She hails from Nebraska, but she Swings like a big city girl!
That’s what critics say about Susie Thorne, a Nebraska native that’s carrying on the tradition of jazz in her family.
A Hastings native, Susie was first inspired by the music of her childhood through her classically trained mother and her father, who played jazz trumpet as a sideman with baritone saxophonist Gerry Mulligan and vibraphonist Lionel Hampton, among others. Growing up, she served as her mother’s choral accompanist and sang with her dad's jazz ensemble. “Music was a big part of my family, so we were always playing and singing something or other! But it was the melodies and rhythms of jazz that always drew me in!"
Susie studied piano performance and voice at the University of Colorado at Denver, and the University of Nebraska at Omaha where she has a BA in Jazz Performance. She will say she developed her craft on the road with six-night a week gigs and overseas tours. "I was fortunate to meet many other musicians in my travels, which was a great learning experience!". When asked about her unique vocal style, Susie said she draws inspiration from a myriad of styles including jazz, rhythm & blues and classic pop/rock; blending them all to create her own unique sound and arrangements. “I’ve been told I have a bluesy quality to my voice and don’t sound like anyone else they’ve heard. It's more a mix of everything I listened to growing up that comes out in my own personal style."
