EARLVILLE – Though only in her mid twenties, award winning Scottish singer and songwriter Emily Smith has firmly established herself as one of Scotland’s leading lights in folk music. Her band, which has toured worldwide, will be playing in the Earlville Opera House Arts Café at 8 p.m., Saturday, April 14.
Since becoming BBC Young Traditional Musician of the Year in 2002, Smith has gone on to gain further accolades of ‘Up and Coming Artist of the Year’ nominee (Scots Trad Music Awards, 2003) and ‘Scots Singer of the Year’ nominee (Scots Trad Music Awards, 2005). She gained an Honors degree in Scottish Music at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama and is now not only a respected interpreter of traditional songs but is also gathering interest with her own compelling songwriting. To date, she has released two studio albums ‘A Day Like Today’ (Footstompin’ Records, 2002) and ‘A Different Life’ (White Fall Records, 2005) both to critical acclaim. Her third album is due for release in Autumn 2007.
Raised in rural Dumfriesshire in the South West of Scotland, Smith has always held a passion for local history and a keen sense of belonging, which shines through in her music and the enthusiasm she displays when talking of her home region. “Dumfries and Galloway is often a forgotten part of Scotland and through my material, whether traditional or my own songs, I try to portray the beauty and diversity of where I come from” Smith said. “I love being able to sing a song and picture the exact setting of where the event took place, or to sing some of Robert Burns’ material and know that he traveled the same roads and admired the same landscapes as I do today.”
Many of the traditional ballads in her repertoire are sourced in Dumfriesshire, and with her fresh approach of creating new melodies and settings for texts, she gives ancient works new life. Emily’s vocals are complimented by the imaginative backing of her band on fiddle and guitars, and she adds piano and accordion. On stage, Smith’s manner is relaxed and informative. Her show is song based, and with a few upbeat instrumental sets thrown in for good measure, audiences can be assured of an energetic and varied performance. For more information on Emily Smith, visit www.emilysmith.org.
The spring series continues in the Arts Café with David Francey at 4 p.m., Sunday, April 29. Born in Scotland, but raised in Toronto, David Francey manages to hold onto his Scottish roots while incorporating his Canadian upbringing to create an extraordinary folk performance. This Juno-winning carpenter-turned-songwriter is compelling with his observations, yarns, confessions, hopes, dreams and regrets. His deep understanding of the Canadian musical landscape and its people has helped form his music and elevate him to a storyteller as well as a singer-songwriter.
