We recently caught up with WV artist Emily Lehr! Emily is dropping a new EP TOMORROW on July 4!
BB: Where in West Virginia do you come from?
EL: I was initially raised in Shepherdstown, and then my family moved to Martinsburg when I was pretty young, and I went to high school in Hedgesville. I typically just claim the Eastern Panhandle!
BB: Who are some influences on your music and writing style?
EL: Oh SO many! I definitely go through phases. I would say the primary contenders have been Jon Foreman, Matthew Thiessen, Sara Bareilles, Sarah Jarosz, and Lizzy McAlpine. Recently, Madison Cunningham has been a huge influence on me as a human and writer.
BB: How has being from/living in West Virginia influenced your music?
EL: I think everything I am and do is influenced by my West Virginia heritage and residency, so that flows very naturally into my music. Specifically, I think about music as a communal instrument and as a very intentional practice, so I hope that bleeds into my writing and how I maneuver some of the practical aspects of artistry and performance.
BB: You recently moved back to WV. Can you share a little about why you are excited to be back especially in regards to your music?
EL: I actually just moved back to West Virginia this weekend! While I will definitely be mourning my life and friends in Nashville for a while, I am thrilled to be back in a state and town – Morgantown – that has such a vibrant community of musicians. There’s little to no pretense in musicianship and musicking in Morgantown, and most folks are participating for the love of the activity and the community. That feels really special and important to me after spending a few years in a place where music can sometimes feel first and foremost like a commodity.
BB: What can you tell us about your upcoming EP?
EL: The idea for the EP was a bit spontaneous. Earlier this year, I was feeling really defeated and hopeless about a lot of the things that have been happening in our country, and as a healthcare professional in my day job, I’ve had a front row seat to some of the injustices that are happening to folks across America. One of the things that has been giving me a sense of control and hope in the midst of this has been folk music. I decided to record two covers that mean a lot to me and reflect some of my own feelings and ideas about our current sociopolitical climate, and then I wrote a song to add to the EP. That song is more of a mantra for myself. If you purchase the EP on bandcamp, the proceeds are being donated to the WV Housing Justice.
BB: What was the writing and recording process like?
EL: Two of the songs on the EP are a John Prine cover and a Hazel Dickens cover. The song I wrote for the project is “Mercy All the Day Long,” and I wrote it while visiting my grandmother before traveling to Morgantown, WV for a job interview. I had been reading the biblical book of Jude, and verses 20 and 21 really stuck out to me, particularly, “By building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you eternal life.” I can and will do the best I can to support the folks around me – at work and in my personal life – and also, rest and peace are important in this time. I love the reminder that while I am doing the work, I am also waiting for mercy and trusting God to complete the work he’s called me to do.
BB: What inspired you to cover Hazel Dickens?
EL: I have always loved and admired Hazel Dickens’ work since I learned about her in college at WVU. Her voice feels particularly relevant to me right now, especially with cuts being made at OSHA that impact coal miners in West Virginia and the cuts to healthcare services that impact many of the people I serve in my work. I chose “Don’t Put Her Down, You Helped Put Her There” because it felt like a very honest and resonant song for me to sing, as a woman navigating the social and political terrain of southern and Appalachian culture.
BB: Who are some West Virginia artists you’re listening to?
EL: There are so many that I adore, but recently it’s been Rett Madison, Bill Withers, Ryan Brandenburg, The Wild Shoats, and Sierra Ferrell.
BB: What else are you listening to currently?
EL: Currently I’ve been loving Jensen McRae, Kaitlin Butts, Olivia Dean, Remi Wolf, Doechii, and Sabrina Carpenter.
BB: What inspired you or took you down the path of music?
EL: My mom is a music teacher, and my dad has been taking me to concerts since I can remember. Music as a practice and as a form of consumption has been a huge part of life for my whole life.
BB: What is one song you want people to listen to from your EP if they were to say, “Hey what do you sound like?”
EL: I definitely think “Mercy All the Day Long” is representative of my voice and my values, and I’m also really proud of how the Hazel Dickens cover turned out. I hope either of those songs will inspire the direction of future projects.
BB: Anything else you want to share about yourself/your music?
EL: I released my sophomore record in September 2024 and will be working on some singles and eventually another project in 2026. I’m excited to be playing around the state of WV more now that I live here again, and I’ll be in Nashville pretty frequently, as well.
Be sure to check out Emily Lehr’s new EP dropping FRIDAY!!
Photo credit: Lauren Hall @l.moy.photos on Instagram
