Anna Fermin

Born in the Philippines, Anna Fermin arrived in the United States during childhood, after which her family established a home in Kenosha, Wisconsin. There she trained in voice, violin, and piano. During adolescence she favored mainstream pop until an ex-boyfriend introduced her to country music through a Steve Earle recording. In 1989 she moved to Chicago for art school, soon acquired an acoustic guitar, mastered it independently, and eventually composed her debut composition, “August Moon.” Following the breakup of her initial group, Anaboy, she performed alone at neighborhood coffeehouses and open-mic events before assembling Trigger Gospel alongside ex-Riptones guitarist Andon Davis, upright bassist Mike Kranyiak, and drummer Paul Bivans. The quartet took its name from an old Western paperback and released a self-titled EP in 1997. The next spring, their appearance at South by Southwest drew the interest of Nashville pedal steel legend Lloyd Maines, who subsequently produced the band’s first full-length album, 1999’s Things to Come. Early 2002 brought Live Music, Vol. One, an acoustic recording captured at Chicago’s Old Town School of Folk Music.