Emily Yanek

"Emily Yanek's new album Watching the Highway is one solid album. Emily is a new, young, talented rising star, and I am proud to be able to say I was there at the outset of her career,” says Tom Gilding, General Manager, WBSD Radio, Burlington, Wisconsin. Emily Yanek is a 19 year-old singer-songwriter from Pennsylvania whose powerful voice, great hooks, and honest lyrics lead you to places of emotion we all have felt. Influenced by singer-songwriters of the 1970’s, Yanek puts a refreshing take on a nostalgic sound. “I’m drawn mostly to music from the 70’s, because back then they were writing songs that took you to a snapshot of the times and movements they were living.” A major turning point for the young artist was meeting Jackson Browne, after a concert in 2009, who advised her not to quit high school. “All I wanted to do was drop out and make music. Jackson told me that, developmentally, there really was no other place for me at the time. Looking back now, I realize that he was right.” Inspired by her musical hero, she began writing songs that eventually led to working in the studio with veteran guitarist Jeff Pevar on what would become the initial recording sessions for Watching the Highway. “…her singing and her writing continue to amaze and astound me!” –Jeff Pevar (guitarist for Ray Charles, Rickie Lee Jones, David Crosby, CPR, and CSN) A 3-year graduate of the music program at Capital Area School for the Arts in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, she loves performing and writing songs. As a throwback to the 70s, she performed at the Dan Fogelberg Memorial Dedication Welcome Party for over 450 of Dan's fans in 2010 in Peoria, Illinois. She also played at the Utica Music and Arts Fest 2010 and the Launch Music Conference and Festival 2011. "I really enjoyed listening to Emily when she played on the bill last time. She has good songs and her piano playing was great!"— Freedy Johnston The radio-promoted focus track, “Please, Please (C’mon, C’mon),” averaged 100 spins per week from Maine to Hawaii, including stations KEAO, KMSU, KPFT, WBSD, WCTG, WERH, WERU, WGCS, WHFC, WJHS, WMKY, WNTI, WQRZ, WRRW, WRUR, and WRIP, as well as HomeGrownRadioNJ.com, RadioFreeAmericana.com, and Radioio.com/Eclectic.com. Recently, The RTE Group began booking and promoting Emily, and she regularly performs in NYC, Philadelphia, New Jersey, and the Maryland/DC area. Emily’s plans include writing more songs, performing live, and recording a second album. “…her style is completely her own. Her songs are rich with a sound that contains echoes of an earlier era.” – Steven Williamson (Cranford, NJ Patch.com reporter) "…Watching the Highway is, quite simply, an outstanding album!” writes Craig Ostroff, Managing Editor, Montgomery News.