Making Friends With Emma Rugg by Cilla.

We first met Emma Rugg at the Middleton Street party a few weeks ago. I was knocked out. Then she played at the Adelphi Club after the Grassroots Festival and by the time she came to visit us, we'd heard that she'd appeared in the Hull Daily Mail more times than I've had hot dinners, so it was a little intimidating to say the least! Anyway, famous or not, it was Mo's job to pick her up, bring her back and do the intros. On arrival at the freshly hoovered, cleaned and polished house, Emma was ushered into the breakfast room where she was to meet the rest of the family and any friends who might drop by (and they do, all the time!). To say the household was on tender hooks would be an understatement. Everyone from the youngest (5 year old) was anticipating the arrival of a big star!

My first impression of Emma revealed her somewhat shy demeanour and it took a little while for us all to relax. The kids having been duly introduced were dragged up to their inevitable duvets for the night (it was way past their bedtime). Emma herself received the children with a big gleaming smile and joy in her eyes. I was in somewhat of a dilemma, having invited her for an interview but with a hankering to make friends first. It was time to open a bottle of red wine and chill out a bit!

Emma relaxed into the situation and quite soon began to talk openly and candidly about herself. She's always been talented with music. She played the cornet in the Hull Youth Orchestra while still at school, can play the piano and, of course, her guitar. She proudly announced that she has 10 guitars. That's some collection. When her father died when she was just 10 years old, Emma was left with her Mum to cope with the loss. No doubt this experience gave Emma strength and helped to her become the mature and well-balanced young lady she is at 21. She speaks with a wisdom and knowledge that only pain and deep loss can provide.

Emma's Artwork.

Asked does she practice her music a lot, Emma says that she's too busy experiencing her life - and that's all the practice she needs. If she sat at home strumming all day, she'd never have anything to write about! And she certainly doesn't do that! Emma takes charge of everything - her own publicity, setting up publishing deals, developing and maintaining her own web site http://www.emmarugg.com, organising dates and even cooking the dinner! Emma has created all the artwork on her site - take a look.

Emma has found music a means not only to express herself and her life, but also a terrific channel for her positive life energy. She is determined. She is intelligent. She is truly beautiful. She is many things but at 21, she lives alone, her mum having moved a couple of years ago into sheltered accommodation to help her deal with debilitating health problems. continued below

Making Friends With Emma Rugg continued by Cilla.

After leaving school, Emma realised pretty quickly that the way to achieve her dreams was through sheer work hard. She aimed for where she wanted to be and hasn't stopped working towards that ever since. Her earliest jobs (and there were 10 of them!) ranged from nannying to mid-level management positions. Really, though, none were enough to satisfy her need for self expression. Emma began busking in the streets of Hull 8 -10 hours a day, working on her music, entertaining passers by and attempting to save up something like £3000 to record her debut album. This is a determined lady; there is no doubt about that.

And it looks as though the hard work is paying off. Earlier this year Emma was flown out to Michigan at a couple of days notice after appearing on the Radio Humberside Raw Talent Show, to record vocals for US singer, Henry Doss. Her diary is fast filling up with dates to sing, dates to teach, dates to interview, and hopefully, at some point in the future, dates to relax!

Emma is returning to The States in October where she is appearing at Vines Restaurant in Onetona, New York, in a special concert organised by BanJo Radio Group and MI5 Recordings. We are about to see this young girl from Hull blossom, I am sure. Beyond her obvious musical talent lies an untapped business mind, eager to be released. Emma's awareness of sales and marketing is astonishing for one so young. With the clarity of mind and common sense of a mother, Emma will go far, for sure. But for now, I am happy just to be her friend. Photographs copyright  ©2003, and courtesy of Emma Rugg and her friends at www.thisisUll.com.

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