Emily Robison

Robison in 2007, photo by s_bukley/Bigstock.com

Birth Name: Emily Burns Erwin

Place of Birth: Pittsfield, Massachusetts, U.S.

Date of Birth: August 16, 1972

Ethnicity: English, some Irish, Dutch, and German, smaller amounts of Scottish and Swiss-German

Emily Robinson is an American songwriter, singer, and multi-instrumentalist. She is a member of country band, The Chicks (formerly Dixie Chicks), along with her sister Martie Maguire, and with Natalie Maines.

Emily is the daughter of Barbara and Paul Erwin. She is married to Martin Strayer. She has three children with her former husband, country singer Charlie Robison, and a daughter with Martin.

Emily’s paternal grandfather was Robert Richmond Erwin (the son of Walter Leroy Erwin and Julia Evaline Richmond). Robert was born in Danbury, Connecticut, and had deep roots in the U.S. Walter was the son of Silas Leroy Erwin and Mary E. Camp. Julia was the daughter of Levi Stevens Richmond and Mary M. Millington.

Emily’s paternal grandmother was Ruth E. Tyrrell (the daughter of Walter Bennett Tyrell and Ethel Wheeler Ripley). Ruth was born in Connecticut. Walter was the son of William B. Tyrell, who was Irish, and of Ellen M. “Nellie” Jones, who was born in Massachussetts, to Irish parents. Emily’s great-grandmother Ethel was the daughter of Herbert Bellows Ripley and Nancy Adaline Manahan, and had mostly deep roots in the U.S.

Emily’s maternal grandfather was William Wall Burns (the son of William Ralph Burns and Cora Easterday Wall). Emily’s grandfather William was born in Charlestown, West Virginia, and had deep American roots. Emily’s grat-grandfather William was the son of William Myers Burns and Laura Ann Rohrer. Cora was the daughter of Charles Francis Wall and Susan Gertrude Easterday.

Emily’s maternal grandmother was Ruth Elizabeth Griffin (the daughter of John Edward “Jack” Griffin and Ruth Ellen Van de Velde). Emily’s grandmother Ruth was born in Dunkirk, New York. John was the son of John Z. Griffin, who was from New York, and of Minerva A. “Minnie” Knowlden, whose paternal grandparents, and maternal grandfather, were emigrants from England. Emily’s great-grandmother Ruth was the daughter of John Jacob Van de Velde, who was the son of Dutch emigrants, from Zeeland, and of Elizabeth Wheeler, whose mother was Irish.