Artist description Susan Cypher, The Nightbird, a modern-day Bard, performs original and classic songs and stories drawing on magical folk stories, legends, and myths from all over the world as well as her own real-life experience. As the Nightbird, Cypher wishes to bring forth songs and tales of depth that shape character, point out lessons, and simply sing beauty into being. She creates a positive message with stories designed to lift the heart up and make the mind think. In the bardic tradition, she writes her music and songs, reaching back into the past and forward into the future. her songs and stories many times dance as one, completing or complimenting each other. "No bird has a voice like yours." Petrella, renowned as the first lady of Country Soul, who has performed with Susan Cypher. She played at the Avalon Theatre in Grand Junction at The Big Break in the summer of 2001. She was selected from a field of thousands as one of the top 20 acts. She has performed at the Unity Walk in 1999; writing a new story for the occasion, the 1999 and 2000 Earth Day Celebrations in Grand Junction, at coffee shops, for public events, private parties, and many fairs and festivals. She was the featured performer at The Planet Earth Gallery for the Dark Show in 1999. Her song "Loss," was inspired by a performance in Loveland, Colorado at a benefit concert that raised money for a small boy who was born without ears. As a musician her influences have been many. She played folk music for years, drawn to the genre by its emphasis on lyrics and stories. She has also played everything from classical music to rock and roll with jazz thrown in for flavor. Some of the groups she has performed with are The Centennial Band (she's a current member(, The Western Colorado Chorale, Patchwork, and the Mesa State Jazz Band. She has played keyboards in a backup band for Darlene Austin (out of Nashville) and sang as a guest with Windfield (out of Denver). She holds B.A. degrees in Vocal Performance and Music Education and plays a variety of instruments including: piano, guitar, French horn, and trumpet. More than anything she loves to write and perform. Music is the magic that makes her life complete.

Music Style New age with Celtic flavor and a lot of Latin and light rock rhythms--very eclectic

Musical Influences Stevie Nicks, Phil Collins, Don Henley, Folk artists in general, Mercedes Lackey

Similar Artists Enya, Lorenna McKinnet, Steel Ice Band, Sandy Denning

Artist History Susan (I--my very self) was born in the town of Craig, Colorado, since there was no hospital in the big town of Maybell, (read population very, very minimal--lots of sheep--however). This is where I began my "career" singing to whoever and whatever would listen to me--horses, friends, sagebrush, sheep, coyotes, the occasional tumbleweed. I even sang later while driving my Dad's tractor with the occasional mouse as an audience. I remember telling the lady who owned the only local grocery store, upon being asked what I wanted to do when I grew up, "I am going to sing before thousands of people" she replied "Oh, honey" in a voice that adults use for small children who have said something incredibly silly "but you live in Maybell." I also remember thinking "you watch, some day I will come back and show you." What is amusing is that one of my fans is her daughter and another is her granddaughter, mmm. Well to continue, after moving to Uravan (population 1000, now a ghost town) I got my first break at age 10. My music teacher, Mrs. Tooker, heard me singing in music class and asked me to sing "Oh Holy Night" for the Christmas concert (at that time it was still okay to have a traditional show in a public school). In fact it still is okay in that part of the world. The entire town turned out. (It was what happened in small towns). That moment in my history changed my life. I knew then that was what I wanted to do. I really couldn't see much except for my teacher because of the lights but when I finished my accompanist had tears in her eyes and I could feel what power the music and my voice could have and oh that was what I wanted. From then on I was always performing, winning my first competition that same year. Though I have done many things since then these early experiences and dreams are what have made me continue and reach for the stars. During the years that have followed I have continued to perform. First as a cover artist working with a variety of bands in the Grand Valley and as a soloist. I have also been in the theater winning acclaim as an actress as well at the college level (best supporting actress for my role in "Equus"). Eventually I found myself drawn to storytelling, after the birth of my two children, the lights of my life. To them I read the first tales, putting in the voices as my mother had. Again I started off doing other peoples stories. I branched out to performing for the schools and so forth. Eventually I started writing my own tales. My story-writing influences are Dr. Seuss, Rudyard Kipling, and of course all the fairy tales. Music influences vary from Joan Baez to Phil Collins. I love singing and have sung everything I ran across--rock, opera, jazz, folk. I have even been in country bands, some good, some bad--I think I have the acclaim of having been in the worst country band. (Please don't ask me the name, it was pretty painful). The drummer, who also played the guitar--another thing I find it painful to talk about--tried to play "Wipe Out" with a polka beat. I still have nightmares--brrr. That was the night I quit. One can only take so much for a paycheck. All of these influences have fed back into my own writing, especially my years as a folk artist singing at Renaissance Faires. Fairy tales, myths, and legends creep into my writing. My paths in later years led to vocal lessons with some wonderful teachers, all of whom have shaped and molded my sound. This in turn has led me to offer singing lessons in what I call "natural singing" in a variety of styles. I have worked teaching band members and specialize in giving a voice to the people who think they can't sing. I do a lot of pitch training. I have seen so many people who are hungry to sing and often have undiagnosed hearing damage (a lot of times from ear infections) that affects their pitch. This has become almost a crusade. It empowers people to find their voices. I find myself being an encourager, a motivator, even a healer of souls. Oftentimes lessons become counseling. My students still call me from where they have gone in the world. One has headed to New York where she is pursuing a career as an actress in music theatre. She calls me regularly. So today I write and teach, songs, stories, poetry. My goal is to provide light in a darkened world. My story is far from done--stay tuned.

Group Members Susan Cypher

Instruments Keyboard and piano, guitar, French horn, trumpet

Albums Songs of the Dark, In the Moments Between Dreaming

Press Reviews “…One of the most creative songwriters and storytellers in the Grand Valley"--Peter Frankland, Channel 11 News.

Location Grand Junction, Colorado - USA

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