IlyAIMY explained

ilyAIMY
Origin:	Baltimore, Maryland, United States
Genre:	folk, neo-folk, acoustic rock
Years Active:	–present
Current Members:	rob Hinkal, Heather Aubrey Lloyd, Kristen Jones, Rowan Corbett, Sharif Kellog, Joey Jenkins

ilyAIMY (; stylized as ilyĀIMY) is an American folk music band.

ilyAIMY has developed a following primarily through folk music festivals such as Eddie's Attic Acoustic Shootout and coffeehouses in the Mid-Atlantic, northeastern, and Midwestern areas of the United States. ilyAIMY has toured in many parts of the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The band is symbolized by an iconic spine created by Hinkal.

Members

• rob Hinkal – acoustic guitar, vocals
• Heather Aubrey Lloyd – acoustic guitar, vocals, cajón, djembe
• Kristen Jones – cello, electric cello, vocals
• Rowan Corbett – djembe, bones, cajón, percussion, vocals
• Sharif – bass guitar, keyboard
• Joey Jenkins – percussion

Former Members

• Audrey Engdahl – acoustic guitar, vocals
• Frank Rusch – bass guitar
• Alfred Kamajian – percussion

History

ilyAIMY was originally inspired by a four-member musical ensemble called "i love you And I MIss You" formed in the mid-1990s, with members rob Hinkal, William Schaff, Carin Wagner (now Sloan), and Sonny Roelle, all of whom were students at the Maryland Institute College of Art. The band released a two-cassette (90 minutes each) collection of songs, and it recorded another that was not released.

ilyAIMY was formed in 1999.^[1] The band released its first album under the name ilyAIMY in 2003. Heather Aubry Lloyd joined the band in the summer of 2001. Rowan Corbett and Sharif joined around 2003. Kristen Jones joined in 2009. Joey Jenkins joined around 2017.

The band, primarily in the form of Hinkal and Lloyd, has toured the country since September 1, 2003.

The band is known for its high-energy blend of folk, jazz, rock, soul, and blues.^[2]

Name etymology

The name ilyAIMY is an acronym for "I love you and I miss you",^[3] inspired by William Schaff's musical ensemble of the same name.

Discography

• I Love You and I Miss You, 1996
• Jump starting the Bus, 1997
• The Grave, 1998
• Strength in Hare, 1998
• Clockwork Wooden Mouse Dreams, 1998
• Strength in Hare - A Mere Demonstration, 2000
• Wingsweep/Wingswept, 2000
• Bulldozer Not Included, 2001
• Myxomatosis Failed, 2003^[4]
• On Luck On Fumes On Spit On Love, 2003^[5]
• Myxomatosis Took Its Toll, 2005^[6]
• the fifth circle, 2006^[7]
• Between Lover and Twilight, 2007^[8]
• A Gift for Saint Cecilia, 2009^[9]
• Another Life/Another Live (Double CD) 2013^[10]
• Cicada, 2017^[11]
• Live at the New Deal Cafe, 2020^[12]
• Chords of Courage Volume One, 2022^[13]

Heather Aubrey Lloyd

• Samples, 2010 (as Heather Lloyd)^[14]
• A Message in the Mess, 2017^[15]
• The Lucky Ones, 2018^[16]

Kristen Jones

• Seasons, 2017^[17]

Book

• Eat Like An Acoustic Grunge Band, 2017.

