Stage continues to grow for Kendall County country musician Annie Vander

The stage continues to get bigger for Yorkville resident and country musician Annie Vander.

Vander has earned two Josie Music Award nominations for the video to her song “He Himself & Him,” which was filmed at the Persimmon Room at Whitetail Ridge Golf Club in Yorkville and on the grounds of the golf club. Kendall County Now/Record Newspapers premiered the video last November.

She is nominated for female video of the year and best performance in a music video. The Josie Music Awards recognize independent musicians.

Winners will be announced in October at an awards ceremony at the Grand Old Opry in Nashville. Vander is just happy to be nominated.

“That’s pretty exciting,” Vander said. “I was kind of surprised but excited. It’s an honor to be nominated for sure.”

The song, which made its debut on the MusicRow Country Breakout Radio Chart, was written by her producer, David Norris, along with songwriter Cece DuBois. In the video, Vander plays a waitress/bartender seeing the frustrations of other women as they deal with ego-filled men on dates.

Her husband, Brian, is featured as one of the patrons in the video. Other people from the area are also featured in the video.

And in another local tie, the video was produced and directed by Plainfield-based Imagination Designers.

“I found a good team of producers in Plainfield,” Vander said. “I feel like it’s a community effort and I feel like that chemistry just showed on screen.”

Through hosting open mic nights, including at Whitetail Ridge and Grace Coffee and Wine in Yorkville, Vander has discovered many talented musicians.

“I like to kind of nurture and help the artists,” she said. “Two of the artists that have come to the open mic nights I have introduced to my producer in Nashville. One has recorded a full EP with him. She’s a young talent. She’s only 14 years old. She’s going to be a real powerhouse.”

Through the open mic nights, Vander has watched artists grow musically, which she is happy to see.

“I think that’s the most rewarding thing I do,” she said.

Vander continues to get her music out to more people. In July, she performed at Soldier Field during pre-game and halftime at a Chicago Fire FC game. That was the biggest venue Vander has performed at.

She estimated between 20,000 and 30,000 people were in attendance when she performed.

“I had a ball,” she said. “It was so much fun. It was an experience like no other.”

At one point, Vander asked the crowd if they wanted to see the team win.

“I had everybody scream, ‘Fire!’ ‘’ Vander said. “It was just fun and special.”

During her appearance, Vander performed her latest country single, “Rock In My Shoe,” which she wrote. The crowd responded well to the song.

“That song was grabbing their attention,” Vander said. “By the time I got to the second chorus, people were singing it back. I still can’t believe that happened. Being able to perform it at Soldier Field and seeing them react like that was something as an artist I will never forget. It felt validating.”

The song is about overcoming obstacles, something which she is familiar with. Before becoming a musician, Vander had worked in the veterinary field as a technician and then had a dog training, pet sitting and dog walking business, Who Wants to Pawty. Her life changed after she shattered one of her wrists following a fall in January 2019 and developed complex regional pain syndrome.

She now is in remission.

“It has healed up pretty well,” Vander said. “I just keep plugging along.”

After her accident, she turned her sights to being a musician. She talks about her start as a country music artist in her song “Falling Into Nashville.” The song had enough radio play to get her on the Music Row Country Breakout Chart.

Vander just hopes her music touches people in some way.

“If they say that the lyrics made them feel good or made them feel any kind of emotion, you know you did something right,” she said.

More information about Vander is at her website, annievandermusic.com.