Suzie Graham shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Good morning Suzie, it’s such a great way to kick off the day – I think our readers will love hearing your stories, experiences and about how you think about life and work. Let’s jump right in? Have any recent moments made you laugh or feel proud?
I read an article just the other day about Joltin Jim McCoy and his friendship with Patsy Cline and it made me reminisce of when i stayed with him back in 2016 just before he passed. I also watched an interview recently with Brad Paisley talking about his first guitar from a place called Mike E’s Guitar Store in Nashville. Mike is a friend of mine who gave me my first gig in Nashville, and when I see Patsy’s daughter Julie Fudge working on a new project, I find it funny and I often pinch myself as I feel so proud I can say I know these wonderful people .
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I am a country singer/songwriter and a Patsy Cline tribute artist from Glasgow in Scotland. I sing in bars and clubs most weekends here in Scotland and my tribute to Patsy Cline led me to be able to tour the States several times in M.D, W.V, V.A and T.N from when I was first invited over in by Joltin Jim McCoy who discovered Patsy at 14 years old.
Jim asked me to play at his place, the Troubadour in West Virginia at the Patsy Cline event he hosted every year and I have been lucky enough to do that a few times while also meeting with Patsy’s daughter Julie on these times. I also sang my original country songs there, I was asked to come to Nashville in 2019 as part of my tour to sing my own songs at “The Blue Bear Barn” when Mike said three little words to me…”want a spot”?.
Great, so let’s dive into your journey a bit more. What was your earliest memory of feeling powerful?
I guess I’d have to say that when I was a kid around 12 or 13, my friend and I needed some bus fare home. I ran into a local pub and went up on the stage and sang some songs. I couldn’t believe I made a lot more than our bus fare home! I remember having all the coins in my hand the next morning thinking how singing could actually pay, that’s when I knew that was what I wanted to do in life
Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
When I was younger, I went to live in the Channel Islands to get a “real” job working in a bank. I was there a week when I entered a singing competition and won! I moved on to London after a few years doing the same, but could never quit being involved in music, whether it be in a band or session singing along with working a 9-5. When I came back to Glasgow, the first thing I did was get a singing job
Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. Whose ideas do you rely on most that aren’t your own?
When Harlan Howard said country music is nothing but three chords and the truth! I rely on that thought when writing and find that songs come from just looking around at what’s happening in life in that moment. I also write about personal experiences and how they happened or how I’m feeling and it always seems to work out. My song “Three Chords and The Truth” song came about when my phone asked if I would like to listen to some pop music, I responded to it that I’d rather listen to something a little more country, the song wrote itself!
Okay, so let’s keep going with one more question that means a lot to us: Are you doing what you were born to do—or what you were told to do?
Definitely I feel I was born to sing and entertain. My mother is a great singer, as are a lot of my family, though she didn’t think it was a real job. I often think if I’d stayed at the 9-5, I would have been so unhappy. I would never have met some of the wonderful people I have met in life without music. I would never have travelled to some of the places I’ve been to. I’m glad I’m not doing what I was told to do and I had the choice to make the decision to do what I wanted eventually, I would never have been able to give up music, I think country music is baked in to my bones!
Contact Info:
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/glasgowcountrygirl
- Youtube: @suziegrahammusic
- Other: https://www.facebook.com/patsyclinetribute
Image Credits
Joltin’ Jim McCoy, singing “I Fall To Pieces” to Jim, Julie Fudge and Bertha McCoy at The Troubadour, On Patsy’s glider at the Patsy Cline Historic House, Buster Clinard and Mike Elkins at The Blue Bear Barn in Nashville, hanging out with Jim at The Troubadour in West Virginia
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
