Jessica Erin: PRESS

Jessica Erin - American Girl (Buy, Dang It)

Jessica is an up-n-comer who still calls Chicago home but has recently moved to LA to explore the music biz. Her website says we shouldn’t worry, she’ll always be a Midwestern Girl at heart. I was really glad to get her CD. This song is perfect for a patriotic month like July.

Today’s Country Magazine
Music Review

Band: JESSICA ERIN
Album: Free To Be Me
Label: Self-Released


Sometimes you have to stick to your heart and take a chance on what feels right rather than go with what is being presented to you at the moment. This is the case for Illinois native Jessica Erin. After being approached by Broadway in her teens, and then faced with the decision to record a pop album, Erin stuck to her heart and pursued her dreams of making a country album with the end result being her debut album "Free To Be Me." Her attitude is displayed right from the start of the album as "Just What You're Looking For" kicks in. The upbeat, radio-ready music and wonderful delivery of the lyrics about all the contradicting aspects of her that make her the perfect one for you will catch your attention right away. The upbeat style, with a knack for spilling out who she is through the lyrics continue on the tracks like "Bad Girl" and "American Girl," while her sassiness is displayed on "Girls Night Out" and "Sorry." With the upbeat tracks and great vocal delivery of the well crafted lyrics it is a safe bet that Jessica Erin is easily going to find a place in many CD players that usually will spin the modern country albums, but above all this is her ability to deliver heartfelt songs. She makes you feel the pain of losing the one you love on tracks like "Say Goodbye," and "I Can't Let You Go," which her strong voice mostly carries and drives home the lyrics on. Wrap everything around the positive track, "Follow Your Heart," which basically is a thank you letter to her family for supporting her dreams and you have found your self one of the best-undiscovered talents out there right now. A must have album for fans of modern country with a pop influence mixed in.

Today’s Country Magazine
Jessica Erin Interview

After being approached by Broadway and the pop music world, Jessica Erin followed her heart and dreams of making a modern country album and took to Music City to pursue that dream. With her debut album, "Free To Be Me," out now, Jessica has found herself opening shows for country stars Darryl Worley, Montgomery Gentry, etc... With a re-location to sunny California on the horizon for her, a solid debut album, and more on her plate, Jessica Erin recently took the time to chat with us about all of it.

1. What can someone expect to hear when they hit play on your debut album "Free To Be Me?"
I like to think my music is upbeat and fun with a lot of sass. Haha!! Ever since I was a little girl my dad called me “sassy Jessie” (pronounced Jassie to rhyme it) and I think it is just in my nature for that to come through in my music. Also, the ballads are extremely heartfelt and major tearjerkers, so we only put a few on the album. We want people to have fun J

2. Which song from the album is your personal favorite and why?
Don’t make me choose! It is so hard! If I have to, I would have to say either Say Goodbye, which is a song I wrote after the hardest break-up I have ever gone through, or Bad Girl, which is a song I wrote about all of my bad habits. I think they express who I am a lot. Say Goodbye is just so relatable and emotional. Bad Girl is so funny because I poke fun at my bad habits, which I know a lot of girls can relate to!!!

3. How important have internet outlets like myspace been for getting your music out there to people?
Well, if it weren’t for the internet, I wouldn’t be able to communicate with my fans. I think it is so important to build a relationship with them because without them you are nothing. It is awesome because I am able to write blogs about everyday things so they can get a glimpse inside my life. Also, my music can be heard everyday, all day, around the world. There isn’t any better exposure than that!!!!

4. To celebrate the release of your album you shared the stage with Darryl Worley. How did that opportunity come about and what was that experience like?
Well, my “team” worked their magic and got me booked at Joes bar in Chicago, which is the number one country bar in the city. It was cool to think I would be sharing the stage with someone like Darryl. He was a really, really, nice guy and he gave me a few tips on the business. I soak everything I possibly can in. I am yearning to learn more and more of the ropes of the business and it was a great opportunity to be able to do so. It was awesome to be able to get on stage and sing all of my original music in front of a crowd and see such a positive reaction. I will never forget it.

5. You also recently returned to your hometown of LaSalle/Peru, IL to open a show for Montgomery Gentry. What did you learn from watching them that you have been able to put into your shows?
They have amazing energy. They get on stage and PUT ON A SHOW!!! There is no doubt they love what they do, and it shows on that platform. There is a lot you can learn from experienced artists. Particularly with Montgomery Gentry, they bring the audience in and have a good time, and love every second of it. It’s great to see people enjoy what they do for a living, and they definitely do.

