Vocalist/Lead Guitarist/Songwriter
A real deal blues guitarist and vocalist, Suzanne will tell you she’s no stranger to the blues. Life for her started out as an abandoned biracial child in Seoul, Korea where she lived in an orphanage; barely escaping the harsh realities of being killed because of her mixed heritage. At the tender age of five an American family adopted her into the United States.
Suzanne began studying organ at the age of six and as fate would have it she was given her first music lessons and introduction to the organ by the great Jimmy Smith. Although her adoptive parents bought countless Jimmy Smith records to encourage her, she had great interest in the "other" Jimi which was constantly blasting by her older brothers.
Growing up in Los Angeles, she started writing songs by the time she was nine after being inspired by David Ruffin’s “What Becomes of the Broken Hearted” at the same time also listening to the songwriting skills and melodies of Barbara Lynn not to mention Barbara’s soulful left handed guitar playing.
The church Suzanne attended as a child held Sunday services in a large auditorium with an organist, a piano player and the Minister playing his candy apple red Stratocaster. Nothing would ever be the same again.
With trouble and turmoil accompanying her teen years, Suzanne ran away from home at the age of 14 keeping close in her heart the things that had influenced her most in her early years; the guitar, organ, songwriting and her great grandmother’s wise sayings.
After living as a street urchin from pillar to post in abandoned store fronts and at various friends houses when she could, Suzanne took up an Aunt’s offer to live with her in Columbus, Ohio where she graduated from Marion Franklin High and briefly attended Ohio State.
“I never felt my voice was good enough to sing, but I was always listening to the first ladies of blues, Bette Lavette, KoKo Taylor and Etta James, whose vocal deliveries played over and over in my head. In my Aunt’s house who had taken on the task of “raising me right”, we weren’t allowed to listen to anything but gospel music on Sundays, like the Mighty Clouds of Joy, James Cleveland, Shirley Cesar, Mahalia Jackson so when I listened to Rosetta Sharp my Aunt couldn’t decide if she was blues or gospel, she certainly felt “sanctified” and had a choir backing her....lucky me”.
After abandoning Dental school at Ohio State and her family’s dreams of her becoming a dentist she enrolled in music school in Los Angeles, CA. It wasn't long before she sold her organ for her first electric guitar and began to lead her own groups. The first group was a female band called “School Boy Crush” of course named after the AWB song, two all female funk rock groups by the name of “Software” and “PMS”. Lastly she formed Crank, which was a 3 piece hard rock band that shared the stage with Ice T and Body Count, Fishbone and Macy Gray.
Suzanne has hired out as a guitarist to several funk and R&B bands, doubling on guitar and bass in the Grammy winning band A Taste of Honey, taken second place in the 7th annual Jimi Hendrix contest and played Japan, France and New York at various music festivals and events including the Manhattan Music Center.
The biggest influences on the guitar for Suzanne were Buddy Guy and Prince but she also gave her love equally to Albert Collins, Jimi Hendrix, Albert King, Rosetta Sharp, T-Bone Walker, Gary Moore, and especially Stevie Ray Vaughn. As fate would play its hand again, a friend would later introduce her to Ernie Isley who gave some critical one on one instruction with her beloved instrument.
Growing bored with the directed she felt music was heading and its lack of spirituality. After the gentle nudging of Zac Harmon, Suzanne left rock n roll and returned to the blues with a life giving passion and never looked back. Suzanne's blues were nurtured by Mama Laura owner of the club Babe & Rickey's, with words of wisdom that she will never forget. Through Mama Laura it was there that she got to meet and talk with one of her guitar hero's who showed her a few of his great guitar licks, his name was Guitar Shorty.
Today Suzanne performs with her band The Blues Church at various venues around the world.