Photo: Cheyene Howell

“I come from a family of musician-, my mom is a musician, my dad is a musician and my grandpa actually toured the world to play music. Both my dad and uncle were in Reba McEntire’s band, so you could say music is in my blood. I started learning how to play guitar in sixth grade. I started writing songs my freshman year of high school and continue to today. I have about seventy songs, finished and unfinished. With my mother’s encouragement and faith in my music, back in June, I entered into a talent contest in Madill, playing a song I wrote. I was really nervous and didn’t tell anybody I was competing. I had never performed my own music live. To my surprise, I won first place. I was awarded $200, a first-place plaque, a free one hour recording session in a professional studio and I got to open for The Josh Abbott Band on the biggest night of the Sand Bass Festival. I was completely overwhelmed and amazed that people enjoyed my music. It was a huge step for me. Since then, Rib Crib has been hiring my sister and I to play music every month, which gives me an opportunity to play my own songs. I’ve made a professional CD, gotten the opportunity to gain some experience and exposure and really explore my music. It’s made all the difference.” -Emily Rhyne