River of Life by Sue Young

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George Maida

The Electric Croude

WCVE-FM, Richmond, VA

"River Of Life' has received airplay on KUT FM and KOOP FM (radio host Charlie Martin's Best of 2003) in Austin, Texas, Whole Wheat Radio in Talkeetna, Alaska, Transitions Radio Magazine on KBAC FM in Albuquerque and Santa Fe, New Mexico, WORT FM in Madison, Wisconsin, KOPN in Columbia, Missouri, KZSC in Santa Cruz, California, KTUH in Honolulu, Hawai'i, WCVE FM in Richmond, Virginia, WMUC in College Park, MD, KUSU in Logan, UT and KUNV in Las Vegas, NV.

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Sue grew up in a big, music-loving family. Her mother played the piano, her father played baritone ukelele and tenor guitar, all five children played an instrument, and everyone sang. Sue started on ukelele at age 8, moved to guitar at 11, and has been singing and playing ever since. Music heard in her home while growing up included the Beatles, Bob Dylan, the Rolling Stones, Joan Baez, Joni Mitchell, Bonnie Raitt, Stevie Wonder, Jimi Hendrix, Stan Getz, Bach, and Rogers and Hammerstein.

The Youngs moved around, but mainly lived out west- in Seattle, Washington, Salt Lake City, Utah and in Albuquerque, New Mexico. In 1977-78, Sue spent a year in Quito, Ecuador studying at University of New Mexico's Centro Andino. It was a magical time full of adventure and learning. She traveled around South America and fell passionately in love with Latin American music and culture. She began performing in clubs around this time and continued after returning to the States. She worked as a solo and in a duo in Albuquerque and Santa Fe. She also sang with a trio that did folk music of North and South America, and with Govinda, a jazz-rock fusion band, where her vocal style was once compared to "Appalachian scat".

In 1985, she moved to Austin, Texas, lured by the vibrant music community and beautiful living environment. Burned out on playing bars full-time, she began a series of part-time jobs and soon wound up teaching Spanish to young children, which she continues to do today. She's become a storyteller and has been on the Texas Commission for the Arts Touring Artist Roster since 1993. She has taken her bilingual show "Cantos y Cuentos-Songs and Stories of Latin America" to schools, museums, libraries, festivals and theatres around Texas and New Mexico, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Colorado. She's released two cassettes of Spanish language songs for children, and is preparing for a new children's recording, which will include storytelling as well as music.

The Austin years have seen Sue grow and mature as an artist and a writer. The Albuquerque Journal has called her "one of the most versatile, heartfelt singer/songwriters around." She's opened shows for such luminaries as Lyle Lovett, Jimmie Dale Gilmore, Jesse Winchester and Kenny Rankin. Much of Sue's music in the last few years has been inspired by the spiritual influences in her life. She sings regularly in a church in Austin and has performed at churches around the USA as well as at concerts, festivals and conferences. Her recording "From the Mother-Songs of the Sacred Feminine" is an exploration and celebration of the feminine in various spiritual traditions, from Hebrew to Christian to Native American to Hindu. The Austin Chronicle describes "From the Mother" as "lush and loving...executed with care and genius...an angelic voice."

Sue lives in Austin with her two beloved cats.

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