Erin Hay

Her catchphrase is "If it's too Country for everyone else. it's just right for me" and that sums up the type of music that Californian born Erin loves to sing.
Although fairly a new name on the country scene, Erin has already gathered many fans of traditional country, not only in her native USA, but also in the UK and Europe. Erin attributes her love of traditional country to the likes of Tammy Wynette, Loretta Lynn and Dolly Parton and this is evident from some of the songs on her album "Honky Tonk Heaven".
So if you are a lover of traditional country, this album has to be a part of your collection. For more information about Erin then visit her website

CMF:- Your album "Honky Tonk Heaven" has been received to great acclaim including the UK and Europe. As a 'new' artist does this surprise you, especially the amount of sales you have been achieving abroad?
ERIN:- It definitely surprised me, but it was a very happy surprise. I'm just glad there are people out there that still love traditional country music, and I thank everyone who bought one of my CDs.

CMF:- The album, your second, is unashamedly full of traditional country including some classics as well as newer songs. This genre of country seems to be making a comeback. How did you come about to choose this genre of country? Was it a conscious decision?
ERIN:- It was definitely a conscious decision. When I first heard Dolly Parton sing in 1977 (I was 7 years old,) I fell in love with traditional country music. I listened and learned from the greats - Dolly, Loretta, Tammy, George Jones, Jack Greene, Roy Acuff. I love all kinds of music, but this is what's in my heart and soul.

CMF:- So your love of the music started when you were very young but it wasn't your only passion was it? Didn't you consider studying the performing arts and pursuing a career in acting?
ERIN:- I did. I was always a very active and dramatic child. I use to mimic people all the time, and I loved comedy and making people laugh. I loved Lucille Ball and Carol Burnett. I originally entered college in California with the intention of majoring in theatre arts, but once I began my classes for that, I realized I didn't take the craft as seriously as everyone else. It was just fun to me. Music is what I took seriously, and that won out.

CMF:- Much to the pleasure of country music fans, the music won out over the acting. What was it that prompted you to decide on the music career?
ERIN:- I always sang, but when I finally realized acting wasn't what I wanted to make my living at, I began looking into different universities and found Belmont in Nashville, TN. They had a great Music Business program and still do. I came to Nashville and met with an advisor and decided Nashville was where I was bound. I think all along I knew it was where I would end up and that feeling really came from my first visit backstage at the Opry in 1987 and getting to meet Mr. Roy Acuff. I cried. I stood and watched the show from the wings that night and in my heart it felt like the place I needed to be. It's my dream, singing on that great stage.

CMF:- Meeting the legendary Roy Acuff must have been a great experience for you. Were you able to speak with him and if so, did he give you any advice?
ERIN:- Well during my first meeting with him, it was all I could do to get a word out through all my crying. It was a very emotional thing for me. He was wonderful and so sweet to me. He nicknamed me "Little Teardrop" that night and signed an autograph to me that said, "Come back and see me and don't cry." After moving to Nashville, I was fortunate enough to get backstage at the Opry many more times while he was still alive. The highlight of all those visits was sitting in his dressing room and just talking to him or just listening to him talk to others. There was always music in his dressing room, and it was just the place to be. He didn't offer me any advice, so to speak, but I learned a lot from just watching him and talking to him about anything.

CMF:- What are your lasting impressions of him?
ERIN:- One thing that will always stand out to me was one night on his birthday, I was standing in the wings at the Opry with him, and I said, "That's my dream Mr. Acuff, to sing on that stage." He looked at me and said,"Well I hope I live long enough to see that happen." Of course he didn't, but if I'm ever lucky enough to sing on that stage, I hope he'll be watching and you can bet the song I sing will be dedicated to him. He was a great man.

CMF:- Presumably, your love of the music really meant you needed to be in Nashville and you decided to move there in 1991. Was it a daunting experi ence and how did you find it in a strange city far removed from your home in California?
ERIN:- The move was a little difficult for me the first couple weeks because I had never lived anyplace but California, but once I started school and got an internship and was around the music, I loved it. I wouldn't live anywhere else.

