Susan Marshall (musician)
Susan Marshall |
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Background information |
Genres |
Pop, Hard Rock, Blues |
Occupations |
Musician |
Instruments |
Vocals, Piano |
Years active |
1989–present |
Labels |
Atlantic, Columbia, Electra, RCA |
Associated acts |
Lenny Kravitz, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Mother Station, The Afghan Whigs, Lucinda Williams, The Hill Country Revue, Katharine McPhee |
Website |
susanmarshall.net |
Notable instruments |
Vocals, Piano |
Susan Marshall is an American vocalist, pianist, songwriter and recording artist from Memphis, TN.
She is best known for her work with Lenny Kravitz, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Tom Dowd, Cat Power, Primal Scream, North Mississippi Allstars, Mother Station, The Afghan Whigs, Lucinda Williams and Katharine McPhee.
Early life
Susan Marshall exhibited innate musical abilities during her youth and was surrounded by the musical influence of her family. Her father sang in barbershop quartets. Her grandmother was a soprano singer and pianist. Dave Meniketti of Y&T from Oakland, CA is her cousin by marriage.[1]
Susan Marshall was born in Utah, but during primary school she lived in Eugene, Oregon, Whittier, California and later Albuquerque, New Mexico. In 1977, she became the youngest member in the Albuquerque Civic Light Opera’s production of Oklahoma. Just before high school, her family moved to Memphis, Tennessee and she attended Germantown High School, which her father and mother picked for their outstanding arts department.[2]
Career
In the 1980s Marshall received a Scholarship to the United States International University in San Diego, which she attended for 2 years. She then moved to New York, New York and attended a summer at Circle in the Square Theatre School.
After college, Marshall remained in New York and joined the historic Light Opera of Manhattan (LOOM), an off-broadway repertory theatre company, founded by William Mount-Burke. LOOM featured an AEA program from which Marshall received her Actor's Equity Card. Marshall remained with LOOM for about 5 years.[3]
In 1990, Marshall returned to Memphis, TN. Upon her return, she agreed to give vocal lessons to a member of a local band and was soon after asked to join the group. The group became known as Mother Station and within two years they were signed on East West Records under the Atlantic Record label. They reached #34 on the Billboard Rock Charts with “Put The Blame On Me”. Due to difficulty with the label, including the merger of Elektra Records with East West, the group disbanded.[4]
Prior to the Mother Station hit, Gwin Spencer and Susan Marshall were working to get a production deal with Ardent Records. There, Susan met Jeff Powell, an assistant on a Lynyrd Skynyrd album with Tom Dowd producing. Susan auditioned for Tom Dowd who approved her and was offered a touring position with Skynyrd. Marshall was recognized by other veteran producers including Jim Dickinson, which lead to a gig with Toy Caldwell. Thereafter, background vocal sessions became a regular part of her career.[5]
After Mother Station, Marshall began her foray into songwriting and learning to play instruments. She wrote a ballad called “Back To You”, which was later cut by Reba Russell, who wanted to support Memphis and Memphis artists. Marshall began writing and co-writing with many Memphis artists. Marshall co-wrote “How The Mighty Have Fallen” along with Bill Ellis, which was given to Jim Gaines who contacted Susan about the song and later cut it with Ana Popović. Popović's next record also featured one of Marshall’s songs, “Love Me Again” co-written by Mike Carroll.
In 2005, Marshall worked with Austin Carrol, and suggested Austin audition for ABC’s “Making Of The One”. Prior to the audition they wrote “Better Off Alone”. While he was performing it, one of the judges, Kara DioGuardi (before she was on American Idol) heard him sing the song. Later, when Katherine McPhee was the American Idol Runner up, DioGuardi pitched the song to McPhee and she cut it on her debut album, certified gold by RIAA.[6]
In 2011, Susan Marshall became the first female president of the Memphis chapter of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (NARAS).[7]
Discography
- 1991: Lynyrd Skynyrd - Lynyrd Skynyrd 1991 (Atlantic)
- 1993: Cliffs of Doonen - Undertow (Critique)
- 1994: Mother Station – Brand New Bag (Atlantic)
