Sue Pyper - Award winning singer songwriter

I count myself very lucky to have not only amazing friends but also really, really talented ones. My dear friend Judy Wing sang harmony vocals with me on my concert stage - she has the most amazing voice. I hope we will get to hear her and her husband Bruce perform at MusicFest in the near future. I also had the wonderful Gidd Hampton on guitar. It was nice to have the support of friends on stage (and in the audience!)

For one of the smaller festivals I am always amazed at the high quality of performers that they manage to get. This year I was thrilled to see my musical hero Nanci Griffith perform. I have seen Nanci play at the Albert Hall and other large venues in London, but those were not nearly as special as sitting 20 feet away and listening to those songs that inspired me and shaped my music and my life for over 20 years. I also count myself as very fortunate that I got meet her and tell her what her music has meant to me. It is always so nice when your heroes are as lovely as you had hoped they would be!

Of course other highlights included seeing Joan Osborne and the Holmes Brothers, Roberta Flack, and of course the icing on the cake Seeing Richie Hayward legendary drummer of Little Feat take the stage for a couple of songs and blow everyone away with his drumming skill. Despite having many health challenges he just lit up the stage with his energy and incredible drumming! Go Richie!

So I come away from this weekend, feeling inspired by all the marvelous music, the lovely energy and the fantastic people that I met. Who knows, maybe a song or two will come out of it….

I am lucky to live in a place that has so many top notch festivals and markets happening. First I play at the Comox Valley Farmers Market - a relaxed crowd and yummy food make this a pleasure every time!

Next comes Vancouver island MusicFest which is always a treat. This year they have some great headliners including Roberta Flack, Nanci Griffith, Adrian Belew Power Trio, Joan Osborne, Little Feat, The Holmes Brothers, Tony Trischka, and The Unthanks. I get to share stages with some fantastic musicians.

I am also playing at the Comox Valley Fall Fair with my dear friends Judy & Bruce Wing. This is always a fun event seeing wide eyed kids looking at the animals and produce. Comox means abundance and we certainly have that!

My music has just been added to Women of Substance radio - They do a regular show "what is playing on my ipod" It focuses on new performers to the station and is a great way to check out new music. it is a great web based radio station that feature high quality female performers.

It has been a beautiful spring here in the valley, and the sunshine always brings out creativity. I am getting geared up for some upcoming gigs, the biggest being Vancouver Island Music Fest. I have the privilege of my two good friends Gidd Hampton and Judy Wing sitting in with for my concert stage. They are both amazing musicians and I am looking forward to playing with them again. The other nice news about MusicFest is that one of my musical heroes Nanci Griffith is performing. I recorded one of her songs "Love at The Five and Dime" on my first CD and it is always a favourite of mine. I have been a fan of her music for over 25 years and always include her songs in my set lists. It will be a treat to hear her play at the festival and maybe get to meet her.

February 24th 2010 - Video award!

I just found out last night that my video "Tail Lights In The Rain" won an award. These are the very kind things that they said about it. To watch the video please visit YouTube (you can post a comment if you like!) or you can see it a the CMB Broadcasting site

Judging Summary:
"Throughout the history of music, and often from a variety of genres, there comes singer/songwriters whose life and compassion for others has helped change this world for the better. From John Lennon in the early 70's (Imagine) to Tracy Chapman (Behind The Wall etc.) in the late 80's and country artists such as Reba McEntire, Steve Earle, Martina McBride amongst others. Sue Pyper falls into this category, and "Chasing Tail Lights In The Rain" is yet another example of her very real and genuine concern for others. This special video - which also features live footage of Sue and friends - is well constructed and helps the viewer to not only appreciate the song better but to also come away feeling the sincerity that this respected singer/songwriter offers us all. Congratulations Sue and all involved in this video" - CMB Judging Panel.

CMB Blue Ribbon Award - Achievement in Production:
Primarily for innovation in production, story-board flow, technical achievement and quality of presentation.

CMB Red Ribbon Award - Achievement in Performance:
Primarily for video content (e.g. settings), orginality and passion in peformance. A video that engages the viewer.

CMB Green Ribbon Award - Achievement in Development:
Primarily for excellence in personal dedication and commitment to country music as presented through the visual medium.

February 1st 2010

Had a lovely email from a radio station in the USA. It was a nice way to start february!

"I couldn't let 2009 slip away completely without mentioning a few of my favorite (mostly independent) new releases that made frequent appearances on Acoustic Harmony last year. This is in no way meant to be a "Best Of" list, but rather a list of some releases that for whatever reason really made an impression on me. These are records and artists that might have been overlooked and ones I would highly recommend to anyone who appreciates great songwriting and the artistry of musical creation."

Here they are in no particular order:
Robyn Landis - Many Moons
Sue Pyper - Tail Lights In The Rain
Jory Nash - New Blue Day
Lynn Miles - Black Flowers/Vol 1 & 2
Drew Nelson - Dusty Road To Beulah Land
Joe Jencks - Links In A Chain
Cheryl Wheeler - Pointing At The Sun
Vicky Emerson - Long Ride
Johnsmith - Gravity Of Grace
David Mallett - Alright Now
Alisa Fineman & Kimball Hurd - Faith In Our Love
Bow Thayer - Shooting Arrows At The Moon
Corey Brewster - Buffalo Street
Chuck Suchy - Unraveling Heart
Wyatt Easterling - Where This River Goes
Keith Greeninger & Dayan Kai - Make It Rain

I started off the new year with some great news - that two of my songs have been licensed for TV. Probably TV commercials or TV shows. All very exciting!

Also my good friends Judy and Bruce Wing's video "Life was sweet" won a video award. Check out the video here!

Here we are in 2010 and I hope that you all had a happy new year and are starting this year full of energy!.

Some nice things have happened so far this year. First I have a concert on Jan 15th on Denman Island BC with my good friends Judy & Bruce Wing. Denman is a really great little island community. It is the first time I have played there and I am looking forward to it immensely.

The next thing is that the CHLY radio station published their top 50 for 2009 and my CD "Tail Lights In The Rain" came in at number 14 which was very cool as i was in good company with the likes of Diana Krall. Click here to see the full chart listings

I have had a fun few months. I performed at the the Mex Food bank fundraiser at the beginning of November. I was lucky enough to have Gidd Hampton, and Judy and Bruce Wing accompany me. What a treat to play with such fantastic musicians.

Then I had a trip to the UK which was fun and rewarding, catching up with old friends and band members. Now we are hurtling towards chistmas. Where does the time go?

This weekend I was the guest performer at the "House To House Festival" on Protection Island BC. The "House to House Festival" consists of two house concerts and two sets of performers. During the intermission, the audiences swap houses. I was accompanied by my good friend Rodrigo Figueroa on guitar and his mother Digna, who is visiting from Chile, also came along for the ride. We all had a great time.

This was our first visit to Protection Island, so it was an interesting experience. To get to the island, you have to take a small passenger ferry (there is no car ferry as the only vehicles on the island are golf carts). David Essig (musician extraordinaire) kindly met us and gave us a tour on the way to the location of the house concerts.

Our hosts were Melissa and Doug, two of the nicest folks you could ever wish to meet. They showed us such warm hospitality and welcomed us into their beautiful home. We had two amazing and appreciative audiences, enjoyed a spectacular view of the ocean, and made many new friends. I am sure this will not be our last visit to this island and I look forward to seeing more of its beauty in the future.

Well here we are in September and summer seems to have whizzed by. I have enjoyed the gorgeous sunshine and being outside in my new garden. Having never been a gardner before, it took me by surprise how much I have enjoyed it - and nothing tastes better than food that you have grown yourself.

Summer also brought lots of nice outdoor opportunities to perform. Judy, Bruce and I had the pleasure of playing a private function down on the Ocean in Comox - it was a beautiful setting with a diverse audience from all over Canada. As always, it was fun to play with the dynamic duo - Judy and Bruce Wing who always bring such a beautiful energy to concerts and more personally, to my music.

As part of our fond farewell to summer - "Voices Three" (Judy Wing, Helen Austin and myself) performed at the Comox Valley Exhibition (Fall Fair). It was fun to see all the kids enjoying zuccini races and fawning over the cuddly critters that were there. We had a great crowd and had a fun time.

Next on the agenda is the "House to House Festival" September 20th on Protection Island, BC, where I will be performing with my Latin guitarist friend Rodrigo. The House to House Festival is a great concept. The festival consists of two different performers/groups in two different locations. At the intermission the audiences swap houses to see the other act.

It will be great to play with Rodrigo again - It is always a giggly time when the two of use get together. While I am mentioning Rodrigo I am pleased to mention that he has recently become a new daddy to a gorgeous baby girl - so congratulations to Rodrigo and Julie.

