Search - Erin Harpe :: Blues Roots

Lovewhip's sexy and powerful front woman, Erin Harpe is not your average girl singer-guitar player. Aside from her duties as lead singer and guitar player for Lovewhip she plays authentic rootsy acoustic blues from the 1930's, finger-picking intricate guitar parts while singing. In a genre that is often dominated by males, Erin is breaking new ground as a very accomplished female guitar player with a soulful voice and feel for the blues. Playing acoustic delta blues in the vein of Memphis Minnie and early Bonnie Raitt, Erin simply plays guitar and sings the blues like no other. Erin began playing the guitar in her late teens, taught by her father, Neil Harpe. They soon began performing together at Folk Festivals, coffee houses, bars, and parties in the Washington DC area, doing various styles of blues that her father played when she was growing up. Now based in Boston, Erin has continued to develop a strong blues guitar and vocal style of her own. In addition to her solo performances, Erin is also the lead singer in the Afro-pop and world music inspired dance band Lovewhip. Erin's background in the delta blues comes through in her passionate and vampy vocal style. She is also Lovewhip's sole guitar player, weaving melodic Afro-pop guitar lines with percussive Jamaican skanks on her flame orange Gretch electric guitar. Erin's first solo cd "Blues Roots," was released by Juicy Juju Records in January, 2002. On it she performs songs written by such blues legends as Memphis Minnie, Bessie Smith, and Tommy Johnson. Here is Erin's chance to let her true love of the delta blues shine. Raw and unaccompanied - Erin's unique take on the blues is sure to make a lot of new fans.