- 1994: The Screamin’ Cheetah Wheelies – Screamin’ Cheetah Wheelies (Atlantic)
- 1994: Primal Scream – Give Out But Don’t Give Up (Sire)
- 1994: Don Nix – Back to the Well (Icehouse)
- 1997: Sandy Carroll – Memphis Rain (Inside Sounds)
- 1998: The Afghan Whigs – Somethin’ Hot (Columbia)
- 1998: RiverBluff Clan – Two Quarts Low (Fat Chance)
- 1998: Smokin’ Joe Kubek – Take Your Best Shot (Bullseye Blues)
- 1998: Lenny Kravitz – 5 (Virgin)
- 1998: The Afghan Whigs - 1965 (Columbia)
- 1999: Antsy McClain - Doublewide & Dangerous (Rugburn Records)
- 1999: Big Tent Revival - Choose Life (Ardent)
- 2000: Toy Caldwell - Son of the South (Hopesong/GMV Nashville)
- 2000: Dobie Gray - Soul Days (Cadre)
- 2000: Alvin and Bloodhearts – Start with the Soul (Hannibal)
- 2001: KC Ray - Down the River (Witch Hair Records)
- 2001: Eric Lewis - Edgar's Blues (Madjack Records)
- 2001: Larry McCray - Believe It (Magnolia Records)
- 2001: Willy DeVille - Horse of a Different Color (Import)
- 2001: Keith Sykes - Don't Count Us Out (Syrene)
- 2001: North Mississippi Allstars - 51 Phantom (Blanco y Negro Records)
- 2002: William Lee Ellis - Conqueroo (Yellow Dog Records)
- 2002: Sherry Leece - New Leece on Life (Stardust Nashville)
- 2002: Ana Popovic - Hush! (Ruf)
- 2002: Eric Jerardi - Virtual Virtue (Niche Records)
- 2002: John McMullan - John McMullen (Kicktone)
- 2002: Don Nix - Going Down: The Songs of Don Nix (Evidence)
- 2002: Lynyrd Skynyrd - Turn It Up! (Sanctuary)
- 2003: Sid Selvidge - Little Bit of Rain (Archer Records)
- 2003: Adam Levy - Get Your Glow On (Lost Wax Records)
- 2003: Rob Jungklas - Arkadelphia (Madjack Records)
- 2003: North Mississippi Allstars - Polaris (ATO)
- 2003: John Eddie - Who the Hell Is John Eddie? (Lost Highway/Thrill Show)
- 2003: Ana Popovic - Comfort to the Soul (Ruf)
- 2003: Todd Agnew - Grace Like Rain (Ardent/Epic)
- 2004: Various Artists - In the Mood for Memphis (Inside Sounds)
- 2004: Various Artists - In the Name of Love: Artists United for Africa (Militia Muzik)
- 2005: Various Artists - Return to Sin City: A Tribute to Gram Parsons (Image Entertainment)
- 2005: Ana Popovic - Ana! [DVD] (Ruf)
- 2005: Alvin Youngblood Hart - Motivational Speaker (Tone Cool)
- 2005: Ana Popovic - Ana! Live in Amsterdam (Ruf)
- 2005: Todd Agnew - Reflection of Something (Ardent/Epic)
- 2005: North Mississippi Allstars - Electric Blue Watermelon (ATO)
- 2005: Smokin' Joe Kubek - Served Up Texas Style: The Best of the Smokin' Joe Kubek Band (Bullseye Blues)
- 2006: Robert A. Johnson - Touch (New Granada)
- 2006: Paul Mark - Trick Fiction (Radiation Records)
- 2006: The Bottle Rockets - Zoysia (Bloodshot)
- 2006: Cory Branan - 12 Songs (Madjack Records)
- 2006: Don Nix - I Don't Want No Trouble (Section Eight Productions)
- 2006: Anthony Gomes - Music Is the Medicine (Adrenaline)
- 2006: Devon Allman - Torch (Livewire)
- 2006: Keith Sykes - Let It Roll (Fat Pete Records)
- 2007: Katharine McPhee - Katharine McPhee (RCA)
- 2007: Barbara Blue Blues Band - By Popular Demand (Shout)
- 2007: The Afghan Whigs - Unbreakable: A Retrospective 1990-2006 (Rhino/Elektra)
- 2007: Terry Wall & the Wallbangers - Give Me Your Heart (Aljus Records)
- 2008: Paul Mark - Blood and Treasure (Radiation Records)
- 2008: Lucinda Williams - Little Honey (Lost Highway)
- 2009: Susan Marshall - Little Red (Madjack Records)
- 2009: Tim Easton - Porcupine (New West)
- 2009: Klaus Voormann - Sideman's Journey (Universal)
- 2010: Sid Selvidge - I Should Be Blue (Archer Records)
- 2010: Solomon Burke - Nothing's Impossible (E1 Entertainment)
- 2010: The Hill Country Revue - Zebra Ranch (RSM)[8]
References
- ^ Michelle J. Mills, "Marshall brings Memphis sound to Southland", Pasadena Star News, Pasadena, CA, San Gabriel Valley Newspaper Group, 2009, p. 7
- ^ Rod Lockwood, "Singer Susan Marshall Understands Sultry Nights", Toledo Blade, Toledo, Ohio, Block Communications, 2009
- ^ Star Pulse, http://www.starpulse.com/Music/Susan_Marshall-P102198/Biography/
- ^ Billboard, http://www.billboard.com/artist/susan-marshall/bio/83882#/artist/susan-marshall/bio/83882
- ^ Mark Jordan, "Marshall As Soloist Steps From Backup To Up Front", Commercial Appeal, Memphis, TN, E.W. Scripps Company, 2009
- ^ Mad Jack, http://madjackrecords.com/articles/susan-marshall/
- ^ NARAS, http://www.grammy365.com/chapters/memphis-chapter
- ^ All Music, http://allmusic.com/artist/susan-marshall-p102198/credits
Persondata |
Name |
Marshall, Susan |
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