Teen Holds Onto Her Youth
Anita Van Wyk (Calgary Sun) - January 28, 2000

Talking to Amanda Wilkinson can be a confusing encounter.

At one moment, the member of the country family trio The Wilkinsons is talking savvily about business decisions and strategic career moves, and the next she actually sounds her age and giggles about boyfriends and shopping.

The 18-year-old seems to be mature beyond her years, yet at the same time she's been able to hold on to things that are important to being a teen.

"It's kinda hard, you know, because when I call home to my friends, they sort of understand what we're doing. But on the other hand, they really don't know," explains Amanda, who along with her brother Tyler and father Steve will open for Paul Brandt Monday at the Jubilee Auditorium.

"But it's very important, especially for me at my age, to remember who I grew up with. It seems like it's small but it's huge. It's monumental in the grand scheme of things."

Friends of both Amanda and Tyler, 15, come on the road with the trio as often as possible.

"If you hung out with us, you'd know we take every opportunity to do typical nutty teenage things," says Amanda.

Like what?

"Shopping. It's horrible, but I think every girl can relate to this. When I get with my girlfriends, that's our worst sin.

"I have this horrible shoe fetish -- I'm like the Imelda Marcos of shoes. Faith Hill and I are sort of riding on each other's waves to see who gets the most shoes," she says.

Though the personable teen -- who turned 18 last month -- has been home schooled, she plans on returning to Ontario to attend graduation June 29.

She hasn't decided what she's wearing or who will be her prom date.

"Tyler is so protective of me. He keeps telling me, 'I'll go with you.' But I say, 'Tyler, it's too far away and I might have a date by then.' He says, 'No, you won't,' and he keeps trying to weasel his way in there," she says with a loving laugh.

Amanda is also proud to report that Tyler's voice is better than ever -- as you can tell for yourself at their Calgary show, or on their new album due out in April.

"On the first album, he was sort of having trouble. It wasn't that he was squeaking a lot like Peter Brady syndrome. It wasn't like that at all. It was just harder for him to hit the notes he did before.

"We were sort of worried about it and everyone was because you never know with something like that. But when you hear the new album, it's amazing. He sounds like a young man -- it's incredible. I'm so proud of him.

"He's still a crazy kid who loves to crack jokes and our producer was saying it was like Roger Rabbit stepping up to the microphone and Frank Sinatra came out."

The family trio, who cleaned up at the Canadian Country Music Awards last September, is also looking forward to performing back in their homeland.

"It's exciting that (Paul Brandt) has asked us to come. Sometimes it feels like we're being pulled in so many directions, but with Canada being home there's always this great feeling when you do a show there. It's weird to say but everyone there seems like family," says Amanda.