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MP3 Vicky Emerson - Hold On
6 MP3 Songs
POP: Today''s Top 40, POP: Folky Pop
Details:
Vicky was born and raised in the small, wonderfully quirky village of Elmwood,
Wisconsin. With a population of 742 people and an affinity for UFO sightings (it is the
self proclaimed "UFO Capital of the World"), this could be categorized as an eccentric
community, and Vicky''s music reflects her town''s charm. As a child, music was a
frequent, if not constant, presence in Vicky''s home. She grew up listening to the Beach
Boys (Dad''s favorite), Anne Murray (Mom''s favorite) and The Smurf Album (Vicky''s
favorite). "I remember receiving my first boom box for Christmas and I was ecstatic. I sat
in my room listening to all kinds of music, but Madonna and Cyndi Lauper were my
favorites at the time. I also remember a secret yearning, as I learned to play their songs on
my piano that I wanted to see my picture on a cassette tape that contained my music."
Vicky attended college at The University of Wisconsin at River Falls, where she
continued her training on the piano as well as a myriad of other instruments including the
flute, organ, saxophone, trumpet, oboe, and marimba. It was also in college where she
began writing music in a more formal way, and much to her delight, found it more
stimulating and more rewarding than performing at piano recitals or concerts. She began
listening to Fiona Apple, Tori Amos, Dave Matthews and Sarah McLachlan, and was
intrigued by the art of songwriting and the power a three-minute story can have over
one''s emotions.
Immediately after graduating with a music degree in 1998, Vicky attended St. Mary''s
University in St. Paul, MN and earned a master''s degree in Arts Administration (to quote
her father, "Just in case!") and did what any accomplished musician would do, she
accepted a job at a construction company as an accounting administrator.
Though the business experience proved invaluable, Vicky discovered very quickly that
life behind a desk was not nearly as rewarding as life behind a piano and in 2000; she left
the construction company, and started writing songs for "Moment of Clarity", her first
original piano solo CD. "My whole life changed for the better when I found my focus and
began to accept who I was as a person and that I AM a musician. It was an excellent test
for me and I quickly chose to be a musician first".
It was at that time Vicky moved to Chicago for a year, marketing her CD while playing
piano at Nordstrom''s. Besides providing Vicky with a well-stocked shoe closet, this job
was an excellent opportunity to learn about song structure as she studied and played
popular music from every decade for her fans at Nordstrom''s.
It was in Chicago where Vicky released another piano solo album, "A Winter Moment",
a collection of original and traditional holiday music, which has gone on to sell thousands
of copies on Vicky''s self-started record label, Triad Entertainment. It was also there
where she began to write her first vocal songs.
The year of 2002 was a hectic period of transition as Vicky moved back to Minnesota and
began working as a fundraiser for the Minnesota Opera. At night Vicky would take voice
lessons, play open mics and write and record demos. On weekends she would pack up her
keyboard and travel across the Midwest, playing and promoting her CD''s, including her
critically acclaimed and most powerful piano solo album, "Dream With Me" which she
recorded at this time.
In October of 2003, Vicky performed her first full-fledged vocal/piano show, an audition
for G.L Berg Entertainment. It was a concert filled with emotion, and by the time the
final encore was performed, Vicky officially emerged as a singer-songwriter. "There are
moments in your life when you don''t need a picture because they are that clear in your
memory. That night is one of mine. I had ventured a huge leap of faith in myself
assuming I could entertain an audience with my songs. But I did it and the agency signed
me shortly afterwards."
It was an enormous step in her career and allowed Vicky to quit her job at the Opera and
focus her energies entirely on creating and performing music. "I realize I am so fortunate
for this opportunity to do what I love to do full-time. I feel this incredible freedom when I work on material for the next album...I''ll spend hours playing with melodies and
working on song ideas. It''s absolutely fabulous."
In 2004 Vicky''s enthusiasm and dedication as well as the personal sadness she had been
experiencing at this time manifested itself in her breakout EP "Hold On" a six-song
collection of deeply emotional songs beautifully reflecting a sad and introspective period
in her life.
As Vicky steadily worked her way through this period of her life, her career was
beginning to take off. She traveled to Austin, Texas where one of her songs was
nominated in a contest held by the Austin Songwriters Group and instantly fell in love
with the city and its people. She returned to Texas a few months later when she won a
scholarship to the Old Number 9 Songwriting Workshop hosted by Lloyd Maines and
Terri Hendrix. "This was a life-changing weekend for me. To hear Lloyd and Terri play
and also to receive such an enthusiastic response to my tunes was the shot in the arm I
needed before I returned to Minneapolis to begin working on the new album."
These two trips to Austin shaped Vicky''s career, her songwriting style and her lifestyle
like nothing else ever had. She returned from Texas energized and focused with a
newfound confidence in her ability to write and perform music. Vicky''s live shows had
always been a night to remember, but after Texas they became a love fest between Vicky
and her audiences. With passion, humor and a voice as warm as a spring day she opened
up her heart to the crowds and invited them into her life and the response was fantastic.
Her live shows took on a life of there own, no two of ever being the same. "When I
returned from Texas, I stopped using a set list. This allowed me the freedom to really
tune into the audience and what they wanted to hear, not necessarily what I wanted to
play. It allowed me to discover that intimacy between the audience and performer during
a live performance and has worked tremendously well."
Armed with this newfound confidence and energy she began writing the best songs of her
career. Always a prolific writer, Vicky now had taken her songwriting to a new level. It
was the best of these songs that made their way to her new CD, "Reach", which Vicky
co-produced with Mathew Freed. "Stepping out as a producer on this album was an
incredibly rewarding experience and a vital part of this project. I was fortunate enough to
work with Dean Magraw, whose guitar playing shines on this album, and also with many
other very talented musicians from Minneapolis." "Reach" immediately received rave
reviews and established Vicky''s credentials as a powerful and significant songwriter.
2006 promises to be a very big year for Vicky as she will tour nationally throughout the
year to promote "Reach." "I LOVE touring. I don''t mind being in a car. I listen to music,
sing, write songs, daydream about cowboys (ha!) and write material for the shows. It''s a
completely freeing experience to pick up and leave your comfort zone. I also love
meeting people from all over the country and playing music for them. I have the best job
on the planet."
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