Erin’s Story

Erin Sliney has always been a lover of music, learning, and new experiences.  Born in Truckee, California and raised on a horse farm in Kentucky, her cultural identity and life has been a windy path between the two.  After graduating with a bachelor’s of arts in Spanish and Anthropology/Sociology from Centre College, Erin left Kentucky on a 7-year journey to hike and teach in the forests, deserts, and mountain ranges of North America.  She taught ceramics at summer camps in Maine and Vermont, worked on trail and chainsaw crews in Utah and Nevada, and guided hikes in Guatemala and Alaska. She fell in love with environmental education instruction, training, and program development in northern California.

This extended time experiencing and teaching about the natural environment instilled in Erin a deep and joyous love for the Earth, but it also made her concerned for the planet and its inhabitants.  Motivated to make positive change, Erin pursued and attained a master’s degree in Resilient and Sustainable Communities from Green Mountain College.  There, she learned about the past, present, and worrisome future of our food, transportation, communication, energy, and economic systems and how to improve to these systems at a regional level.  She also extensively studied and assessed community environmental education needs, spearheaded an environmental education network, and is a proud recipient of Kentucky’s Professional Environmental Educator Certification.

Erin’s love of music has been present throughout her lifetime, but has been increasingly present.  She’s fallen head over heels for songwriting and has felt called to share her creations with the world.  Her debut album, Truckee to Kentucky, was released in early 2020 and summarizes her travelling years. It received a 4 star review from Country Music People Magazine, who called it a “remarkable debut” that reveals Erin “as a singer with a unique talent for writing country songs.”  

In 2022, she joined forced with Brittany Dawn Samples and Abby Rank to form the fun and folksy lady trio, Them Lasses. With the mission to spread joy through harmony and sunflowers, they have taken Central Kentucky by sunshine! In 2024 they played 33 live shows, hosted their own sunflower festival and concert, released four music videos, and recorded and released a debut self-titled studio album, Them Lasses & The Old Dogs with their backing band, The Old Dogs. This album contains 3 of Erin’s original songs, Little Chicky, Sweet Mountain Music, and Blue’s Ballad, and she contributes fiddle, guitar, spoons, banjo, vocals, and percussion to the fun and eclectic album. The record is available on vinyl, CD, digital download, and all streaming platforms and has been well-received and supported by the community.

Erin is currently living and working on her family’s farm and will join Them Lasses & The Old Dogs for several shows and projects in 2025. She continues to look toward innovative ways to integrate and use music and education as a tool to build community and spark environmentally sustainable change.