"She sits at the piano, lips to microphone, boot to pedal, and speaks her mind — in song. I became an instant fan." --Val Haller, New York Times
Emily Hurd is a prolific songwriter, best known for her clear voice and clever rhymes. Her songwriting style combines soul, folk, blues, and rock. Paul Zollo of American Songwriter says that she writes "albums to fall into and swim in forever." Emily's songs have appeared on television's NCIS, 90210, The Good Wife, Melrose Place, and Life Unexpected. The majority of her 19 full length original studio albums were recorded by John Abbey at Chicago's Kingsize Sound Labs. She is currently working on her 20th album while helping to run her Rockford restaurant, The Norwegian.
Hurd first entered the music scene in 2005 when she and many of the staff members from Chicago’s Old Town School of Folk Music created her third original live album. Since then, she has toured her native Midwest, as well as internationally, sharing the stage with Irma Thomas, Bettye LaVette, and more. Her songs have been finalists in several international songwriting competitions, including the USA Songwriting Competition, The Song Of the Year Songwriting Competition, NPR’s NewSong Music Contest, The International Songwriting Competition, The John Lennon Songwriting Contest, the Great American Songwriting Contest, The Billboard World Song Contest, and The Unisong International Songwriting Competition.
Her discography includes: "Meanwhile, I Love You," 2023, "Underkill," 2022, "Nightshades," 2020, "New-Fashioned Christmas," 2018, "Backbone," 2017, "Yule," 2015, "Shine Kid Shine," 2015, "Landmark," 2015, "the best-loved," 2013, "Burn Like a Field" (Stone Blind Valentine, 2013) "Any Given Day, 2012," "Long Lost Ghosts, 2012," "Tins & Pins & Peppermints, 2010, "Daytime Fireflies," 2010, "A Cache In The Warehouse Floor," 2008, "Love In Flats," 2007, "Barefoot Session," 2006, "Potent One," 2006, and "Lines," 2005.