Erica Brown developed an interest in music at an early age. At the age of seven, Erica was competing in fiddle contests with kids twice her age. At age nine, she was traveling throughout New England, Canada, and even Louisiana with the Maine French Fiddlers. Erica also performed as a special guest with Mac McHale And The Old-Time Radio Gang for five years. Currently, she has her own bluegrass band, Erica Brown & The Bluegrass Connection, which performs all over New England. Erica also performs with her husband Matt Shipman in an old time flavored duo called Darlin’ Corey, a French Canadian quartet called Side By Each and an Irish based quartet called Josephine County which tours extensively throughout the United States.
Erica was a member of the Bates College “Fighting Bobcats” Orchestra for five years (8th-12th grade) and was a member of the Maine All-State Music Festival for two years. She has competed in and won numerous fiddle contests throughout New England and Canada. In 2003 she was awarded Junior Female Entertainer Of The Year by the Maine Country Music Association and in 2006 she received the Harold Carter Memorial Award from the Down East Country Music Association. Erica was a recipient of a 2006 Maine Arts Commission Traditional Arts Apprenticeship Award and was recognized as a Master Artist by the Maine Arts Commission that same year. She has produced and released five solo CD’s as well as one CD with Darlin’ Corey.
Erica has helped bring music into several elementary schools by holding workshops and personally performing. She has a strong desire to share her knowledge with anyone who has an interest in music and the fiddle. Erica has been a music educator for over 12 years and recently opened a teaching studio in her Portland, ME home called Darlin’ Corey Studios where she and husband, Matt Shipman give private and group lessons to people of all ages and abilities.
Her talent for combining the precision of classical music with the spontaneity of country and bluegrass fiddle makes for a fun-filled performance every time she plays. Performance highlights include opening for Grammy award winning country music superstar, Dwight Yoakam, as well as Grammy award winning bluegrass performer, Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder.