Artist Information Biography Wordsmith packs a smart punch.  Emily Hurd does not craft tunes for the faint of heart.  With the vocal beauty of Shawn Colvin, the lyrical depth of Bob Dylan, and the piano delivery of Vince Guaraldi, Hurd has been hailed as the answer to the cookie cutter pop artist. A native of Rockford, Illinois, Hurd has been touring her native midwest and both coasts of the U.S. for years.  Well-traveled and well-versed, she is the quintessential indie national act, performing for growing pockets of loyal followers who revel in her clever rhymes and honest performance style.  Backed by a band, Hurd blasts through her tunes with Joplinesque soul.  She has shared the stage with Bettye Lavette, Ozomatli, and Irma Thomas, to name a few.  On her own, she candidly roots her audience into her storytelling and storyselling, and has opened as a solo act for the likes of Roger McGuinn and Geoff Muldaur. As a child, Emily spent most of her upbringing immersed in music.  She still counts Hoagie Carmichael, Kris Kristofferson, and Scott Joplin as her biggest musical influences.  Through high school, culinary school, and later while getting her BA in Music Business from Columbia College in Chicago, Hurd developed a fondness for Solomon Burke, Tom Waits, Erik Satie, Neutral Milk Hotel, Claude Debussy, Greg Brown, Mavis Staples,  Devil In A Woodpile, Lyle Lovett, and Wood Brothers.    She currently plays piano, ukulele, and harmonica at her live shows. "Like most things, songwriting is more a function of being open than it is about skill," Hurd says.  Assuming this to be true, her open nature has won her the praise of critics and judges internationally.  Her song "The Likes Of You" was a winner in the 2008 Unisong International Songwriting Contest, and "Make a Bed" was a finalist in the 2008 John Lennon Songwriting Contest. Hurd is in the middle of making her 6th record of original music, which will be released in late 2009.  She promises it will be "her best yet," backed by a full band and string quartet.  Her past discography includes: "A Cache In The Warehouse Floor," 2008, "Love In Flats," 2007, "Barefoot Session," 2006, "Potent One," 2006, "Lines," 2005. Instrumentation Discography Lines 2005 Potent One 2006 The Barefoot Session 2006 Love In Flats 2007 A Cache In The Warehouse Floor 2008 Links http://www.emilyhurd.com Myspace Website Reverbnation