Amy Lynn Hartzler, professionally known as Amy Lee, was born on December 13, 1981, to John Lee, a disc jockey and voiceover artist, and Sara Cargill.
As a child, Amy trained in classical piano, initially inspired by the works of Mozart and Danny Elfman's film scores.
The sudden loss of her little sister at the tender age of six had a profound impact on her emotional state and outlook on life.
Amy's family relocated several times during her preteen years, including stints in Florida, Illinois, and finally settling in Little Rock, Arkansas.
At the age of 13, Amy met 14-year-old guitarist Ben Moody at a summer camp, where she played piano and he played acoustic guitar.
They began writing and performing music together, playing at local shops and cafes, and eventually decided on the name Evanescence.
The duo released independent EPs and a demo CD, which caught the attention of Wind-Up Records, leading to their signing in 2001.
Their debut album "Fallen" was released in 2003, achieving major commercial success thanks to hit singles such as "Bring Me To Life" and "My Immortal".
The album was followed by "The Open Door" in 2006, the self-titled album "Evanescence" in 2011, the orchestral-electronica album Synthesis in 2017, and their latest album, The Bitter Truth in 2021.
As a solo artist, Amy has composed soundtracks for films, including the indie film War Story (2014) with friend and cellist Dave Eggar.
She has also contributed to various musical projects, such as the Underworld (2003) soundtrack, Nightmare Revisited (2008),Muppets: The Green Album (2011),and We Walk The Line: A Celebration of the Music of Johnny Cash (2012).
Amy has released a covers EP, a film soundtrack, and a children's album, and has collaborated with artists such as Korn, Bring Me the Horizon, Seether, Lindsey Stirling, and Dave Stewart.
