Parents Paul Erwin and Barbara Trask moved the family to the suburban town of Addison, Texas, on the northern edge of Dallas, where she was raised with her two older sisters, Julia and Martha.

Her parents were both educators and nurtured the growing interest that both Emily and Martha (later nicknamed Martie) shared, and together both sisters became proficient on several instruments while in elementary school.

[1] From 1984–1989, Jane Frost (Director of the Patsy Montana Museum and the Walnut Valley Festival in Winfield, Kansas) remembers watching the sisters mature, teaming up with schoolmates Troy and Sharon Gilchrist.

In 1989, after years of attending bluegrass festivals and busking where they could, Emily joined her sister Martie, guitarist Robin Lynn Macy, and upright bass player Laura Lynch.

"[citation needed] But in later interviews, the sisters revealed what many had thought for a long time: the reason Lynch was replaced was not commitment but a perceived lack of talent.

"[citation needed] From there, massive commercial success ensued, with their 1998 and 1999 albums Wide Open Spaces and Fly both achieving diamond record status.

Emily was a key element of the group's look, with her hair dyed blond to match the other two at first, and then allowing it to return to her natural brunette color, and distinguishing herself visually from the other two.

Nevertheless, even when her home was trashed,[citation needed] and plenty of editorials were predicting the end of the Dixie Chicks' successful careers in music, she remained loyal to Maines, as did her sister.

Emily spent at least half of her life busking and touring nearly non-stop since high school, first with her older sister, and then with the changing lineups of the Dixie Chicks.

After the bandmates celebrated their five Grammy Awards for Taking the Long Way, the trio all had young children and took time out to spend with them, but Emily was eager to return to writing and touring.