6. At the age of 15 you were approached about a career on Broadway, but turned it down. What made you turn that opportunity down and have you ever thought of giving it a shot now that you're older?
I would absolutely LOVE, LOVE, LOVE to do Broadway. I have Sooo much respect for the artists on Broadway, the long hours and hard work they put into the shows. I hope to be able to get on stage with them someday, because it blends acting with singing, and that is the best of both worlds. When I was 15, it was just a matter of bad timing and gut feeling. I honestly think if I were to have gone, I wouldn’t be who I am today. God has a plan for all of us, and at that age you are not aware of all of the things you can do to make a difference with fame. I think I would have been a brat!! Haha! Now I have an appreciation for all the hard work and dedication in the business, and I know there is a lot I can do to make a difference with my fame. I am not selfish in that aspect, and at 15 I probably would have been. Timing is everything.

7. You also had an opportunity to record a pop album prior to your move to Nashville. What made you decide to take the country music route instead?
Country is the most loyal genre of music. Pop music you can be in today, gone tomorrow. I think Country is very soulful. People listen to the lyrics, feel them, and love them as much as the artist. That is very important to me. I want my fans to be able to come along with me on my journey and see me grow and listen to my stories. Country music has that, and the fans are the best. I love all genres, though, and would love to dip my foot in all of them…well, maybe not ALLLL of them…haha.

8. After spending the past year or so in Music City, you are relocating to California in September (2008). Why are you moving to California and will you still be pursuing a country career out there?
Absolutely!!! California is where it’s at! Haha! I love California, and my entire team is there. We will be able to work closer and I will be able to make appearances more often on red carpets and whatnot. It is a business move, and I think a step in the right direction.

9. Once you make the move to California and get settled in, what is next for Jessica Erin?
There is just so much I want to do!!!! We will be working on getting some shows booked there, maybe a small tour. I will be working with an acting agency out there, Encore Talent, which I am thrilled for. I will be working on some new material, writing and recording. And I really want a reality show. Haha! But a REAL reality show. I want to show the process of what artists go through to get to where they want to be. I get asked all the time, “How did you get to where you are now?” and it is so difficult to answer that question because it is just SO much. So, I want to be able to show people what it is like firsthand.

10. What piece of advice can you offer to someone that is looking to break into the music industry?
Dream Big, and don’t listen to the people who try to bring you down. Turn them into your inspiration to succeed that much more and be able to one day say, “I told you so J ” Don’t let the fear of failure stop you from your biggest dreams, because that fear holds you back from possibly the most amazing life ahead of you. Give it your all, because then you have the satisfaction of knowing you did the best you could, and that’s what matters. Stay true to who you are and don’t let people try to pull you in a direction you don’t feel comfortable taking. Listen to your heart and your gut!!!! And, always have faith!

Illinois native Jessica Erin may have the right combination to be a country music star.

Whether she is singing her heart out or just holding a conversation, there is one simple word that can sum up country music hopeful Jessica Erin — Genuine. An up-and-coming singer with a southern-influenced sound and midwestern authenticity, Erin hopes the two fuse to create a lethal combo for the music world.

A native of LaSalle, Illinois, a town roughly 90 minutes from Chicago, Erin knew she wanted to make singing a career at 8-years-old when she started performing in musicals. “Since I was a little girl, I wanted to be a singer, a veterinarian, and to save the world,” she said. “I realized I couldn’t be a veterinarian because I couldn’t stand seeing animals hurt and bleeding. And saving the world, it will have to be one person at a time. I guess I hope I can do that through my music.” Erin has had chances to make non-country music a career, but knows things work out for a reason. “When I was 15, I was offered to go to Broadway, but I would have had to move to New York and that just wasn’t possible then,” Erin said. “I almost did a pop album, but I didn’t trust the major people that I would have worked with. It is hard to walk away from something when you want it so bad, but in the end you have to follow your own values. Things happen for a reason. If I would have started in the business when I was younger, I would not have had the respect that I do now for how much work it takes.” Along with her natural twang, Erin said the country scene also fits her beliefs and lifestyle better. “In the pop world, it is more about who is dating who and what magazine they are in. It is not so much about talent, but more about what they did last Friday night,” Erin said. “People in the country industry are more trustworthy and are more down home.”

Erin moved to Nashville to pursue her career a little more than a year ago from South Florida where she had relocated from Illinois. She released her first album, “Free To Be Me,” which is available on iTunes and www.jessicaerin.com.
Erin’s young, fresh, free-spirited rock sound is evident on many of her songs, including “American Girl", “Just What You’re Looking For”, and “Bad Girl”. She also brings a sensitive yet seductive innocence to ballads like “I Can’t Let You Go” and “When Words Won’t Say”. “Say Goodbye,” a heartfelt, love-gone-wrong ballad is a diamond on the album and shows a tender, genuine side of Erin that is as real in her lyrics as in person.

