Susie Windish

I was born on November 7th which means I share a birthday with Joni Mitchell and Marie Curie. While I still enjoy the wonders of nature, due to a humiliating experience in High School Chemistry, I never did pursue a career in the sciences. On the other hand, music has been visiting my life pretty much since I was a wee child. In first grade I would hum these elaborate melodies to my friend Carmen, and she would say, "That's pretty what is it?" And I'd say, "I don't know I just keep hearing it in my head." So I begged my parents that year for a piano, endlessly. Instead I received a Sears dreadnought guitar for my ninth Christmas. So of course, while I respect the contributions Marie Curie made to the scientific community, I have spent more time being amazed by this thing we humans call music.

I wrote my first song at age ten, Cornflower Blue. I remember I got the title from a crayon color, seriously! I have been writing since that time in my life, getting ideas from Kleenex boxes, billboards, television shows, and of course my own life experiences. Most of the time, I don't take myself to seriously, which is probably why I haven't recorded a fully produced CD. However, I have finally taken the plunge and started a project, for all those fans who want copies of the songs that have yet to be recorded, which is probably a couple of CDs worth. There is also a Christmas CD coming out this fall that I produced with fellow songwriters Al Geierman and Garrett Lane, all the songs are originals that we wrote individually or together. We will let you know when that is available.

I was born and raised in Chicago, and I still live here. While I have travelled extensively, Chicago will always be my home. Unless of course I inherit millions and can buy a coastal home in Maine. But , seriously, I enjoy Chicago's beaches, museums, shopping, diversity, and it isn't as crazy-crowded-busy here as it is in New York.

Who are my heroes? Musically, Dorothy Fields, one of the few women lyricists during the Tin Pan Alley days, Carol King, Joni Mitchell (of course), Bob Dylan, Willie Nelson, the Gershwins, Billy Joel, Dolly Parton, The Beatles, The Kinks, Led Zeppelin, Lead Belly, Eric Clapton, BB King, Edith Piaf, Steve Goodman, and I can go on. Personal heroes are my grandmother and great grandmother who both came to the United States alone as young women and made a life for themselves as well as me. I also have great admiration for Elizabeth Kubler Ross, Mother Theresa, Dr. Martin Luther King, Ghandi, and many others who have made it their life's goal to end struggle. While music allows us to spread healing, it seems less impressive to me than those who travel to the poorest parts of our world to make positive changes.

That said, music is still a great medium for sending the world a message. So I hope that your life is rich with music, and thanks for stopping by to find out more about me.