Erin Boheme will perform at President Donald Trump’s inaugural gala this evening.
Boheme is a jazz singer who was recently announced as a participant at the Liberty and Freedom: The Official Presidential Inaugural Balls at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center. She’s performing alongside Sam Moore, Tim Rushlow and his Big Band, Silhouettes, The Rockettes, Pelican212, The Piano Guys, Circus 1903, Cache Olson, and Lexi Walker.
She is expected to sing “My Way” along with Nickie Conley and Jason Eskridge; this will be Donald and Melania Trump’s first dance as president and first lady.
Here’s what you need to know about Erin Boheme.
1. She’s From Oshkosh, Wisconsin
Erin Boheme was born in Oshkosh, Wisconsin in 1986. She has since moved to Nashville, Tennesse.
She got started with music when she was a teenager, flying to Los Angeles when she was 15 to meet with managers and labels, according to Billboard. However, initially she was not able to go anywhere with it; she actually competed in the show Star Search but did not win, and so she soon returned back to Oshkosh to sing at private parties.
“It was a very interesting experience,” Boheme said of her experience on Star Search. “I learned a lot about the process of how these shows work. The best part about it was meeting some really amazing people that I’m still in contact with.”
A few years later, though, Boheme had another opportunity to pursue her love of music.
2. She Was Mentored by Jazz Pianist Mike Melvoin
In 2004, jazz pianist Mike Melvoin was nominated for a Grammy award; he was up for Best Jazz Instrumental Solo for the song “All Or Nothing At All.”
Since Melvoin is also jazz musician from Oshkosh, Wisconsin, Erin Boheme decided to reach out to him and congratulate him for his nomination. Luckily for Boheme, Melvoin was impressed with Boheme, and he invited her to come work with him.
“And then all of a sudden, with Mike’s help, I was recording a demo and Concord Records got a hold of it,” she says.
She soon signed with Concord Jazz, the company that has produced music from some of the most famous jazz musicians in history, including Herb Alpert, Ray Charles and Bing Crosby.
3. She Has Released Two Albums
Erin Boehme released her first album, What Love Is, in 2006.
What Is Love made it to #37 on Billboard’s Top Jazz Albums chart.
Seven years later, Boeheme released a second album, What a Life.
“When teenaged Wisconsinite Erin Boheme made her recording debut in 2006, she opted for a too-mature style that suggested Marilyn Monroe by way of Billie Holiday,” Jazz Times wrote of the album when it hit store shelves. “Now, at age 25, Boheme has settled into a far more age-appropriate groove that seems composed of equal parts Sophie Milman and Taylor Swift.”
According to the Oshkosh Northwestern, Boehme plans to release a blues album this spring.
4. Her Most Recent Album Was Produced by Michael Bublé
Erin Boehme’s most recent album, What a Life, was produced by Michael Buble, who Boehme met back in 2004 after seeing him perform at a free concert.
“He’s silly like me…so we had a lot of laughs,” Boheme said of Michael Buble. “Luckily, we have been friends for 7 or 8 years now, so it wasn’t something where it was intimidating or unfamiliar. Of course, because of who he is, it was very humbling for me to have him want to be such a tremendous part of this. His musical director, Alan Chang, served as co producer. He’s got a great sensitivity and understanding of the music and he brings a dimension and life to it that may not have existed before.”
According to Concord Music, Michael Bublé’s touring band serves as Boehme’s backup unit on the album.
5. She Says She Decided to Perform Out of Respect for the Office of the Presidency
Erin Boheme will have the honor of performing for Donald Trump and Melania Trump during their first dance as president and first lady. She is expected to sing “My Way” with Nickie Conley and Jason Eskridge.
Each artist who has announced their participation in the inauguration has faced some amount of backlash from their fans. Boehme says that she accepted to show her respect for the office of the presidency.
“I’m just such an ardent patriot of our country and have so much respect for the office of the president,” she told the Oshkosh Northwestern. “I’m trying to honor what our current President Obama has asked us all to do, which is to participate in a peaceful transition.”