Amy Zents, formally known to her peers as Amalia Triebenbach, is a 2003 graduate of Minnesota State and will return to the Coffee Hag Saturday with her husband, James Zents, for an encore performance.
The multi-talented couple, "Molly and Sonny Boy," are singer-songwriters who live and work in New Ulm. They both play a wide variety of musical instruments, including electric and acoustic guitar, ukulele, banjo, African drums, piano, mandolin and other folk instruments. "We call our genre of music rhythm 'n blues grass," said Amy. "It's like if someone handed Curtis Mayfield a banjo when he was laying down tracks for 'Superfly.'"
It wasn't always smooth sailing for Amy, but she never let her past stand in the way of accomplishing her dreams.
Amy grew up in the projects of Toronto and was raised by a single parent. At age 14, she dropped out of high school because of massive depression and undiagnosed Attention Deficit Disorder. Amy was a non-traditional student at MSU. She was actively involved in the choral and theatre department, and was a staff writer for The Reporter in the 1990s.
Amy received a Bachelor of Science in music education. "I started college when I was 29, and finished at age 43, so A.D.D. can slow you down, but even though I didn't know what my problem was, I didn't give up," Amy said.
She was formally diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder in 2004.
"A.D.D was a condition that held me back, but I didn't even know about it," Amy explained. "I had a 180-degree turn in my life when I realized that I had a condition and was formally diagnosed. I had to take charge of my situation, until I got things right."
Upon graduation, Amy had more than 500 credits beneath her belt because she was interested in courses outside of her major.
When Amy and James aren't writing or working on songs in their home recording studio, Amy keeps herself busy with her job as a radio announcer and does a Sunday show on AM 860 KNUJ called "The Sunday Polka Parade."
She's also an actress and works at the New Ulm Area Actors Community Theater. In October Amy will star as the fairy godmother in the upcoming performance of "Cinderella."
Amy's husband James is a music composer and an accomplished guitarist. He holds a doctorate in emergency medical practice and James is a specialist in travel medicine and practices emergency medicine at the New Ulm Medical Center.
"Molly and Sonny Boy" will be at the Coffee Hag at 329 N. Riverfront Drive Oct 4 at 8 p.m. on Saturday. Expect to hear some of their crowd-pleasing favorites such as, "I Got You Babe," "Long Black Veil" and "Down Home Girl." Some of their original tracks include "Superman, I wish I was you!" and "A.D.D Blues."
"I guess it must be the excitement that comes from being in front of an audience," said Amy, referring to her favorite thing about performing. "And the thrill that comes from finding out the audiences really like our home made songs."
Brittany Larson is a Reporter staff writer
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