Artist description 4'10" Singer-Songwriter with a 10'4" Voice

Music Style Intelligent pop with a lyrical approach that is both radio friendly and poignant.

Musical Influences The Beatles, Sheryl Crow, The Temptations, Joni Mitchell, Sheryl Crow, James Taylor, Bob Dylan, Jackson Browne, Carole King, Pat Metheny, Peter Gabriel

Similar Artists Sarah McLaughlin, Shawn Colvin, Indigo Girls, Sheryl Crow, Suzanne Vega, Edie Brickell, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Joni Mitchell

Artist History Susan Greenbaum has committed the first sin of musicians: She quit her day job. After a number of years as a corporate executive in Fortune 500 companies, Susan traded her power suits for performing. She has been singing as long as she's been speaking, growing up in Kansas City, in college at Harvard, and in Boston and Richmond, Va.Susan recorded and co-produced her first CD, "Actual Size," which she released in 1997. "Wake Up!", the singer-songwriter's second CD, demonstrates Susan Greenbaum's vast range, in both style and octaves. She merges pop music sensibilities with clever wordplay and beautiful melodies for a solid acoustic rock sound. Her voice sings the humorous, emotional and honest stories with genuine energy and power. "Dead End Called Main Street," one of the songs on "Wake Up!", finished in the top five of the 1998 John Lennon Songwriting Contest folk category. Her third independent CD, "Hey Hey Hey!," was released in September 2002 to rave reviews from the press and public. The disc, which Susan co-produced with John Morand, has 13 high-energy songs that range from driving rock to sultry blues to poignant ballads. It features "Angels in America," a post-Sept. 11 song of tribute, remembrance, and hope. Susan has enjoyed unusual success on commercial radio. Her single, "Everything But You," received 46 spins/week as a play list staple for four months on Richmond, Va.'s leading hot adult-contemporary station, WMXB-103.7 FM - an unheard-of feat for an indie artist. The song also received a glowing review in Billboard Magazine, under the Singles heading "New and Noteworthy." Another song, "One More Angel," was #1 on MP3.com's Acoustic Rock chart for two months. She is one of the most popular acts in the mid-Atlantic region, drawing big, enthusiastic audiences who delight in her lively, diverse and powerful performances. 64 Magazine, covering arts and culture across Virginia, identified Susan as one of the "64 Things We Love About Virginia" and included her on the second annual compilation CD, "Virginia Music," which chronicles the best of the state's music from the 1920s to the present. Susan Greenbaum performs solo and with her band. Her credits include performing an acoustic set with Dave Matthews Band violinist Boyd Tinsley; playing at the Bottom Line in New York City, sharing bills with Jill Sobule and Beth Hart; and opening for Patty Griffin, Dar Williams, Todd Snider, Tuck and Patti, Iris DeMent, Lucy Kaplansky, Jeffrey Gaines, Lloyd Cole (at the Birchmere in Alexandria, Va.) and Three Dog Night. Susan also has an endorsement from W.L Gore's Elixir Strings. The most frequently heard comment at her gigs is, "Great songs--and how does all that big, beautiful sound come out of someone under five feet tall?"

Instruments Acoustic Guitar, Drums, Electric Guitar, Bass, and other instruments

Press Reviews "Susan Greenbaum's voice is a delight - strong, clear, and drenched in pleasing harmonies. A startlingly adept writer - ripe for national airplay." - Billboard Magazine, "New & Noteworthy". "An Excellent Singer/Songwriter, her style leans more towards the Pop/Folk/Rock sound. She mixes styles and ranges with a ease, challenging you to figure out what she can do next. She is definately a singer/songwriter with talent to spare. Weither its just her and a guitar or her full band you have to see her live to truly appreciate her talent" - VAMusic411.com - "Susan Greenbaum is on her way to nestle among stars and spotlights. After listening to the CD a little less than fifteen times, I realized that she grows on you. If you shed the attitude that "She's No Sarah Vaughn" or that she's another McLachlan mimic, you'll realize that the girl's got voice, one that actually is very sweet. (Listen to "Alone.") Her voice also has strength and attitude, which she proves on the more upbeat "Wake Up!" and "She's No Sarah Vaughn". For the most part, the lyrics are pretty worldly and speak to everyday issues such as friends, loneliness and coffee. But the best part of this CD is that the lyrics and the music actually go together. For example, in "Alone" her voice really is alone, and there is an overwhelming sense of emptiness. If you don't like buying a CD, falling in love with a song and then three months later hearing people obsessing over "That New Song," then think again before you purchase Susan's masterpiece "Wake Up", because she's probably going to be popping up on radio's everywhere. At least, I think so." - Four Stars (out of 4) - Aditi Dhakar (Richmond Times-Dispatch) - Wake Up!! Susan Greenbaum's second independant release, picks up where her first album stopped, reaching into the soul and life of every woman (and man). She has a way of making you feel her story is your story, that you have been down this road before and have been in these shoes. But have you? The stories are deep, meaningful and thought provoking. Though if it were as simple as being just a songwriter that made Susan's music as meaningful as it is, she wouldn't strike such a deep cord within the listener. No it's much more than that. Her sultry and moving vocals and superior guitar playing have a bit to do with it as well. She's not so much singing as she is expressing pure emotion through her guitar strings. Reviewers, after a while, become jaded. We have heard a million songs, sung by a million voices, but every now and again comes a talent that makes you sit up and listen. That is the kind of talent this woman evokes on the first listen. If there was ever an Indie musician destined for greatness, it's this woman. - IGotLocalMusic

Location Richmond, VA - USA

Copyright notice. All material on MP3.com is protected by copyright law and by international treaties. You may download this material and make reasonable number of copies of this material only for your own personal use. You may not otherwise reproduce, distribute, publicly perform, publicly display, or create derivative works of this material, unless authorized by the appropriate copyright owner(s).