Erin Sydney Welsh
Clarence Center
"She's got the confidence and stage savvy of a far more experienced performer. If you've ever wondered what it must have been like to catch Ani DiFranco as an unknown teenager in a Buffalo bar, this may be the closest you'll ever come." ~Phó Malpica
"The precocious singer/songwriter Erin Sydney Welsh shared her brand of Tracy Chapman-ish folk, which featured some impressive lyrical twists for a 13-year-old." ~Joe Sweeney, The Buffalo News
"The list of many young artists at Music is Art continued with acts such as Erin Sydney Welsh, whose surprising range and a little bit of soul complimented her witty adolescent lyrics." ~Leigh Giangreco, The Buffalo News Next
"A 13 year old songwriter and singer who conveys great messages through her music." ~ buffalobarfly.com
Erin Sydney Welsh has been earning reviews like these as she has taken her music from Buffalo to Boston, and from hotels to hookah lounges, at the start of her musical journey.
"Start" may be the wrong word, since Erin's first musical steps began at the age of four, when she studied violin at Buffalo Suzuki Strings. Years of formal study on violin, and later piano, both trained Erin's ear and gave her an appreciation for practice and refinement in music.
For her birthday in 2007, Erin received a special gift, a "Taylor Baby" guitar fitted to her then 11-year-old hands. Something about the guitar clicked in Erin, and she began writing music suited to her developing voice, and lyrics based upon her experiences and views on life.
As Erin started to share her music, people took notice. In 2008, she was invited to take part in Buffalo Homecoming, and to perform on several radio shows and telecasts. Also in 2008, Erin recorded her first CD; a five-song compilation of her original songs entitled, "Hug a Tree." That CD showcased Erin's voice from the softest ballad to gospel-type belting, as well as a lyrical style blending clever, expressive words with a deep social conscience.
2009 brought an explosion of Erin's development as a songwriter and performer, and exposure to audiences of many types. Erin's indie-folk style began taking on shades of blues, jazz, and soul. Her live performances brought her to the Tonawanda Folk Festival, the Buffalo Infringement Festival (where she received the "Iffy" Award as best female acoustic performer,) the huge Music is Art Festival, and finally the Little River Blues Festival - with Erin showing a different side of herself at each venue.
2009 also brought Erin back to Audio Magic studio, to record seven more original songs. Some of those songs caught the ear of Nick Noble, noted folk music expert and the host of New England Public Radio WICN's Folk Revival program. Noble made Erin his in-studio guest, and he has frequently featured her as an example of the best emerging talents on the American folk music scene.
2009 also saw Erin expand her growing group of loyal fans. From her home base in Clarence, New York, she travelled to Buffalo, Lancaster, Tonawanda, Lockport, Niagara Falls, Delavan, and ultimately, to Salem and Worcester, Massachusetts, playing clubs, coffee houses, and festivals. The end of 2009 finds Erin regularly on stage, and planning her 2010 tour in support of her just-released self-titled CD.
Where will Erin's musical journey take her? No one knows for sure. In the meantime, she looks forward to each new step into the wonderful future
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