Though she didn’t pick up a guitar until after college, Levine has numerous musical accomplishments under her belt. She’s recorded two CDs (Scatter Me and Atlas), performed around the country, received the 2008 Tricentric Showcase Artist award at the Northeast Regional Folk Alliance Conference, and was a finalist in the Kerrville Folk Festival, the International Songwriting Competition and the Rocky Mountain Folks Fest.
Levine’s songs are heartfelt and plainspoken, and her voice has been compared to Dolly Parton and Nancy Griffith. Marilyn Rea Beyer of Boston’s WUMB Folk Radio says, “Levine writes and sings with bottomless sincerity. To really hit people, a songwriter and singer needs art and finesse. Susan has plenty of that to go along with her honest heart. A smart writer with a warm voice that can send chills down your spine.”
“People have said to me, ‘Oh my God, you’re baring so much,’” Levine remarks.
“But I don’t feel that way. I start with an emotional truth, and the song grows from my own or a character’s perspective. I like my songs to be universal, but personal at the same time.”
Courtesy Photo
Her song “Dreaming Child” showcases this theme beautifully. Though written specifically for her son, the poignant lyrics could be a lullaby to any child:
oh my oh my dreaming child
who thought we’d end up here
and you’re laughing now and you are on a cloud
and I’m crying cuz it’s fragile
and I hold you close cuz I can’t let you go
cuz I know someday I’ll have to
Atlas, released in 2007, was written in the aftermath of a failed relationship. “It’s easier to write during the dark times,” Levine comments. “I have this fear that when I’m happy and stable, the creativity won’t be the same. I think that for every writer there’s the fear that there will not be another song or poem or story.”
Considering she is both the mother of two and a music therapist, Levine is prolific, and is busy with her third CD. “Tom and I started demoing a new album,” she says, referring to her husband, who owns Thomas Eaton Recording in Newburyport. “I’ve written a lot of new songs, but that doesn’t mean I have an album. We start by recording and listening to see how the songs fit together. Tom is always listening – hearing other instrumentation that can enhance the song. He can always identify what the music needs.
“It begins as your art,” Levine says, “but once you put it out into the world, it’s no longer yours alone. If it’s working, it’s going to speak to other people as well.”
Musician Profile – Susan Levine
Levine’s songs are heartfelt and plainspoken, and her voice has been compared to Dolly Parton and Nancy Griffith. Marilyn Rea Beyer of Boston’s WUMB Folk Radio says, “Levine writes and sings with bottomless sincerity. To really hit people, a songwriter and singer needs art and finesse. Susan has plenty of that to go along with her honest heart. A smart writer with a warm voice that can send chills down your spine.”
“People have said to me, ‘Oh my God, you’re baring so much,’” Levine remarks.
“But I don’t feel that way. I start with an emotional truth, and the song grows from my own or a character’s perspective. I like my songs to be universal, but personal at the same time.”
Courtesy Photo
Her song “Dreaming Child” showcases this theme beautifully. Though written specifically for her son, the poignant lyrics could be a lullaby to any child:
oh my oh my dreaming child
who thought we’d end up here
and you’re laughing now and you are on a cloud
and I’m crying cuz it’s fragile
and I hold you close cuz I can’t let you go
cuz I know someday I’ll have to
Atlas, released in 2007, was written in the aftermath of a failed relationship. “It’s easier to write during the dark times,” Levine comments. “I have this fear that when I’m happy and stable, the creativity won’t be the same. I think that for every writer there’s the fear that there will not be another song or poem or story.”
Considering she is both the mother of two and a music therapist, Levine is prolific, and is busy with her third CD. “Tom and I started demoing a new album,” she says, referring to her husband, who owns Thomas Eaton Recording in Newburyport. “I’ve written a lot of new songs, but that doesn’t mean I have an album. We start by recording and listening to see how the songs fit together. Tom is always listening – hearing other instrumentation that can enhance the song. He can always identify what the music needs.
“It begins as your art,” Levine says, “but once you put it out into the world, it’s no longer yours alone. If it’s working, it’s going to speak to other people as well.”
For more information about Levine, visit www.susanjlevine.com.