Emily Robison Strayer (born
Emily Burns Erwin on August 16, 1972) is an American songwriter, singer, multi-instrumentalist, and a founding member of the female
country band the
Dixie Chicks. Robison plays
banjo,
dobro, guitar,
bass,
mandolin,
accordion, and
sitar. Initially in her career with the Dixie Chicks, she limited her singing to harmony with backing vocals, but within her role in the
Court Yard Hounds, she has taken on the role of lead vocalist.