Emily Strayer | |
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 Emily Strayer in 2010 | |
| Background information | |
| Also known as | Emily Robison |
| Born | Emily Burns Erwin (1972-08-16)August 16, 1972 (age 53) |
| Origin | Dallas, Texas, U.S. |
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| Years active | 1989–present |
| Labels | |
| Member of | The Chicks |
| Formerly of | Court Yard Hounds |
Spouses | |
| Website | thechicks courtyardhounds |
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Emily Burns Strayer (néeErwin, previouslyRobison; born August 16, 1972) is an American songwriter, singer, multi-instrumentalist, and a founding member of thecountry bandthe Chicks, formerly known as the Dixie Chicks. Strayer playsbanjo,dobro, guitar, lap steel,bass,mandolin,accordion,fiddle,piano, andsitar. Initially in her career with the Chicks, she limited her singing to harmony with backing vocals, but within her role in theCourt Yard Hounds, she took on the role of lead vocalist.
Emily Erwin was born inPittsfield, Massachusetts. Parents Paul Erwin and Barbara Trask moved the family to the suburban town ofAddison, Texas, on the northern edge ofDallas, where she was raised with her two older sisters, Julia andMartha. Her parents were both educators and nurtured the growing interest that both Emily and Martha (later nicknamed Martie) shared, and together both sisters became proficient on several instruments while in elementary school.
Emily began playing the violin at age seven, and thebanjo at age ten, afterward learning all thestring instruments she could find.[1] Years later, Martie joked that Emily was better than she at the fiddle, and because she wanted to keep the fiddle as her instrument, she forced Emily to learn something else.[2] Emily responded by mastering the five string banjo, by reading books to teach herself thechord progressions.[1]
From 1984–1989, Jane Frost (Director of thePatsy Montana Museum and theWalnut Valley Festival inWinfield, Kansas) remembers watching the sisters mature, teaming up with schoolmates Troy andSharon Gilchrist. The foursome were touring in a teenagebluegrass group they named the Blue Night Express, in part because of the amount of traveling they had to do to reach far away festivals, frequently with a parent or friend of the family towing them back home long after dark at night. They thought it was worth the sacrifices to meet their musical heroes and experienced the friendly camaraderie and tricks of the trade on instruments from others. The sisters were said to have an "almost obsessive" interest inbusking at small venues and attending bluegrass festivals.[3][4] After Martie graduated from secondary school atGreenhill School with Emily still completing her studies, both remained active in the bluegrass scene.
In 1989, after years of attendingbluegrassfestivals andbusking where they could, Emily joined her sister Martie, guitarist Robin Lynn Macy, andupright bass playerLaura Lynch. Frost, again, recalls being privy to the discussion that the four women had about the possibility of a successful career as musicians together. Martie felt they could do well. Robin said, ".. It's going to be a 'hot' band," to which Emily responded, "I give it six months, and if we aren't making money by then, I'm out of here!".[3] Emily was shy, and the youngest member of the group. She had enjoyed playing throughout school, but was at an age where she was already entertaining thoughts of working hard to be accepted by theUnited States Air Force Academy.[5]
By 1993, the band had evolved into a new direction. Macy left the group for a "purer"bluegrass sound. Lynch, thrust into the position of sole lead singer, was replaced by the sisters in 1995 with singer composerNatalie Maines after the group was unable to garner anything more than local interest.[6] Emily commented, "We were prepared to pay our dues for as long as it took; we were prepared for longevity. We know that we will always be playing music together, so we wanted to find someone who is just as determined and energetic as we are."[citation needed]
But in later interviews, the sisters revealed what many had thought for a long time: the reason Lynch was replaced was not commitment but a perceived lack of talent. In an article in the April/May edition ofCountry Music Magazine, Emily stated, "We felt we needed the next calibre of singer."[citation needed]
From there, massive commercial success ensued, with their 1998 and 1999 albumsWide Open Spaces andFly both achievingdiamond record status. Emily was a key element of the group's look, with her hair dyed blond to match the other two at first, and then allowing it to return to her natural brunette color, and distinguishing herself visually from the other two. Emily and Martie's instrumental virtuosity set the Dixie Chicks apart from many other country acts, male and female. Emily's songwriting has also been a factor in the Chicks' recording career.
Emily stood by Maines when the controversy over Maines' remarks about U.S. PresidentGeorge W. Bush hit the newswire on the eve before theIraq War in 2003. She was the only bandmate to realize that - while in the U.K., there was a big anti-war sentiment in the audience - back in the United States, Maines' criticism of President Bush would not be well received. Nevertheless, even when her home was trashed,[citation needed] and plenty of editorials were predicting the end of the Dixie Chicks' successful careers in music, she remained loyal to Maines, as did her sister.
Emily spent at least half of her life busking and touring nearly non-stop since high school, first with her older sister, and then with the changing lineups of the Dixie Chicks. After the bandmates celebrated their fiveGrammy Awards forTaking the Long Way, the trio all had young children and took time out to spend with them, but Emily was eager to return to writing and touring. When Emily's marriage came to an end, she began expressing herself by songwriting. Some of her compositions include her feelings about the breakup with her former husband, and expected that soon, the band would resume its former schedule of writing and performing, but Natalie Maines was reluctant to do so. After four years, Emily became "angry and frustrated", and in sending her new songs to her sister, conveyed her increasing disappointment.[7] With Natalie Maines taking a break from music,Rolling Stone magazine announced in January 2010 that Emily and sister Martie have formed a side project called theCourt Yard Hounds, with Emily as lead vocalist. The band made their live debut in March atSouth by Southwest with an album released in May 2010.[8] Emily wrote all but one of the songs on their album.[7]
On May 1, 1999, she married country singerCharlie Robison.[9] Their wedding was held at theCibolo Creek Ranch.[10]Martie Maguire later revealed on aVH1 program that during their courtship, she had written the romantic hit song, "Cowboy Take Me Away" for them. They have three children.[11][12] They divorced on August 6, 2008.[13]
She became romantically involved with Martin Strayer while composing the Court Yard Hounds album. With Strayer, she has a daughter.[14] The couple later married in 2013.
Emily Erwin of the Texas-born group married fellow Texan and musician Charlie Robison on Saturday at Cibolo Creek Ranch in the Big Bend.
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