Vocals

It was a small infatuation with the musical, Annie, that brought a three-year-old red-hatted Erika Brett into the performing realm of her living room singing "You're Never Fully Dressed Without a Smile." But when her grandparents delivered an ivory Yamaha upright piano for Christmas, the magic of music unleashed into Erika’s six year old soul. Not many years later, at a karaoke party in TJ Walter’s basement, she accidentally sang her first solo to a packed house when her friend Emily went home before their song was called. And though she’s played the violin, guitar and glockenspiel in her day and will always noodle on her beloved piano, she’s been using those “killer pipes” ever since (Chicago Tribune). Erika’s musical vocabulary ranges from opera and jazz to country and rock, but she is most inspired by folk, blues and soul. With this combination, her voice brings a unique blend of sweetness and emotive toughness to the Empty Pockets. And though she’s sung all over the world from Chicago’s Grant Park to the Israel’s Cesaria Amphitheatre, it’s clear Erika’s voice has found a real home among the melodious stylings of her boys, Josh, Nate and Danny.

Nicknames:
Brett, The Brett, EB, E1, No-I-Am-Not-Crying, Hungry

Official Title:
Webmistress. Obsessive, graphic-designing/html-coding/Bandzoogle-website-template-loving Macbook fiend.  Please, someone take the laptop away before her contacts shrivel up, dried in her eyes.