Emily Glazener

Emily Glazener is a musical force. Whether she is rocking out large venues with one of her bands, or if she is performing solo, Emily has become a well-known and extremely well-respected musician among fans of live music all around the Houston, Texas area. Although originally from Mississippi, Emily has called Texas home since she was a child. Her musical journey started when she would travel to nursing homes with her dad to sing for their residents. These performances planted a seed that she has spent her life nurturing- and we are all watching it blossom.

During early adolescence, Emily became gravely ill while battling an auto-immune disease. During this fight to recover, she found strength and comfort in music and specifically, the life and music of Elton John. She truly is a walking encyclopedia regarding the legend. This lead to exposure to other British greats such as the Beatles and Rod Stewart, as well as more modern groups like The Cure and The Pet Shop Boys, as well as Sarah McGuiness- who Emily considers a mentor. She also fell in love with British Comedians, such as Monty Python and Eddie Izzard. These influences sparked an affinity for England and a desire to one day play across the pond. This is also when Emily learned  how to play guitar, which eventually led to her first paying gigs- playing at a restaurant in Baytown, Texas four nights a week as a high school senior.

Although she kept playing, Emily’s priorities shifted when she fell in love, got married, and started a family. She still played as often as she could- and could be found doing local acoustic shows. This was during a time when, in the Houston area, it was extremely rare to see a female showing up to an open mic, much less playing a gig by herself. This would no doubt be intimidating for most, but Emily knew her passion and managed to become “one of the guys” while establishing herself as a dominant force. She quickly became respected and admired by area musicians for not only her musical abilities, but for her stage presence, song-writing, and story-telling.

Tragically, Emily became a widow at the young age of thirty-three. She found herself a young, single mom- and once again, music saved her. Emily knew she had to keep going for her sons, and she knew it would be through her music.  Luckily, Emily has always had the support of her family and sons, which made it possible for her to keep playing. She pushed through, and on top of her solo shows, she began playing with others and found a new love- playing with a rock band.

“I really cut my teeth with [the band] Rock Radio, and I was only a fill-in, but I loved it. That’s when I knew I was hooked- I sang ‘Sweet Child O Mine’ and that was it- I was hooked!” 

This began a new journey in Emily’s career- going from solo to “frontman” of a band. She has been a part of several bands over the past decade. Currently, she is in two. Red Iris plays original music, and The Joan Hearts is a popular tribute band that pays homage to another of Emily’s trail-blazing influences, Joan Jett. 

For most, getting on a stage makes you feel vulnerable and exposed, but it is what Emily Glazener lives for. When asked how she does it, she compares herself to stand-up comedians.

“A stand-up is so freaking brave! Think about it- they get up on a stage and there is nothing. Just an audience saying ‘make me laugh,’ a mic, and maybe a glass of water on a stool, man. And they do it almost every night.” 

Emily makes it look easy. Whether she is sharing a stage with her band playing to a thousand people or playing alone on a stool with a mic and a guitar in a pub in England, she oozes confidence and an undeniable passion for what she does. Emily has a true knack for taking a well-known song and making it her own, all while honoring its original sound. Her original songs are poetic tributes to the trials and tribulations of real life. Her words are inspired from what she has seen, both in her life and the lives of those she cares about; and the combination of lyrics and melody meld together to make anyone listening feel her song, not just hear it. Emily also has the gift of storytelling, and what she tells her audience between songs is almost as enjoyable as her music. If you can’t get to an Emily Glazener show, her music can be found on all major streaming services, as well as videos of her performing on her Facebook page. She is definitely worth the listen.

You gotta run the last mile; you’ve gotta wear your smile like its armor…”