Erica Wheeler
Encyclopedia
Erica Wheeler is an American folk
singer-songwriter
. She currently lives in western Massachusetts
. Growing up in the suburbs of Washington, D.C.
, she was exposed to traditional folk and bluegrass music
in surrounding Virginia
, West Virginia
, and Maryland, which influenced her later style. She attended Hampshire College
in Amherst, Massachusetts
. Her songs such as "Rivers", "Spirit Lake", and "Maryland Country Road" draw on the natural beauty of the surroundings where she has lived.
Erica also offers workshops and recordings which are intended to foster the emotional connection between people and place.
In March 2008 she released "Good Summer Rain" which fuses the roots Americana sounds of dobro, mandolin, guitar, and drums with the piano and upright bass. This album is sponsored by The Trust for Public Land
.
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
. She currently lives in western Massachusetts
Western Massachusetts
Western Massachusetts is a loosely defined geographical region of the U.S. state of Massachusetts which contains the Berkshires, the Pioneer Valley, and some or all of the Swift River Valley. The region is always considered to include Berkshire, Franklin, Hampshire, and Hampden counties, and the...
. Growing up in the suburbs of Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, she was exposed to traditional folk and bluegrass music
Bluegrass music
Bluegrass music is a form of American roots music, and a sub-genre of country music. It has mixed roots in Scottish, English, Welsh and Irish traditional music...
in surrounding Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
, West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
, and Maryland, which influenced her later style. She attended Hampshire College
Hampshire College
Hampshire College is a private liberal arts college in Amherst, Massachusetts. It was founded in 1965 as an experiment in alternative education, in association with four other colleges in the Pioneer Valley: Amherst College, Smith College, Mount Holyoke College, and the University of Massachusetts...
in Amherst, Massachusetts
Amherst, Massachusetts
Amherst is a town in Hampshire County, Massachusetts, United States in the Connecticut River valley. As of the 2010 census, the population was 37,819, making it the largest community in Hampshire County . The town is home to Amherst College, Hampshire College, and the University of Massachusetts...
. Her songs such as "Rivers", "Spirit Lake", and "Maryland Country Road" draw on the natural beauty of the surroundings where she has lived.
Erica also offers workshops and recordings which are intended to foster the emotional connection between people and place.
In March 2008 she released "Good Summer Rain" which fuses the roots Americana sounds of dobro, mandolin, guitar, and drums with the piano and upright bass. This album is sponsored by The Trust for Public Land
The Trust for Public Land
The Trust for Public Land is a land conservation nonprofit founded in 1972 by Huey Johnson and based in San Francisco, California in the United States. TPL works throughout the United States to conserve land for people as parks, gardens, and other natural places.- TPL Conservation Initiatives :TPL...
.
Discography
- From That Far (1992)
- The Harvest (1996)
- Three Wishes (1999)
- Wonderland (2000)
- Almost Like Tonight (live) (2005)
- Good Summer Rain (2008)