Amy Maloof

Amy Maloof was born in Upland and raised in Alta Loma. Her relationship with Claremont began as a kid, when she enrolled in ballet lessons with Toni Carrion at Village Dance Arts. In her early 20s, Amy became familiar with the local record label Shrimper and the affiliated bands that were around at that time.

While growing up, Amy was exposed to a good dose of the music her parents listened to around the house; The Who, Joni Mitchell, The Kinks, Neil Young, Van Morrison, Stevie Wonder, and all sorts of rock and roll played on the home stereo. Music was always part of her life as a kid, even the reluctantly taken piano lessons. Amy was brought up in a family of artists, which included her grandfather, furniture designer and woodworker, Sam Maloof. While making art is something that has always come naturally, Amy has no illusions of success by affiliation and understands that it’s necessary to pay her dues and shape her own artistic vision.

In the early 1990s, Amy began her participation in music groups, writing songs, playing guitar and bass, and singing. Since 1997, Amy’s main musical outlet has been Falcon Eddy and has continued with the project to this day. Her homegrown and independent spirit gives her music and art a unique, oblique, and humorous presence.

Caring deeply for the local artists, musicians, and friends she continues to make throughout her life, Amy feels it is her good fortune to know Mark Givens and Joel Huschle of WCKR SPGT. “I love their music and consider them both to be sum kinda genius,” Amy mentions. She also states that if it weren’t for Allen and Dennis Callaci and Dennis' Shrimper record label, she probably would not have been inspired to be “sloggin’ the rock and roll dream.”

When asked how she sees the future of local music activity, Amy expresses her interest in Claremont taking revenge on Seattle.

Photography by Althea Sachs