Country and western… and zombies? The wild blood of outlaw country music runs in the veins of Portland based singer/songwriter Amanda Richards, but that doesn’t mean she can’t put her own unique spin on the genre. Her grandfather, Rusty Richards, was a long-time member of the Sons of the Pioneers, one of the earliest Western singing groups, and her father, Jason Richards, who led the Silverado Band, would pull young Amanda up on stage during his shows throughout Southern California. The eager young artist was soon performing in her own right, releasing her debut EP, Last Train, in 2001. In the years that followed, she has performed and recorded as both a solo artist and as the frontwoman for Amanda Richards & the Good Long Whiles, a country/Americana trio. featuring lap steel, banjo and guitar player Steve Moore, . Her 2009 release, Who Has Your Heart, earned Richards a whopping six Grammy nominations, including Song of the Year, Best Female Country Performance and two nods each for Record of the Year and Best Country Song. Her follow up, 2012’s Play Dead, is a “frightening musical indie zombie flick in song,” which won the Independent Music Award for Best Concept Album.