010).

An integral part of the thriving blues scene in northern California, Amy Celeste is singer/songwriter who has entertained audiences of all sizes in all sizes of venues and festivals. From the big stage at the Sierra Nevada Brewery to backroads blues festivals, she is a seasoned pro bringing a selection of soulful blues pop originals and favorites to her fans. She's hard not to love; her grooves hit the spot. Her simple, relatable catchy lyrics connect and speak to humanity.

Amy Celeste grew up in Prunedale, a small central coast town in the heartbeat of California's rich agricultural area- the Salinas Valley in Monterey County. She learned how to sing in a small country church off of Paradise Road. To her, singing was the best part of church and finding harmony lines in the hymnal was the ultimate. She was shy, not wanting to take the solos in choir but always dreaming about doing so.

After college, traveling the world and living in Los Angeles, Amy Celeste moved closer to her parents in the Chico area of northern California. One night at the Optimo Lounge in Paradise, she mustered up enough courage to sing at a blues jam. That night forever changed her. She went from having stage fright to have stage might.

Early on in her career, she was a featured artist sitting in with blues bands in Northern California (Karma Kings, Rube & The Rhythm Rockers, Big Mo & The Full Moon Band). Chico News & Review's Jason Cassidy wrote, "Blue-eyed blues doesn't get much more soulful". Rocking the musical circuit she became acquainted with bluesman-by-birth, Son Rey Garcia (The Road Rockets, The Rolling Blackouts). The two established a strong friendship and in 2008 and it was this connection that birthed “The Amy Celeste Band”.

In October of 2018, the Camp Fire consumed the band's rehearsal space, displacing band members and much of the musical community. The fire happened one month after the group had played their 12th Paradise Blues & Brews festival, a huge fundraiser for ridge (Paradise/ Magalia) youth music programs. The Amy Celeste Band disbanded.

With the desire to create and produce fresh tunes fueled by rocky experience and raw emotion, Amy Celeste took to pen and committed to writing a very personal album in 2020. Dedicated to Paradise, the album reflects a turbulant time living in the burn scar and navigating life's tribulations  The album is a danceable and authentic journey- unique and current,  while honoring classic blues rhythms and arrangements. 

Amy Celeste plays with a group of hand-selected pros, to include the area's finest talent both raw and seasoned. They are known as, "The Best" and often include local legends.

Amy Celeste and The Best are members of the Sacramento Blues Society.