Awards

• 2021 Mid-Atlantic Song Contest – Gold in Covid-19 Song Category for "My Kinda Quarantiner" (Heather Aubrey Lloyd)^[18]
• 2021 Northeast Regional Folk Alliance award for "My Kinda Quarantiner"(Heather Aubrey Lloyd)^[19]
• 2021 Mid-Atlantic Song Contest – Freedom Song Category for "unEven" (rob Hinkal)^[18]
• 2019-2020 Silver – Mid-Atlantic Song Contest, Adult Contemporary – Grand Prize Winner – Bernard Ebb Songwriting Award
• 2017–2018 SERFA – Formal Showcase – Nat'l Women's Music Fest – New Artist – Falcon Ridge Folk Fest – Most Wanted – Telluride Folk Fest – (4th) Troubadour – Mid-Atlantic Song Contest – Director's Award, Album of the Year – Rocky Mtn. Folks Fest – Honorable Mention
• 2016 American Songwriter Magazine Lyric Contest – Honorable Mention
• 2015 Washington Area Music Awards "Best Contemporary Folk / Acoustic Artist"
• 2014 Washington Area Music Awards "Best Contemporary Folk / Acoustic Artist"
• 2013 Sound Off Live!^[20]
• 2012 Northeast Regional Folk Alliance Formal Showcase Artist
• 2012 Falcon Ridge Folk Festival Most-Wanted Artist
• 2011 Northeast Regional Folk Alliance DJ Showcase Artist
• 2011 Falcon Ridge Folk Festival Emerging Artist
• 2010 Mid-Atlantic Formal Showcase Artist – National Association for Campus Activities
• 2009 Finalist Eddie's Attic Acoustic Open Mic Shootout
• 2007: "In the Water" selected as "One of the Best Songs of 2006" by www.indieacoustic.com
• 2006: Heather Aubry Lloyd – Honorable Mention in the International Narrative Song Contest ("In the Water")
• 2006: Heather Aubry Lloyd – Winner of the Cape Fear Folk Festival High Noon Shootout
• 2006: Heather Aubry Lloyd – Finalist at the Susquehanna Music and Arts Festival Singer/Songwriter Competition
• 2005: Finalists at Eddie's Attic Acoustic Open Mic Shootout XXII
• 2005: rob Hinkal – Finalist at the Grassy Hill Kerrville New Folk
• 2005: rob Hinkal – 3rd place at the Susquehanna Music and Arts Festival Singer/Songwriter Competition
• 2005: Heather Aubry Lloyd – Finalist at the Susquehanna Music and Arts Festival Singer/Songwriter Competition
• 2004: Winner at the Takoma Park Folk Festival Emerging Artist Showcase
• 2002: Nominated Best Contemporary Folk Group or Duo, Washington Area Music Association
• 2001: Nominated Best Alternative Rock Album for Wingsweep/Wingswept, Washington Area Music Association

Notes and References

1. "Meet the Band: ilyAIMY (i love you And I Miss You)". The Baltimore Sun. May 5, 2005. p. T5.
2. "Concert series to continue at Talbot Senior Center". The Star-Democrat (Easton, Maryland). October 7, 2019. p. A2.
3. Duck, Michael (August 15, 2010). "A band's-eye view of fest". The Morning Call (Allentown, Pennsylvania). p. 6.
4. Myxomatosis Failed. ilyAIMY. via Bandcamp. September 1, 2003.
5. on Luck on Fumes on Spit on Love. ilyAIMY. via Bandcamp. September 2, 2003.
6. Myxomatosis Took Its Toll. ilyAIMY. via Bandcamp. January 1, 2005.
7. the fifth circle. ilyAIMY. via Bandcamp. January 1, 2006.
8. Between Lover and Twilight. ilyAIMY. via Bandcamp. August 12, 2007.
9. A Gift For Saint Cecilia. ilyAIMY. via Bandcamp. August 1, 2009.
10. Another Life/Another Live. ilyAIMY. via Bandcamp. September 8, 2013.
11. Cicada. ilyAIMY. via Bandcamp. June 15, 2017.
12. Live at the New Deal Cafe. ilyAIMY. via Bandcamp. May 1, 2020.
13. Chords of Courage Volume One. IlyAIMY. via Bandcamp. December 2, 2022.
14. Samples. Heather Lloyd. via Bandcamp. August 1, 2010.
15. A Message in the Mess. Heather Aubrey Lloyd. via Bandcamp. February 24, 2017.
16. The Lucky Ones. Heather Aubrey Lloyd. via Bandcamp. July 31, 2018.
17. Seasons (Chris Cornell cello cover). Kristen Jones. via Bandcamp. June 1, 2017.
18. "MASC 37 Winning Songs". The Songwriters' Association of Washington. 2021.
19. "My Kinda Quarantiner - Heather Aubrey Lloyd (NPR Tiny Desk Contest Submission 2021)". Heather Aubrey Lloyd. via YouTube. January 17, 2022.
20. "Sound Off Competition". The Baltimore Sun. July 18, 2013. p. T15.