Susan Marshall (musician)

Susan Marshall
Background information
Genres Folk rock, pop, soul
Instruments Vocals, piano
Years active 1989–present
Website susanmarshall.net

Susan Marshall is an American folk rock, pop and soul vocalist, pianist, songwriter and recording artist. She is best known for her work with Mother Station, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Lenny Kravitz, The Afghan Whigs, Primal Scream, North Mississippi Allstars, Lucinda Williams, Ana Popović and Katharine McPhee.

After completing high school in Memphis Tennessee and attending theatre school, Marshall was engaged by the year-round Off-Broadway repertory company, Light Opera of Manhattan, where she performed leading roles in operettas for nearly six years. In 1990, she returned to Memphis, where she co-founded a band, Mother Station, began writing songs and soon became a backup vocalist for well-known artists, contributing vocals to dozens of albums. Her songs and collaborations have been recorded by well known artists, and she has released three well regarded solo albums.

Early life and education

Marshall was born in Utah, but during primary school she lived in Eugene, Oregon, Whittier, California and later Albuquerque, New Mexico. She exhibited musical talent as a child, which was nurtured by her musical family. Her father sang in barbershop quartets, and her grandmother was a soprano singer and pianist. Dave Meniketti of Y&T is her cousin by marriage.[1] In 1977, she became the youngest member in the Albuquerque Civic Light Opera's production of Oklahoma!.[2]

Just before high school, her family moved to Memphis, Tennessee, and she attended Germantown High School, which her parents picked for its outstanding arts department.[2] In 1980, Marshall received a scholarship to the United States International University in San Diego, California, which she attended for two years. She then moved to New York City and attended a summer at Circle in the Square Theatre School.

Career

After college, Marshall remained in New York and joined the Light Opera of Manhattan (LOOM), an Off-broadway, 52-week-per-year repertory theatre company. LOOM featured an AEA program from which Marshall received her Actor's Equity Card. Marshall remained with LOOM for more than 5 years, performing leading roles in operettas under the name Siobhan Marshall, because there was another Susan Marshall who was already a member of Actors Equity.[3][4] The New York Times praised her work as the leading character Jane in the company's holiday show, Victor Herbert's Babes in Toyland: "Nolan and especially Siobhan Marshall sing and act attractively as ... Delphinia and Jane (Miss Marshall can play a cute little girl without being unbearable, which is a little unusual after all)."[5]

In 1990, Marshall returned to Memphis. There, she was giving vocal lessons to a member of a local band and was soon asked to join. The group, co-fronted by Marshall and Gwin Spencer, became known as Mother Station, and within two years they were signed on East West Records under the Atlantic Record label. They released an album, Brand New Bag,[6] and reached #34 on the Billboard rock charts with "Put the Blame on Me", but soon afterwards, the group disbanded.[7] Meanwhile, Marshall met Jeff Powell, an assistant on a Lynyrd Skynyrd album produced by Tom Dowd. She auditioned for Dowd, which led to her contributing backup vocals to Skynyrd albums. Marshall was noticed by other producers, including Jim Dickinson, which led to work with Toy Caldwell. She also provided vocals for The Afghan Whigs on recordings and on tour.[6] Background vocal sessions became a regular part of her career,[8] and her vocals can be heard on dozens of albums.[4][9]

After Mother Station, Marshall began to write songs and play the piano. She wrote a ballad called "Back to You", which was later recorded by Reba Russell. Marshall co-wrote "How The Mighty Have Fallen" with Bill Ellis, which was recorded by Jim Gaines and Ana Popović. Popović's next record also featured one of Marshall's songs, "Love Me Again", co-written by Mike Carroll. In 2002, Marshall released her critically admired debut solo album, Susan Marshall Is Honey Mouth, and she has released two more well-regarded albums since then: Firefly (2005) and Little Red (2009).[3] In 2005, Marshall was working with Austin Carrol and suggested that Carrol audition for ABC's The One: Making a Music Star. Together, they wrote "Better off Alone". He performed it on the show, where judge Kara DioGuardi heard it. Later, when Katharine McPhee was the American Idol runner up, DioGuardi pitched the song to McPhee, and she recorded it on her eponymous debut album, which was certified gold by RIAA.[4]

In 2011, Marshall became the first female president of the Memphis chapter of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (NARAS).[10]

Selected discography

Marshall's recording credits include over 100 albums including the following:[9]

References

  1. ↑ Mills, Michelle J. "Marshall brings Memphis sound to Southland", Pasadena Star News, Pasadena, California, San Gabriel Valley Newspaper Group, 2009, p. 7
  2. 1 2 Lockwood, Rod. "Singer Susan Marshall Understands Sultry Nights", Toledo Blade, Toledo, Ohio, Block Communications, 2009
  3. 1 2 Susan Marshall, Star Pulse
  4. 1 2 3 Susan Marshall, Mad Jack
  5. ↑ Crutchfield, Will. "Operetta: Babes in Toyland", The New York Times, December 17, 1987, accessed February 18, 2013
  6. 1 2 Franck, John. Mother Station, All Music, accessed February 18, 2013
  7. ↑ Susan Marshall, Billboard
  8. ↑ Jordan, Mark. "Marshall As Soloist Steps From Backup To Up Front", Commercial Appeal, Memphis, TN, E.W. Scripps Company, 2009
  9. 1 2 Susan Marshall, All Music
  10. ↑ Memphis Chapter, NARAS
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