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As I walked down the steps that separated The Fallout Shelter from the rest of Sheffield Lanes Bowling Alley, I remember thinking to myself that I was not thrilled to be working the door for an acoustic show that was barely advertised and feature three bands from out-of-state. For one, I am not a fan of acoustic music in any shape or form. Generally, it puts me to sleep. Second, in my experience it is never a good idea to book that many out-of-area bands without booking a fairly major local act. I knew from the get go that this show was going to be a bust and I mentally prepared myself for a long and boring night.

Per usual, the venue doors opened at 8 p.m. but by 9, the scheduled start time, there was not a single person there to see these bands. I began to worry. Even though I may not have wanted to be there myself, I felt bad for these artists because they had come all this way to potentially have the show cancelled. As we all waited around for people to show up, one of the acts, Emily Davis, set up on stage and began messing around with her equipment. I was awestruck at this woman’s talent immediately.

Her belting vocals filled the room and her immeasurable talent on guitar was fascinating. She played with a combination of strumming chords and picking, flawlessly transitioning from to the other and back again. I honestly wish more people would have been there to see. Davis instantly changed my views on acoustic music with no more than a few minutes of playing.

After her short performance for the staff, she explained to me that her car had been totaled in South Carolina. Instead of canceling all of her tour dates she left the car and hopped busses to ensure she’d make each of the remaining shows. That is a dedication that many musicians today lack and I respect her even more for her sincere devotion to her art.

Emily Davis, an El Paso, Texas native, has been sharing her own unique brand of folk music since the tender age of 15. She currently has two albums under her belt on which she recorded all of the instruments and vocals as well as composed every song. Davis is filled to the brim with talent and I guarantee she is worth a listen. Her recordings are wonderful but they do not do her justice. You need to see her perform live to get the full effect of her voice and jaw-dropping guitar skills.

Davis classifies her musical styling as a mix of folk, acoustic, and indie. Her sound is unique and her lyrics match the depth and creativeness of the instrumental parts extremely well. I highly recommend her latest album “Dark Matter” which is available for sale at Bandcamp.com. You can also buy “Dark Matter” on Amazonas well. If you’re in the mood some immediate gratification you can go check her out on Facebook as well. And if you should get a chance to see her perform, I suggest you don’t pass up that opportunity. Emily Davis is going to go places.