Emily Smith

“as far as I’m concerned she can walk on water”
Mike Harding, Radio 2

“Smith could become to Scottish folk what Joni Mitchell is to its Californian cousin”
Q Magazine

“Smith deserves to become yet another new folk celebrity”
The Guardian

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‘Scots Singer of the Year 2008/9’ Emily Smith has firmly established herself as a leading light in the Scottish folk scene.

Since winning the 2002 ‘BBC Young Traditional Musician of the Year Award’ she has released three critically acclaimed albums, toured extensively with her band on the international folk circuit and is recognised not only as one of Scotland’s finest interpreters of traditional song but also as a talented songwriter and multi-instrumentalist.

Emily spent six years living in Glasgow during which time she gained an Honours degree in Scottish Music from The Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama.
Now living back in her home area of Dumfries & Galloway in South West Scotland Smith has found her niche drawing on the rich local history and ever changing landscape as the source and inspiration for her music. She has an affection (and growing reputation!) for collecting dusty old poetry and song books in search of new material. The results are re-worked ballads which seamlessly interweave with Smith’s own descriptive songs, often confusing the listener as to which material is old and which is new.

Her songwriting has not gone without recognition – She became the first ever winner from Scotland in the USA Songwriting Competition in 2005 after winning the folk section with her song ‘Edward of Morton’, another of her songs ‘Always a Smile,’ about the life of her Polish grandmother, was short listed in the final ten.

Alongside her solo career Smith has written, recorded and toured with artists from the folk scene and beyond including Eddi Reader, Beth Nielsen Chapman, Karine Polwart, John McCusker, David Scott and Phil Cunningham.
She has recorded live sessions for BBC Radio 2’s Bob Harris, Aled Jones and Mike Harding alongside receiving regular play on BBC Radio Scotland. Recent television work includes performing on BBC 1 Scotland’s Hogmanay show and she will be featured in the new series of Transatlantic Sessions.
Frequently performing in the same line up as her musical heroes, Smith’s star is definitely in the ascendant.