Photo by Kathy Cleversley

Singing, Music…Life

by Casey Rowley

When I asked Erin Salisbury about her future, she responded, “I’m just going to put it all in God’s hands.  Where He’s going to guide me to, you never know.”  Erin is a 21-year-old resident of Santa Clarita and she is putting her passionate singing career into God’s hands.  Now working with a producer in Nashville, Tennessee, Erin is in the midst of completing her first album.  So far, they have created four fully produced, professional songs.  Mix a lot of country, and a little bit of pop and rock, and you’ve got Erin’s sound.  It encompasses her heart and soul.  “Expect to hear sadness of a broken heart, there’s a song about being in love and then there’s songs about, ‘You wish you could have had this’ kind of a thing,” Erin explained.  Her song titled, “Walk Away,” “Close Enough” and
“So Far So Good.” At the age of 17, Erin composed her own song, it’s titled, “The Girl You Wish You Never Had.”  With her sweet melodies, accompanying her powerful voice, it is hard not to see Erin conquering the music industry.    
Erin attends the Musicians Institute (MI) in Hollywood and studies with a private teacher, Mandy Pinto-Czarnecki. 
But before MI, and before recording an album, she started singing at a very young age.  “I always sang.  It was just one of those things.  I would put on shows for my parents when I was little,” Erin explained.   And, at the age of eight, she got her first gig, a solo performance for a church play.  Was she nervous?  “Terrified,” Erin said.  She took group lessons at Vibe Vocals, a local performing arts studio.  After that, Erin performed with choirs throughout elementary, junior high and high school.   
Erin started studying music with Mandy at the age of 15.  She considers Mandy to be one of her strongest influences.  “She’s  the biggest part of my music.  If it weren’t for her, I wouldn’t be here today,” Erin explained.
Mandy turned Erin’s music hobbies into goals and has stretched Erin’s voice to the furthest of its abilities.  “Now I can hit notes I didn’t know I could ever hit,” Erin said.  It was also Mandy who helped Erin during the recording process for her first demo, and to pursue MI.
After getting accepted into MI in October of 2007, Erin signed up with the Vocal Institute of Technology program and now has a double emphasis with the Recording Artist program, she now records and produces her own songs. 
Compared to her first solo performance at eight, Erin’s performances now aren’t so terrifying.  “I always have that little jitter before,” Erin said, but for the most part being on stage feels like home.  Music is what makes up Erin’s life.  “I think there’s talent in every single genre in music,” Erin said.  “Heavy Metal is not exactly my cup of tea, but country isn’t a lot of people’s cup of tea either.”  Feeling at home in the music industry and singing her country-pop songs are just the right cup of tea for Erin.  With an almost completed album Erin’s career is starting to bloom into something she could’ve only hoped for.  Erin said she couldn’t do it without the love and support of her family.
To hear Erin Salisbury’s music, visit her website at www.myspace.com/erinmichelesmusic.
Erin’s Make-up by Sarah Johnson.  Sarah can be contacted at 661-878-2473.