She began humming songs alongside both of her grandmothers before she could even talk. Her parents knew that she was probably going to have a gift for music when she could hum complex melodies as a small child. Emi’s father, Randall Hamilton, is a recording engineer, and he also worked with her and her musical abilities. She began singing intricate songs by the age of four.
It was when she was four-years-old that Emi sang in her first wedding. She also began playing the ukulele and taking piano lessons. After a few piano lessons, Emi’s teacher informed her parents that lessons were not for her – she could already play songs completely by ear. At age five, Emi had written her first song. At the time, she couldn’t even write words yet. In fact, her parents discovered she had dyslexia while she was attending school, which prompted them to begin homeschooling her. Emi’s talent as a musical artist continued to flourish.
At age six, Emi entered “Monroe County’s Got Talent.” She performed three songs and did very well, winning the competition. She also sang live at many churches and area festivals in East Tennessee.
Emi started leading her band, “Emi Sunshine and the Rain,” at age seven. She sings and writes many of her own songs, and she tells the band what chords to play. The band is comprised of her daddy on bass guitar and her older brother, John, on mandolin and bouzouki. She released her first two albums at the same time, “Strong as the Tall Pine“ and “Wide River to Cross.” She plays the ukulele, banjolele, mandolin, kazoo, piano, and is learning guitar. Her mother, Alisha Hamilton states, “Now that Emi is nine, she writes her songs from anything she sees. They tell of the people that she meets and her life experiences. She also loves the Appalachian community and history and enjoys making those things part of her song choices.”
Emi not only writes her own music, but also covers some of the songs from her favorite artists as well. Her musical inspiration comes from artists like Emmylou Harris, Buddy and Julie Miller, Dolly Parton, and Mike Farris as well as regional artists.
Emi has been performing since she was four, but became an overnight sensation when some of her YouTube videos went viral. She had performed a song at a Monroe County flea market, and a lady from Englewood, Tennessee had recorded it and posted it online. Her family was unaware that the video had even been posted. All of the sudden, their Facebook likes went up, and the YouTube video went viral. It felt like it snowballed all in one day. They started receiving offers to do reality shows and to go to Nashville, but Emi simply replied, “I just want to play music.” She is not interested in the hype of stardom, but just loves to sing and write her music. Emi Sunshine and the Rain recently appeared on The Today Show and Good Morning America, and she has also appeared on local channels as well.
This summer and fall, Emi Sunshine and The Rain will be performing several concerts, and she will also be singing at Tunes & Tales in Gatlinburg. Tunes & Tales is a free event to the community every night in the summer, and one of Emi’s favorite places to perform.
Emi’s music is her passion, but as a nine-year-old little girl, she still loves to play. Her favorite things to do outside of music are playing with Barbie dolls and taking care of her animals. She has chickens, turkeys, a bloodhound, and a pot-bellied pig named, “Pig-Pig.”
Emi Sunshine is a beautiful singer who brings light to the stage and incredible talent to the music industry. Her very name is a foreshadowing of what is to come in her life and her music career – a bright future with endless possibility.
