Born in Anchorage, Alaska, 29-year-old Hope Griffin was literally born into music. Surrounded by a musical family, she began singing and performing when she was very young. Hope first got turned onto the idea of writing her own music when she received a guitar at age 17. She attended Carson-Newman University and went on to receive a Bachelor’s degree in classical voice. It was there that her true flair for songwriting developed. Hope’s drive to perform her original works was launched after winning a songwriters contest in college in 2007. She eventually moved to Asheville, North Carolina where she began introducing her angelic vocals and folky lyrics into the music scene. Since her time in Asheville, Hope has entered and won several singer/songwriter contests, including 2nd place of hundreds to open for Dave Barnes. In 2012, her song “Hanging In The Balance” made radio play. She has been in newspapers such as the Herald-Journal & The Mountain Express, appeared on WNC television, and interviewed with several radio stations. Her “in your-face” style of ballad writing, as well as her reputation for playing songs that span through the decades has made her popular amongst a wide range of age groups. Hope continues to wow audiences and stretch the musical boundaries by switching from soulful ballads to high-energy blues with ease. Her brand new EP entitled ‘Say What You Will’ released on February 6th, 2015 to a sold out show at Isis Restaurant & Music Hall in Asheville, NC. Each song on the album offers a diverse style and hook worthy of its subject matter, but all are linked with Hope’s angelic voice, catchy beats, and poignant imagery. This is the album that fans of folk music and singer-songwriters have been waiting for since Hope first began mesmerizing her audiences, and it is a perfect exhibition of her extraordinary talent. Hope can now be seen touring with her cellist JamieLeigh at many venues throughout the Southeast US, in states including North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee, & Alabama. With the release of her new EP, she plans on taking her music even further for the Spring and Summer of 2015. If you’re in the area, do yourself a favor and come see her play. Her free spirited personality and ability to tell beautiful stories through song make her a true force to be reckoned with – and a hard excuse to miss!