Erin Ivey is Austin's urban folk darling. Known for musical fearlessness, Erin's latest album Broken Gold is a unique, critically-acclaimed collaboration with R&B/dub organ trio The Finest Kind.    In a few short years, Erin has played more than 300 live shows nationwide, garnered a shoutout from Hollywood gossip maven Perez Hilton, and been named one of Austin's top independent artists.    Austin locals will also recognize her from the infectious "Take Me to Reids" TV and radio ad campaign, the cover of Austin Monthly magazine's "Most Beautiful Women" issue, and her "Live at The Long Center" performance broadcast on Music Entertainment TV.      "I would kill for a purr like that." (Luciana Lopez, The Oregonian)   "So endearing and warm you want to go back for seconds." (Perez Hilton, perezhilton.com)   "Ivey's adventurousness stands out in a town saturated with singer-songwriters." (Jim Caligiuri, Austin Chronicle)   "Broken Gold is my favorite new album" (Kevin Connor, KUT 90.5FM NPR Austin)   "5 stars" (Broken Gold review in Austin Monthly)       _________________________________________________   From Erin:   i like to ride my bike and always feel better afterward, but it's just getting out there that's the hard part.   soundtrack to learning to ride a bike: Flashdance, Boston, The Beatles, Madonna, Michael Jackson   remember when life was like a judy blume book?    soundtrack to high school: the sundays, pink floyd, allman brothers band, nat king cole, tori amos, smashing pumpkins, beastie boys, grateful dead, phish, Sinead O'Connor, STP, belly, mazzy star, tears for fears   i bought my own guitar from a pawn shop on guadalupe street my sophomore year at University of Texas.   soundtrack to college: bob marley, neil young, joni mitchell, ben harper, patty griffin, jeff buckley, sam phillips, Tunji, musical co-conspirators Jason Traweek, Drew Burch, and Adam Bailey, and the million live shows i saw downtown at the old shotgun Mercury Lounge (the Jimmy Smith and Victor Wooten shows stand out most in my memory)   my first track was made in the penthouse (on the 11th floor) of the Stoneleigh Hotel during the 2005 Red Bull Music Lab in Dallas.    soundtrack to post-college Real Job disillusionment: oscar peterson, mccoy tyner, live salsa bands at Miguel's La Bodega, sarah vaughan, stevie wonder, Bebel Gilberto, miles davis, donny hathaway, Edie Brikell, norah jones, rosemary clooney, erykah badu, Brad Gilley, elliott smith, ella fitzgerald, nick drake, crowded house   as 10 years in austin approached, i freaked out and took the first out-of-state job i was offered. which took me to peoria, illinois, where i worked in the blandest cubicle in the grayest building amidst cornfields and retreated to my tower apartment in an old whiskey baron's mansion to make demos and have dance parties by myself with the then-new bassnectar album and rum.   Ray Lamontagne, Mary J. Blige, Maimou, Project Runway, Melody Gardot, Nat King Cole, Radiohead, Mute Math, Kathleen Edwards, Kirk Franklin, Sharon Jones, Vince Guaraldi, Jupiter One, Martha Wainwright, Bassnectar   after my yearlong contract was up, i moved to portland, oregon, determined to return to Austin with a record, which turned out to be "The 11th Floor". when i first arrived in portland, i stayed at a place with a vintage Edison phonograph player. there were a lot of foxtrots.   have a foxtrot from my "field recordings"   "The 11th Floor" was released in Austin in may 2007. since then, i have made 2 EPs ("Austin Lullabies" and "Sweet Little EP"), the brand new album "Broken Gold" (with R&B/dub organ trio The Finest Kind), and played my little heart out all over the place.    what's now baby: Stephen Marley, Jon Dee Graham, T-Bone Burnett's "Tooth of Crime", Beethoven's "Moonlight Sonata", Martin Sexton's "The American", Bruce Springsteen's "Nebraska", Billie Holiday, Bill Frisell, Bob Marley, Nat King Cole