Well what a busy weekend I’ve had! My CD release concert at Joe’s Garage was a huge amount of fun. We had a great turn out despite the summer temperature and we so appreciated our audience braving the heat to come and listen. It was great to perform with such amazing musicians, my cohorts Rodrigo Figueroa and Judy and Bruce Wing. It has been a long while since I’ve played with Rodrigo so it was a giggle hanging out with him and his impish sense of humour added some nice touches to the evening. Judy and Bruce Wing are musicians/songwriters extraordinaire; I always enjoy playing music with them and Judy's sharp and witty stage banter. We thought of a name for our stage ensemble: The Hot Chile Pypers, with Wings on the Side. (Blame it on the heat.)

On Sunday I was playing at Campbell River’s Pier Street Market. The weather was just right for a seaside venue, bright and sunny with a lovely cool breeze coming off the ocean. I had a blast and had an appreciative crowd, which always adds to the fun of the performance experience. To top off the evening I went to the Back Street acoustic jam in Royston to listen to some great performers. If you like good music (and no cover charge), then head out to the Back Street Pub on Sundays to listen to live music from 5-9.

The next performance on the calendar is at the Comox Valley Relay For Life event – I will be back with my Voices Three buddies Helen Austin and Judy Wing to perform a set for the overnight walkers who are raising money and awareness for the Canadian Cancer Society.

Thanks for your support, past and present. Speaking of support, here’s a great way that you can show your support for independent musicians. Contact any of these CBC Radio shows to request songs from the albums of your favourite independent artists. You can find links to their email addresses here: http://www.cbc.ca/bc/contact/

BC Almanac – Hosted by Susan MacNamee and Mark Forsyth
North by Northwest – Hosted by Sheryl McKay
All Points West – Hosted by Jo Ann Roberts

Thanks again for your support,

May 13th - After considerable procrastination, I'm finally doing it! I'm performing a CD release concert on Friday, June 5 at Joe's Garage in Courtenay. Don't let the name fool you, the venue is cool and casual, an easy night out with friends to enjoy some music, a few drinks and nibblies. I'm also thrilled to be joined by outstanding musicians Rodrigo Figueroa and Judy & Bruce Wing. Rodrigo composed wonderful guitar accompaniments to both of my CDs and added a jovial spirit to my first CD release concert back in 2003. The dynamic duo Judy and Bruce Wing will be adding harmony, bass, and some sweet mandolin. Two of Judy's songs are on the CD, and she also created beautiful harmony parts for the recording. Tickets are $15 and available at Blue Heron Books in Comox, and Laughing Oyster Book Store, Sound Advice and Bop City Records in Courtenay as well as at the door. (Unreserved seating) Looking forward to seeing your there!

April 7th - Voices Three performed last night at the Mex Pub in Courtenay for the "1st Tuesday Food Bank Fundraisers" concert series. Judy Wing , Helen Austin and myself enjoyed performing to a full house and enthusiastic audience. It was a fun and informal evening with lots of good humour and music which raised over $500 for the Comox Valley Food Bank Society. The 1st Tuesday Food Bank Concert Series was the brain child of Judy and Bruce Wing and is sponsored by the Mex Pub. The concert series, which began in December of 2008 features a special musical guest each month and has so far raised over $2000 in addition to numerous grocery carts of non-perishables. If you wish to donate online or find out about upcoming acts in the concert series, please visit www.judyandbruce.com

"Tail Lights in the Rain" has gained some international attention this month... I'm pleased to hear that Bob Sherman, long time host of the New York radio program "Woody's Children", will be playing some songs from my new CD on his program May 24th between 1 and 2PM. Bob is very well respected in musical circles and considered an authority in Contemporary Folk. He was recently celebrated for hosting his program for 40 years and has helped to launch the career of many new artists over the years. He gave a very kind review of "Before You Learn to Fly" which was a big help in getting airplay with my first CD . You can listen in at www.wfuv.org

I also skyped an interview with John Broughton, radio host of "Retrospectives" on 3SER 97.7 FM Radio Casey out of Melbourne, Australia. He asked some great interview questions, and I came up with some really great answers although I have to say that some of them only dawned on me "retrospectively". I'll keep you posted as to when the interview will be airing so that you can tune in.

My new CD is now available for purchase on iTunes, so those of you who build your music library one track at a time can choose your favourite songs from Tail Lights in the Rain and add them to your playlists. I have also added some music videos to YouTube which I hope you'll check out, and pass them on. (Just search for Sue Pyper) "Sleep On It", and "Tail Lights in the Rain" are available for viewing, as well as some performance videos from our recent Voices Three concert in January at the Sid Williams Theatre.

