My niece Erin - the lovely & brilliant songbird

I am the auntie of 6 interesting young women of whom I am so proud. Each different than the other - all special.

My second (I'm the last) sister's daughter Erin is a talented singer and my very dear friend. Erin is exceptional, and I do not use the word lightly. We share the bond of a passion for making song - the polished driven contemporary pop singer with a vocal range and perfect pitch which resonates and the simple kitchen/back porch singer currently learning a Gaelic song from the 18th century. :) Surprisingly we have much in common. I am her self-acclaimed biggest fan.

It flows through our blood. My mother, her grandmother, had a lovely high soprano voice. It was full of vibrato and very operatic - truly amazing. She could have spent her life on the stage singing, but she never felt comfortable about her voice. She instead chose a life of service to her family. (One family holiday dinner, Erin stood up and sang for her grandmother – it still brings tears to my eyes it was so beautiful - the way it moved my mother. She has passed now, and I am sure Erin cherishes that memory.) The confidence my mother lacked, her grand daughter has in spades. It may be a generation or two until Erin’s gift is found again, it is that special. But then, I am her biggest fan.

Erin called a couple of days ago while stuck in traffic (how very LA) with breaking news she was releasing two original songs. Of course I was tickled pink she called considering her busy life. Although we long ago crossed the bridge from aunt and niece to friends, she still calls me Aunty and always ends with “I love you”. Nice! Anyway, she has been working, and I mean working, on this project for a long time. Thankfully, her abilities reach beyond voice and songwriting, to a shrewd sense of business. She also produced her songs, not a small feat. A beautiful girl with a kind heart, a brilliant mind and a ton of determination.

Her original (yes, she wrote them) music (2 songs so far) is posted on her revamped myspace page located at http://www.myspace.com/erinmorgado. Her voice...is completely amazing!!!! Opening the page, one can’t help but notice how pretty she is (the photos are a bit sultry so they don’t show the mischievous gleam in her eyes, but it’s there, trust me) - a super gorgeous revved-up version of my sister. Perhaps it would be better to not look and just listen, but marketing is part of the business, thus the photos. And it always helps to put a face with a voice.

Her technical singing abilities are obvious. She is a singer's singer. Unfortunately there is no video posted as I wish everyone could watch her sing. What I love most of all about my dear niece is she sings straight from the center of her heart. You can read on her face and it's a beautiful sight. There are a million talented singers – a really tough business to break into. It is the feeling Erin projects that makes her a great singer, and her Aunty Marty her biggest fan.