Through a blending of styles, both antique and modern, classical and elemental, torch and bluesy, crystalline and rough, Erin McNamee’s voice entwines and explores and invents itself. This 27-year old singer-songwriter has been singing and studying the function of her voice for over thirteen years, and has been performing on local Seattle stages for large and small audiences equally as long. In 2002, Erin completed her Bachelor of Music degree at the prestigious Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle, WA. She continues to live and work in Seattle, both as a soloist and with her band Siren Song. She can often be seen in singing and playing in Seattle’s cafés, pubs and restaurants. Erin got her start at the age of 16, as a young singer-songwriter, playing at open mics and singing to crowds in any dive that would lend her an audience. Being of Irish and Scottish descent, from the time she was very young, Erin developed a passion for singing traditional Irish/ Celtic music, and the way the old Sean Nos (old time) nuances and sensibilities come out in her voice is uncanny.

Born in the small town of Sultan, in Washington State, this Northwest native began exploring the Seattle area for music education opportunities at a young age. Knowing only that she was serious about singing, at age ten, Erin started taking private voice lessons from New York/ Seattle based opera singer, Sheila Wormer. In 1990 she auditioned for the Seattle Girls Choir, an organization of great international acclaim and arguably, one of the best youth choirs in the United States. Upon acceptance, Erin committed herself for the next eight years to rehearsing, performing, recording and touring with a world renowned choir with high standards of musical excellence, under the artistic direction of Dr. Jerome Wright. With the same momentum she gained through singing in the choir, Erin auditioned and sang in the youth choruses with Seattle Opera and Seattle Symphony. At age 13 Sheila Wormer’s small company hired her sing the role of “the Shepherdess” in a concert performance of Act III of Puccini’s “Tosca” with Thalia Symphony. At 17, she began studying voice under internationally decorated mezzo- soprano, Lois White. She was an active chorister and soloist with the girl’s choir throughout high school and eventually traveled through Norway, Denmark, Germany and France on a European tour with them in 1998. Erin sang as a soloist on their second CD, “Jackson Berkey Meets the Seattle Girls Choir,” released in 1999 on Soli Deo Gloria records.

Erin picked up the guitar at age thirteen, intent upon accompanying herself in singing and writing music. She had a quick ear. After teaching herself guitar basics from books and by ear, she took up lessons with Guitarist, Gregory Norgaard. Learning to play guitar sparked her passion for interpreting and giving new life to old songs. Erin started researching and delving into the rich history of folk, trad, jazz and blues music. It seemed to be a perfect fit when she started schooling at Cornish in the fall of 1998. There at school, she had the unique opportunity to continue her classical voice training as well as practicing art songs, jazz and other vocal styles she was into. She continued to write songs on her own. Erin sings opera, classical, chant, cabaret, jazz standards, music-theater, blues, roots, country, bluegrass, folk music, rock, Irish traditional, sean nos, Celtic and original music. Her song repertoire consists of nearly 200 songs.

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