Voices Three will be doing a mini show at the Mex Pub on Tuesday, April 7th. The ongoing monthly concert series of Judy and Bruce Wing features a night of acoustic music along with a special musical guest on the first Tuesday of each month. Admission is a cash or non-perishable food donation for the Comox Valley Food Bank Society. Come on down for a few laughs and some great music. For more info visit their website at www.judyandbruce.com.

February 10th - New Video!

I am really getting into the video making and have produced and edited another song from the CD into a movie! Please check out "Tail Lights In The Rain" and let me know what you think. (you can also check out the fun and quirky "Sleep On It" video too!)

This last weekend I was performing in the beautiful town of Sointula on Malcolm Island, which is just off the east coast of northern Vancouver island. I was part of a concert called “The Definitely Not in Kansas Tour”, which was organized by my good friends and fellow performers Judy and Bruce Wing. Judy, Bruce and I were joined by Gidd and Bettyanne Hampton who added some nice vocals and accompaniments into the mix. The show in the Sointula Firehall was sold out and we all had a great time.

Sointula was home to Judy for 17 years so she has a wonderful group of friends there who made us all feel welcome with a wonderful potluck dinner and a jam with local musicians. They made sure our stay was very comfortable and friendly!

Our annual Voices Three Concert (which consists of songwriters Helen Austin, Judy Wing and myself) had a great turn out and was a lot of fun. The concert was held at the Sid Williams Theatre in Courtenay, and it was great to entertain folks in the ambiance of a classy venue. As in previous years, the evening is a mixture of comedy, harmony, and original music and part of the fun is that even we don't know what's going to happen next. The goal of the show is to promote awareness for the Comox Valley Hospice Society and the profits of the show are donated to help support their valuable community programs.

It's snowing outside making the world look pretty and festive, however this time of year is not as joyous for families struggling to make ends meet. That's why it is so marvelous that my friends Judy & Bruce Wing have started a monthly acoustic concert series on the first Tuesday of the month at the Mex Pub in Courtenay which features amazing singer songwriters in an intimate venue. The first event, which featured Todd Butler raised over $500 and two shopping carts full of food for the Comox Valley Foodbank. They have raised a further $600 in online donations from their website. If you'd like to make a donation you can visit their site www.judyandbruce.com (there is a link on the home page) and make an online donation or support your local foodbank. The next concert features songwriter Richard Caissie and is on the first Tuesday, January 6th, 2009.

Big News! My CD is here!
Well at long last, weighing in at a whopping 5 crates and 20 boxes my new CD is finally here. Today I have been checking the track order, and combing over all of the little details of the packaging, which I imagine is similar to counting a new born baby's fingers and toes. People who have pre-ordered CDs should have them within the next week or so and I can't wait to share it with you all. Now the fun begins, sending it off to radio and magazines, promoting it at performances, and getting feedback on the project. Thanks to everyone who has supported me through this process, I'm very pleased with the final product.

At long last the CD has headed off to the duplicators, where it will be printed and burned into my new CD.

With a bit of luck I should have the CD back by the first week in December - just in time for Christmas.

Baby Has A Name! October 22

After long and careful deliberation (along with some obsession, coin flipping, and photo shoots) I have finally decided on the title for the new CD. Over the past few months I've been nurturing a list of songs, listening to them evolve into more developed ideas and waiting for one of them to volunteer. Of all of them, "Tail Lights in the Rain" has stood out as having the most to say, especially since recent events have caused most of us to do a little more soul searching as far as the global community is concerned. So... watch for the release of my new CD "Taillights In the Rain", the baby has a new name.

I spent the thanksgiving weekend in Victoria, participating in the annual Royal Victoria Half Marathon. The team of women I was with raised money for the Family Support Institute. I have been diligently training Sue Pyper - Royal Victoria Half Marathon Participant

Sue Pyper - Royal Victoria Half Marathon Participant

over the past 8 months, walking 5 and 10 kilometers several times a week to prepare myself for the event. I'm not normally a morning person so commiting to an early start has been a separate challenge. (My dog Oliver seems to enjoy his morning gloat as he rolls over for another round of dog dreams.) The entire marathon was 42 kms and there were 10,500 participants. I walked the half marathon which was 21 kms and my finishing time was 4 hrs and 11 minutes, definately a work out but great fun for a good cause. I have a medallion for my efforts, a few photos, and a lot of good memories.

Well yesterday was the last day in the studio and that means all the recording has now been done. The next stage is the mixing which will be happening next week!

The last day in the studio was spent recording the harmony vocals with Judy Wing and Helen Austin. It was a very long day and they both worked very hard and did an amazing job. Thank you ladies! The added harmonies were like the icing on the cake for me and I am so pleased with how the whole thing is sounding.

