Ema Wilbanks Returns to Stage for Spring Jam

Ema Wilbanks Returns to Winery for Encore Performance at Spring Jam 2025

Big Creek Winery is brining back a talented young singer-songwriter who has a deep passion for folk, country and bluegrass music. Ema Wilbanks will return to the winery stage for Spring Jam 2024 beginning at 10 a.m. on May 11 for a lunchtime set.

“Ema made her solo debut at AutumnFest last fall, and our guests loved her,” said Big Creek Winery owner Billy Brymer. “Both her original music and her covers of popular favorites were very impressive.”

Growing up in a musical family, this young lady’s love for music began early. With a grandmother who served as the choir director and organist at the Church of the Messiah and a father who played guitar, she was surrounded by melodies and harmonies from the start. About six years ago, she picked up her brother’s old guitar, downloaded a free tuning app, and began to teach herself the basics. The very first song she learned to play was Dolly Parton’s “Jolene,” marking the start of her journey into the world of music.

More than three years ago, she began taking guitar lessons from the late Jim Rutledge, who inspired her to further develop her skills. Since then, she has been actively performing, volunteering and honing her craft as a musician and singer. As a member of the musical group Harwell, Stone and the Extra Credits – a band consisting of professors and students from UT Southern – she continued to explore her love for folk, country and bluegrass music, which have been a staple in her life since childhood.

This talented young artist not only plays the acoustic guitar but also aspires to learn more instruments as she grows and evolves in her musical journey. Although she occasionally writes her own songs, she’s still perfecting them and looks forward to sharing her original work in the future.

She’ll graduate from Richland High School this spring, where she has balanced her musical pursuits with being a cheer team member. She plans on continuing her education at Tennessee Tech University this fall.

Join us at Big Creek Winery’s Spring Jam 2025 to enjoy her set, which begins at 11 a.m. and runs until 12:30 p.m. Her performance will be the perfect start to a day filled with great music, delicious wine tastings, local vendors, food trucks, bouncy houses and more. Following her will be Ian Nelson from 2-4:30 p.m. and Shelby Lee Lowe from 5:30 -8:30 p.m. All these activities and open-air concerts are free to attend, making it a perfect day for relaxation, community and celebration.

Come unwind, sip some delicious wine and enjoy a day full of music and fun at Big Creek Winery’s Spring Jam 2025. We can’t wait to see you there!