Erin Sitton
Erin Sitton is a singer/songwriter whose sharp, insightful lyrics and distinctive guitar work bring listeners to the edges of their seats, hushing conversation and keeping attention raptly focused as she gracefully spills her guts. A seasoned performer whose first "gigs" were school assemblies and talent shows when she was a kid, Erin went on to play at coffee houses, bars and campus events during her college years at the University of Dayton, Ohio. She moved to Colorado after college and kept right on playing, building her reputation in the Denver area, where she still lives with her husband and their dog. Her 2003 CD, "Gone By Noon", was recorded to appease her growing fan base, who were eager to purchase her music. One reviewer states, "The lyrical content is thought provoking and heartfelt and the guitar rhythms are right up there with Ani DiFranco." Erin accepted invitations to perform her original work in several recent productions by a Boulder performing arts company called "Art As Action". The group combines music, dance, art, poetry and drama, often with a political theme or message. Although she has a master's degree and a strong professional resume, the 28-year-old is taking time off from her other pursuits to focus solely on writing and performing her music.
Lyle Lovett, Dar Williams, Sarah Harmer and The Indigo Girls are on Erin's list of influences, along with DiFranco. Erin credits her girls-only high school in Dallas, combined with college courses in feminist philosophy, with laying the groundwork for her own feminist perspective, which empowered her to leave behind her Texas home, her family who remain there, and the conservative outlook many of them share. The daughter of a former nun, and the only girl growing up alongside two brothers, Erin was troubled by the inherent sexism of the Catholic church and the broader community early on. Her departure may not sit well with the folks back home, but audiences appreciate her candor, her questioning and her quest to make sense of her world. She may have left behind Texas but it hasn't entirely left her, and the continuing evolvement of those family relationships is the basis for some of her most successful songwriting.
To this day Erin struggles with how to reconcile her ambition with her femininity, and the mixed messages our culture gives about what is expected of women. The lyric, "Maybe I'll go behind my own back and try on lingerie" from her album's optimistic first track, "Over Joy", alludes to this conflict that many women relate to. "Follow" is a tongue-in-cheek track that has a humble message on the surface, with lines like "you go on and lead the way, I'd really rather follow," but is actually a subtle statement about learning to trust your own instincts. Live audiences are treated to the story behind the song, the day she learned the hard way not to always trust a man's advice-unless of course you want to slide off the road and total your car. Erin effectively makes use of everything she's learned from her life's various relationships, skillfully exploring such universal themes as love, heartbreak and happiness.
Erin is hardly pushing a purely feminist agenda, quite the contrary. The aforementioned "Over Joy," an upbeat look at the high of new romance, kicks off a 13-track album, which also explores the perspectives of a grieving husband, disloyal friend, first-time parents and plenty of in-between stuff along the way. Her songs, many of which have yet to be recorded, provide touching and sometimes hilarious glimpses of complex family dynamics. Nostalgia for childhood and her concept of "home" are strong themes, and the CD wraps up nicely with several heartwarming, audience-friendly tunes such as "Christmas Has Come", where she seems to reach acceptance and even gratitude for the family that shaped her. Denver fans have called the CD "life-changing", and understandably so. Erin offers up a warm, wise and unflinching study of the human experience.