“I was screaming,” she said of first holding her album. “My mom and I were jumping up and down. That is the biggest accomplishment so far in my life”. Since releasing her debut album, Erin has been working on building a solid fan base and performing for as many fans as possible. After opening for Darryl Worley in November at Joe’s Bar in Chicago, nominated
this year by the Academy of Country Music for best nightclub, she played last weekend at the Florida Music Festival in Orlando. Erin will be home Saturday, June 14, opening for multi-platinum, Grammy-nominated artists Montgomery Gentry at Cedar Point Sportsman’s Club in LaSalle. Tickets are $33 and can be purchased by calling Lou’s LaGrotto in LaSalle at (815) 223-3083. Proceeds from the show will go toward the Illinois Freedom Run to help veterans. The concert will feature a fly-over, motorcycle ride and raffle for a Harley Davidson motorcycle. Merry Noonan, co-owner of Lou’s LaGrotto, said it’s
great to be able to bring Erin in to perform. “She’s a great girl and I’m glad that we can have her perform here”, Noonan said about Erin, a former server at the restaurant. “I hope we can help her further her career”. Erin is looking forward to performing in front of her hometown faithful. “I might be a little nervous because I will know so many people out there, but it is a great cause”, Erin said. “I hope a lot of Montgomery Gentry fans take a liking to me. That is how you grow a fan base”. Erin wants to continue building a fan base before approaching major recording labels. “In this business, the labels
want you to have an album, a fan base and everything done before you approach them”, Erin said. “It is great to have an album and go out there and say, ‘Here it is, this is what I have done". “I will be meeting with labels but I want to make sure that I have done performances and have a fan base before I go, so that is the next step. ”The Internet era offers artists like Erin a chance to get personal with fans. “It is nice that you can get a personal connection through the Internet. Without fans, you are nothing,” Erin said. “I personally respond to people on MySpace because it is important to interact and have that personal relationship.”

Reach Jessica Erin via MySpace at myspace.com/jessicaerin1. Erin’s goal is to attract fans nation-wide and knows she
has a good start in Chicago. “Chicago has the best fans for everything. Sports, music, whatever. They are devoted. That is one thing that you can’t get anywhere else. Chicago has heart,” Erin said. “It is a big advantage coming from there. There really aren’t many country artists from Chicago. Chicago is a huge country market with the radio stations, and Joe’s Bar is a great venue to play. “That is a big advantage for me. I would love to move to Chicago, but right now I have to be in Nashville.”
One of her biggest fans is Mike North, radio personality host of "The Mike North Morning Show” on the Score, WSCR AM670.
Erin dropped a CD off at the Score studios on a whim and North took a liking to it. “I got to work one day and there was a CD that Jessica and her mom had left for me,” North said. “I’ll be honest and admit that I get a ton of those and don’t always get around to listening to them. But I looked at the cover of her’s and she is just a doll, so I put it in the CD player and it was ‘Whoa, she really sounds good.” North admits that he is not the biggest fan of modern country music, but said he knows talent when he hears it. “She is going to be a star,” North said. “She believes in herself and she has a tremendous drive. She wants something and is working hard to go get it. I respect that because I wanted something in my life and I went out and worked to get it. “It was a reach for her to get the CD to me at a sports station. That would be like me sending a sports tape to Ramblin’ Ray (a radio personality at Chicago’s country station, US99.5). But she had listened to my show and she knew that we don’t just talk about sports. “We talk about politics and music and she took a shot. Within four or five years, she will be a big star.” “Mike is a go-getter and he roots for the underdog because he was once in that same situation where he had a lot of dreams and aspirations and he just put his heart into it and I admire him for that,” Erin said. Erin performed at a remote broadcast of the Mike North Morning Show at Riverside Mall in Riverside. “We had her out to perform at the remote and there were a lot of fans there that really liked her,” North said. “She told me she always wanted to perform at U.S. Cellular Field, so I called Jerry Reinsdorf and got ahold of the marketing rep and got her a chance to sing the National Anthem and she rocked the house.” “At the remote, he told me to sing it right now because you never know who is listening,” Erin said. “So, it was like 8 in the morning and I belted out the National Anthem and Mike had the guys from the Sox listening and they heard
me and that got me in to do it.”