As many of you know, musical projects have a way of taking on their own identities as the songs evolve and different textures are added by other musicians. Some songs start to sparkle in unexpected ways so there is a possibilty that the CD title will change. I will keep you posted once I make the decision.

The CD project is moving along nicely; more musicians have added their parts and I’m very excited by how it is all sounding. Of course the recording is just one part of the process, and I have now turned my attention to the cover artwork and photography. Today I went out with my good friend Karen McKinnon who is an amazing photographer and a lot of fun to work with. We certainly snapped all sorts of photos, but we have yet to see if we’ve captured the all imporatant cover shot yet.

Healthy Options! (Sept 10th)

It is that time of year again and we are starting up rehearsals for “Voices Three” a trio group I perform in, along with Judy Wing, and Helen Austin. This will be our third annual concert for Voices Three, so it’s starting to feel like a bit of tradition here in Courtenay – the last show at the Sid Williams Theatre was sold out and raised $6,000 for the Comox Valley Hospice Society. The new show will be on January the 10th and should be a lot of fun. Of course one of the motivations to practice is the weekly rehearsal dinner, which for the last two years has been the predictable fare of lasagna, garlic bread, salad and red wine…however this year we have resolved to include healthier options as our middle aged spread is spreading just a little too far this time around. Tickets for the new show will be on sale at the beginning of November.

We are off and running!

Well we're off and running on the CD project, and spent a whole week of intense but gratifying sessions with some amazing musicians. Pictured below is a session we had with Marty the bass player (Zak Cohen is in the driving seat at the mixing desk).

We also recorded some string parts with Kathy Stacey on cello and Trish Clair-Peck on viola and violin. These ladies were great fun and kept up good spirits through a long hot day.

On Friday, my good friend Rodrigo came in to add his guitar sparkles into the mix. Rodrigo is originally from Chile and produced my first CD. It was great to have back in the studio with his virtuoso guitar playing, as well as his giggles and impish charm.

All in all, I'm very pleased with all we've achieved in just one week. We have some more musicians who will add their special touches to the project and then I'll have to get to work and record my vocals. So the pressure to perform is on. Thanks again to those who have pre-ordered to help with costs.

Well, Saturday will be the start of the recording and production of my new CD. I will have a whole week of emersing myself in the music and the process, and will be working with some amazing musicians that I don't normally get to work with, so that will be a treat!

I'm looking forward to hearing how the tracks evolve and change in the process. One thing about recording is that you have to be open to change because sometimes wonderful "accidents" happen which make you say, "Oh, that sounded cool!" and then you just run with it.

My friends Judy and Bruce Wing are also working on a new CD, so we are going through CD growing pains together, no doubt we'll share the joys when we "give birth" to our new CD offspring.

Thank you to everyone who has pre-purchased the CD to help towards production costs. If you would like to pre-purchase you can go here for more information. Stay "tuned".

Well, we're on our way to making the new CD entitled "A Thousand Miles" a reality. The arrangements are coming along nicely which is very exciting. It's always interesting to hear your songs arranged in new ways that include instruments you don't normally get to perform with such as strings.

The other news is that the studio time has now been officially booked. What that means is that after 6 years, this is all really happening! The CD includes some new songs that have not been out in public before, so I am keeping them under wraps for a while so that I can keep the CD fresh for those who may have heard me perform some of the tracks before. I'm really looking forward to hearing all of the songs take shape.

What’s new? My website for sure, which those of you who have visited my website before will appreciate. It was long overdue for a makeover and I’m glad to have it up and running. I’ve been inspired by my CD project, another new adventure, which is yet to be titled. I had difficulty deciding whether or not to record another CD, but your words of encouragement and the recurring question of “When are you doing another CD?” have convinced me that it is a good idea, so thanks for your comments.

The new CD will be produced at the Woodshop Recording Studio where I recorded "Before You Learn to Fly". Peter Nowfell, a very talented arranger in the UK will be working on the project with me along with Zak Cohen from the Woodshop. I’ll keep you all posted on it’s progress as it moves along. The songs have been chosen, and the arrangements are in process so I’m starting to get excited.

I’ve also been having a whole lot of fun working with "Voices Three" a collaboration between Judy Wing, Helen Austin and myself. We have a few performances coming up which you can see in the schedule page or on the Voices Three website. It’s been great fun working with such talented and fun performers and we are exploring both serious and comedic songwriting. Please be sure to check out their websites and listen to some of their wonderful music.