CMF:- You followed the route of many aspiring country singers, by recording demo songs for songwriters and performing at the bars and clubs. Were the songs you were demoing traditional or modern country? If the latter did you find it going against your principles to be performing songs that were the traditional country that you prefer?
ERIN:- Mostly they were traditional, but there were a few that didn't fall into that category, but that was OK, because they were just demos I was singing. When it came time to really choose songs for my project, I knew where my heart was, and it was traditional all the way and always will be.

CMF:- Do you remember if any of the songs you demoed went on to be recorded by any well-known artists and maybe became hits?
ERIN:- Not that I know of, but I did let a hit song slip through my hands once. Gerald Smith, who wrote "What Part Of No" wanted to pitch that song to me before Lorrie Morgan cut it, but I never made it over to listen to it. Lorrie did, and the rest is history.

CMF:- It must have been very exciting and nerve racking recording your first album "Somebody's Angel" after only a year in Nashville. How were you able to record so quickly and what lessons did you learn that you put into practice for the sophomore album.
ERIN:- Well, in all honesty, the original Somebody's Angel cassette from 1992 was more or less a compilation of a bunch of demos I had recorded. I didn't get to hand pick too many of those songs, so when it came time to finally do Honky Tonk Heaven, it was great to actually sit down and say which songs I wanted to put on the album, songs that were really suited for me. We did pull a few songs from Somebody's Angel to put on Honky Tonk Heaven, and we're in the process of recording an updated version of Somebody's Angel that will come out on CD in the next year. The only song on it that is from that first cassette is a new version of the title cut. It's always been one of my favorite songs.

CMF:- Now between the first album and "Honky Tonk Heaven" you graduated from university and worked with artists such as Garth Brooks and Faith Hill through a film production company. Although not your particular genre of country, did you learn anything from these artists?
ERIN:- Well, from Garth I learned how important entertaining a crowd is and not just singing to them. I don't mean his jumping around on stage and breaking guitars so much, because I would never do that, but Garth really has a way of grabbing an audience with a song and reaching right down inside them. I want to be able to touch people like that on stage. He has a way of making someone who is sitting in an arena or stadium feel like he is singing just to them.

CMF:- Returning to "Honky Tonk Heaven" album. How much input did you have in not only the tracks but the overall look including inlay design, photos etc. Did you find the promoting of it Exciting? Tiring?
ERIN:- I had a lot of input in all aspects of putting that CD together, which is great about being an independent artist, no big label executives telling you what to do. Promoting it was a lot of fun, but I owe most of its success to my producer, Lonnie Ratliff, who is the world's greatest promoter, at least where my music is concerned. With my new CD, The Circle, that should be out this fall, I hope to be able to get out and promote it more with live shows. That's really what I'm focusing on now, getting out and actually performing for the fans in the US and in Europe, the UK and Australia. Can't wait!

CMF:- You are already working on the next album. Tell us about it and, if it differs from the previous ones in what way?
ERIN:- It should be out this fall. It's called "The Circle", and I'm very proud of it. It's 14 more tracks of traditional country music, even more traditional than the last CD, if you can believe that. We cut some great classics like, "Walk On By"- "My Shoes Keep Walking Back To You" - "BJ the DJ" and "If Teardrops Were Pennies" as well as some great originals. One of my favorite cuts is the title song. It was written by my producer just for me. It's about the circle on the stage of the Grand Ole Opry, and it really represents where my heart and soul are as far as traditional country music is concerned. This CD has three duets on it that I'm very proud of, one with Jack Greene, one with Ernie Ashworth and one with Perley Curtis (plays steel guitar for Loretta Lynn.) I think it's a great follow up to Honky Tonk Heaven. Hopefully the fans will agree.

CMF:- If you could wave a magic wand, whom would you like to record with and why? (Living or dead)
ERIN:- Without a doubt, it would be Loretta, Dolly and Tammy. They are my idols. I love them all. I'd also love to be able to sing with George Jones, and it would be very special if I could sing with Mr. Acuff. Really, I would love to sing with any of the Opry legends. I love them all and all that they represent. They keep the Opry alive. Thank you to Ernie Ashworth and Jack Greene for getting me off to a great start with that.

CMF:- Thank you for taking the time out to talk to us, hopefully it won't be too long before you come over to the UK and Europe.
ERIN:- Thank you, and I sure hope I can get over there soon. We're working on it.