Erin still has dreams yet to be fulfilled, like being a household name and a staple on country radio like some of her influences, Martina McBride, Rascal Flatts and Keith Urban. She understands, however, she can't get upset if it doesn’t happen overnight. “You cannot give yourself a time limit because people in music work on their time and they don't care. It is not something where there is a deadline. “I just hope I can keep getting my name out there.”

And as she continues to fight to break into Nashville’s inner circles, she will do so with the blue-collar, finger-to-the-
bone work ethic that is in her Chicago blood.

Posted in Columns, Monthly, Around Hear by IE

“Around Hear” is a monthly feature where a stable of IE writers review albums sent to us by local musicians.

Jessica Erin hails from Chicago, but her sound is pure Nashville. It didn’t take her long to perfect the formula, as her debut Free To Be Me is chock-full of Shania-influenced crossover country pop. All of the right elements are in place: smart songwriting, catchy hooks, and Erin’s charismatic vocals. Opener “Just What You’re Looking For” might be just the type of single country and adult contemporary radio is looking for. And to remain true to her roots, she even re-recorded “American Girl” as the song “Chicago Bears Fan,” and has already performed it all over Chicago radio and TV. (www.jessicaerin.com)
– Carter Moss

ERIN, JESSICA
Free To Be Me
Self-Released

Jessica Erin kicks off her debut album with a track called "Just What You're Looking For," and while that song is a catchy, pop driven country song about being the perfect girl for that special someone, I think the title of the song really says it all about Jessica's debut album "Free To Be Me." If you are looking for something fresh, fun, and new that hits you on many different levels then Jessica Erin is indeed just what you're looking for. She will hook you in with her mainstream ready pop country songs like the upbeat "Girls Night Out," and the ultra catchy "Sorry" and "Bad Girl." However, when you dig a little deeper than those songs, all of which will make you bounce and sing along, you will find that Jessica Erin has a perfect voice to hit your emotions right where they need to be hit. On a song like "Follow Your Heart," Jessica sings an open letter of thanks to her family and friends that helped her follow her dreams and on tracks like "Say Goodbye" and "I Can't Let You Go," her haunting vocals will have you feeling your heart breaking as she sings the songs of her lost loves. There truly is something special about this album that includes something for any fan of today's mainstream country music. This is without a doubt a new artist that you have to check out and keep your eyes on and I have no doubt that she is going to be a star soon so jump on the band wagon now.

DARRYL WORLEY WITH FLYNNVILLE TRAIN & JESSICA ERIN
Friday November 2, 2007 @ Joe's Bar in Chicago, IL

JESSICA ERIN- Chicago newcomer had the task of revving up the crowd that was still filling in as a majority of them seemed to be there to support headliner Darryl Worley, but it only took the opening notes of "Free To Be Me" for the crowd to realize that Jessica Erin was worth watching. As she rolled into her set with another up-tempo song, "Sorry," the crowd was with her as she danced around the stage. She paused to mention that her debut CD was available for the first time tonight as she played her first slow song of her 10-song set, "How's It Gonna Feel." As the song came to a close someone in the crowd shouted out, "I love you," prompting Jessica to say back, "Oh, I love you too" with a huge smile on her face as she seemed to know that she had won over the crowd.

She continued to roll into her mostly upbeat set with "Big Way," and had the front of the crowd dancing along with her. She paused to thank everyone and mentioned, "well what's a country CD without a few heartbreak songs," as she rolled into "I Can't Let You Go," and as she captured the crowd with her honest lyrics and sincere vocals, she grabbed the attention of the females in the crowd when the song came to a close and she jokingly said, "those darn boys. We can't live with em and we can't live without em, right girls?" She then played "When Words Won't Say," which as she describes, "Is a happy love song that is about the feelings you have for someone that words themselves can't even describe."

"Okay everyone, we're gonna turn it up a notch now. Or maybe 2, 3, or heck 4 notches,' as she blasted into "Bad Girl" and quickly rolled into "Girls Night Out," which she dedicated to all of the girls in the crowd. Jessica took a moment to thank everyone for coming out and continued, "I have been doing this for a long time and there have been people that make promises and then break them, but then there are those people who stand by you. I want to dedicate this song to my mother, father, and sister," as she played the inspiring "Follow Your Heart," before she closed out her song with local favorite, "Chicago Bears Fan."

FULL SET LIST
1. Free To Be Me
2. Sorry
3. How's It Gonna Feel
4. Big Way
5. I Can't Let You Go
6. When Words Won't Say
7. Bad Girl
8. Girls Night Out
9. Follow Your Heart
10. Chicago Bears Fan