Emily Strand enjoyed a 15+ year career as an independent performing songwriter “who specializes in smart, confident and organic Pop songs.” (Cincinnati CityBeat) Strand, a Cincinnati native, played regionally out of Evansville, IN, Nashville, TN, Cincinnati, OH and finally Dayton, OH, where she hosted a local and regional songwriter showcase for women in music. During her performing songwriter career, Emily won awards, critical acclaim, and opportunities to open for acts like the Violent Femmes, Mark Dignum, Sister Hazel and others.
Strand’s dynamic and roots-rocking band, The Town — made up of Cincinnati veterans Shawn Elsbernd, Scott Hacker, Ashley Shepherd and Whitney B. Szabo — won the top prize of “Tri-State’s Best Unsigned Band” in modern rock radio station’s 97X (now WOXY.com) “97Xposure” competition in 2003. Strand and The Town were also named as one of the Top Ten acts of 2004 in a year end critics’ poll in CityBeat.
In January 2005 Strand’s song “Lou” took the prestigious Grand Prize in the Folk category in the 2004 John Lennon International Songwriting Competition. Strand’s song was chosen out of thousands of entries from all around the world by an Executive Committee of judges featuring such noted performers as Elton John, Judy Collins, Foo Fighters and Björk among many others.
“Lou” can be found on her second independent LP, Delay in the Connection, released in 2004. Delay in the Connection was recorded in Nashville with producer Eric Fritsch (Scott Miller, Upside Downside) and garnered much critical acclaim. It was listed among Cincinnati CityBeat’s hottest album picks for summer 2004, and was also named one of the top 10 local releases by both the Dayton Daily News and the Cincinnati Post.
What critics have said about Emily Strand’s music:
“[Delay in the Connection is] an elegant, soul-searching CD that features sensitive, versatile vocals and richly textured writing.” The Cincinnati Post, July 2004
“It’s Strand’s exceptional gift for lyrics and a hook that sets her apart from the pack . the ability to make each line she writes a richly detailed, haunting snapshot of life as she knows it or imagines it to be.” CityBeat, Cincinnati, May 2004
“Emily Strand jumps out from the sea of strummers and singers because of great song construction, a low tolerance for boredom and a voice that can go anywhere she wants. Her debut album, Evansville, is terrific.” Impact Weekly, Dayton, March 2003
Discography:
An at-home performance recorded in March/April 2020, on the occasion of Bill Withers’ death:
Emily Strand and her band The Town recently collaborated on original theme music for the podcast Emily also co-hosts, Potterversity: A Potter Studies Podcast. Listen to their Potter-inspired theme “Hedwig’s Funky Feathers” here:
