Emily Hurd is a Chicago-based songwriter and pianist with vocal chops that both Rick Kogan of WGN and Richard Milne of WXRT have likened to musical icon Janis Joplin. The wordsmith is well-respected for her cutting, intelligent lyrics and inimitable live showmanship. Like Russian-American piano-pop diva Regina Spektor, Hurd’s style is a raw mix of roots piano, soul singing, and folk songwriting. Hurd caught her break in 2005 when she joined forces with other greats from the Old Town School of Folk Music to create her first original album. Eight albums later, her songs have won three international songwriting competitions, and she has shared stages with various legends, including Bettye Lavette, Roger McGuinn, and soul-queen Irma Thomas.

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