About SusanJoy

Singer-Songwriter SusanJoy has always called New Jersey, USA home. Born into a family with a musical history, she heard songs composed by her grandfather, and stories of vaudeville-performing relatives from early years. “My Dad still says “Show biz doesn’t run in this family, it gallops!”

Music is an active calling for SusanJoy. She sang before she talked, and began short story writing, songwriting, poetic writing, singing and performing at a very early age. “I write and perform because I am moved to. I must. It’s like the need to breathe or drink water. It’s natural to me, and it soothes.”

People often ask SusanJoy, what is the impetus for a song? Simply living life, she replies. For example, the sassy foot stomping song “Loverboy” evolved after SusanJoy observed a new country rock star and an established singer overtly flirt at a Nashville coffeehouse. Listeners have called it a classic Gretchen Wilson or Dixie Chicks style. Or, scolding a misbehaving pet Cockatiel, shuffling in her bird cage, inspired the infectious party anthem dance tune “Fricasse Shuffle”, which reminds folks of the Paul Simon/Jimmy Buffet genre. And, the eavesdropping on a lovers quarrel at the artsy Washington Square Park in NYC became the basis of the moody, jazzy composition, “He Said, She Said.” That song reminds people of Dave’s True Story, Rickie Lee Jones and Phoebe Snow.

SusanJoy’s music is adventurous, eclectic and she describes it lovingly as Chill Folk Rock. Her influences include Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan, Stevie Wonder, Pat Methany, Steely Dan, Ella Fitzgerald & Louis “Satchmo” Armstrong, Burt Bacharach, Irving Berlin and the Gershwins. And SusanJoy is an original.

Active in the local music scene, SusanJoy regularly performs at Songwriters Circles, Open Mics, and seeks club engagements. A generous community member, she’s played benefits for the Matheny School and Hospital for the disabled and for the Princeton Songwriters Fundraiser.

In 2002, SusanJoy traveled to the “Songwriters Mecca”, Nashville, and also Memphis, Tennessee. Profoundly inspired by Songwriters who mentored her there, she became an active member of SGA (Song Writers Guild of America), NSAI (Nashville songwriters Association International), and the Princeton Songwriters NSAI branch in New Jersey.

Excited by the thrill and ease of touching hearts through songs, SusanJoy began recording. The debut CD, titled TurnAround, was released in May 2005. It was mastered and recorded (part) at the multi-Grammy Award winning Bennett Studios, in Englewood, NJ.

When describing the essence of TurnAround, SusanJoy says: “These are relationship songs, feeling songs, on subjects that make a difference. I hope people have as much fun listening and singing along, as I had writing and performing them.

Purchase the début CD TurnAround for $19.99 plus tax here or at CD Baby in May 2005. Write SusanJoy or call (908) 234-9528 for booking or more information.