The Show

Emily Earle and Tom Whall

Episode 551

Artist: Emily Earle and Tom Whall

EMILY EARLE (OF THE VOICE) W/ TOM WHALL

After leaving an indelible mark during a successful run on season three of NBC’s The Voice, and earning high praise from the likes of CeeLo Green and Blake Shelton along the way, the rest of America now knows what her fans learned long ago—Emily Earle is one of the most uniquely talented and genuine singer/songwriters to come along in quite awhile. And she has only just begun.

Earle, a Colorado native, was writing, singing and performing long before her smooth vocals caught the ear of Green on the popular primetime television show. Her rise to national prominence, however, has modest beginnings that have helped shape the relatable image she enjoys today. Emily’s first creative ventures were the short stories and poems she crafted in elementary school. Though simple, these written works reveal a fearless youngster who had something to say to the world. Little did she know that these creative expressions would be the foundation for an eventual career in songwriting.

Emily picked up a guitar for the first time during her teenage years, doing so out of necessity. Told she could not audition for her high school’s year-end concert unless she was able to accompany herself musically, Earle promptly went home and taught herself Buddy Holly’s “It’s So Easy” on the instrument that night. Emily aced the audition the next day and has been playing guitar ever since. As Emily came to realize that music was the only thing she truly wanted to do with her life, the poems and short stores eventually gave way to songwriting. And some of her earliest songs were born out of her experiences as a peer counselor in high school: “I started writing songs specifically because I wanted give a voice to people who felt stuck or couldn’t speak up for themselves,” she says. “It was my hope that the people who were hurting others would hear what I had written and would think twice before doing so again.” After cultivating her talents during three years at Berklee College of Music in Boston, Emily set out for New York City, where she further honed her one-of-a-kind style by playing Gotham’s subways and some of the city’s top venues.

Influenced by a diverse array of artists such as Sheryl Crow, Joni Mitchell, and Hall & Oates, she likens her songwriting process to painting, whereby simple words are transformed into emotions by adding melodies and rhythms much the same way a drawing evolves with the addition of colors and textures. Buoyed by her growing experience and confidence, Emily served notice that she is a rising star when she auditioned the iconic Johnny Cash song “Ring of Fire” (https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/emily-earle/id561849095) to secure her spot on The Voice. Now living in Nashville, Emily Earle continues her musical journey every day. In addition to her national television appearances, she has also performed on stage in Las Vegas with CeeLo Green and The Muppets, toured with her uncle (legendary American singer/songwriter) Steve Earle, and has had her work featured on AmericanSongSpace.com. Emily’s New EP News From Colorado is now online for streaming For more about Emily Earle go to http://www.EmilyEarle.com TOM WHALL: www.tomwhall.bandcamp.com

Session Photos

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