Erin was introduced to jazz at the age of twelve by her grandfather, who pulled out a Frank Sinatra album from his impressive record collection and unwittingly changed her life. Within weeks, she was memorizing Ella's scat solos and singing "Fever" into a hairbrush. Yet, her first opportunity to sing jazz in earnest came in 2008, as a student at Hillsdale College in Michigan. There, she majored in English Literature, but spent most of her time in the College's jazz studio, studying, rehearsing, and jamming under the direction of department head Chris McCourry. Within the first week of her freshman year, she became the sole student member of The HillCats, Hillsdale College's Faculty Jazz Band. With The HillCats, she performed in concerts, fundraisers, and master classes throughout Michigan for the duration of her college years. In 2009, she became the vocalist of the Hillsdale College Big Band. During her senior year, the Big Band participated in the 2012 Liberal Arts Jazz Festival, adjudicated by Jim Rupp, David Jensen, and Brienn Perry, in which Erin was named "outstanding soloist."
At Hillsdale, Erin also sang with the student jazz combo "Rob Roy," which performed in clubs and coffeehouses throughout southern Michigan. She was a member of the international music fraternity Sigma Alpha Iota, and received the Buhrer-True Scholarship for excellence in music.
Her first album, entitled Honeysuckle Rose, was Erin's parting gift from the Hillsdale College Music Department. It was recorded at Solid Sound Studios in Ann Arbor, Michigan shortly before her graduation in May 2012. The album is accompanied by both The HillCats and the College Big Band, and derives much of its source material from a tribute concert to Anita O'Day, performed during Erin's sophomore year. The majority of the album was recorded live.
Erin's music has been featured on the internationally syndicated “Dick Robinson’s American Standards By the Sea,” and "The Don Kennedy Show." Mr. Kennedy spoke ecstatically of "Honeysuckle Rose," claiming, “Erin's voice made the hair stand up on the back of my neck. She sings with great expression and a depth that you just can’t hear— you've got to feel.”
She currently teaches English and history at a private school in Hartford, Connecticut, and tutors part-time in English and SAT prep. Erin is occasionally seen in local musical theater productions, most recently playing "Betty Schaefer" in the Warner Theatre Stage Company's production of "Sunset Boulevard" in Torrington, Connecticut.
But her first and greatest love is jazz. She is currently performing in venues throughout Connecticut with masterful pianist John Brighenti, who has toured throughout the U.S. with the Glenn Miller and Eddy Howard Orchestras, among others. She hopes she will one day have the great fortune to pursue her passion for jazz singing full-time.
Her album may be purchased through the Hillsdale College Bookstore at the following website: http://bookstore.hillsdale.edu/MerchDetail.aspx?MerchID=723926. It will soon be released on iTunes.
To learn more about Erin's music, please visit her website: http://flavors.me/erin_oluanaigh.
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