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AFP Guest Artists

Dolan with Sue Harris

A NOTE FROM SUE (sent May 9, 2005) : 

The photo above was taken when Sue came to the AFP to officially release her brand new, long-awaited and anticipated CD, "Tall Tales & Treasures," in November 2002.  She brought her husband, Kyle Harris, and a great fingerpickin' guitarist named John Cotter with her on that trip.  Kyle is a great humorist as well as a wonderful bass man (and a top, if not THE top, sound engineer in the Phoenix area). 

Sue's first CD, pictured at left, "Where Have I Been All My Life," had to be a part of that weekend as well because the time of the year was autumn and the CD includes her hauntingly beautiful "Les Feuilles Mortes," the original French version of "Autumn Leaves." 

Sue also sang another autumn song, "Autumn Afternoon,"  written by Mike Breen.  It's really a universal love song, and Sue first sang it at the AFP during the Grand Opening of the New Folklore Center.  The challenge was presented to her: a couple who are celebrating their 50th anniversary will be at the first show on Sunday: do you have a song?  Sue thought briefly, and came up with this song, and then spent a few minutes in the Green Room preparing to present it.  The result was a perfect anniversary gift, and it's been a regular part of her repertoire ever since. 

The "Where Have I Been..." CD had been a great start, with wonderful songs like "Canned Goods," "My Heart Belongs to You," and "The Fire Fly Field," but her fans were anxious for more of the Arizona songs she was singing. 

The answer was this great CD, and Dolan was very proud that Sue chose to make the AFP the location for the release party.  Sue's previous AFP appearances had included all four of the Grand Opening shows, and she was also one of the performers at the 2003 Tucson Road Show.  The Sue Harris, John Cotter, and Kyle Harris trio returned to the AFP in January 2004.  In July 2004, Sue brought Kyle to the AFP once again, along with five-time National Fiddle Champion Peter Rolland.  Sue is making her first solo appearance at the Arizona Folklore Preserve in May 2005. 

Sue is a fine guitarist and a wonderful singer, with a beautiful voice that Dolan describes as flute-like.  Although not a prolific songwriter herself, Sue has the ability to find songs that are perfect for her.  In that endeaver, Sue's greatest asset is Arizona songwriter Dean Cook, who writes or co-writes songs that range from serious to whimsical to downright funny.

Dean Cook songs in Sue's repertoire include, "Where Do You Go When There's No Place to Go on the Bright Angel Trail," "Kokopelli," "The MInstrel's Song," and the title cut from her latest CD, "Tall Tales & Treasures."  The first is about just what one would think, and it's one of Dean Cook's funniest.  "Kokopelli" is a whimsical lament: what would that ancient figure think if he knew how his image was being used these days?  "Tall Tales & Treasures" is a great song about lost gold mines and such.  But it's "The Minstrel's Song" that Dolan has remarked should be a part of any folk gathering.  And as Sue says when she introduces it, it's a song that says exactly why a place like the Arizona Folklore Preserve needs to exist. 

Sue's repertoire also includes classic cowboy poetry set to music, such as "Christmas Trail," by Charles Badger Clark.  "Christmas Trail" and all of the Dean Cook songs listed above are on her "Tall Tales & Treasures" CD.  And we can't forget that it also includes a wonderful song by Sue's good friend, Dee Strickland Johnson (aka Buckshot Dot), "Buckaroo Waltz," about the country dances the ranch kids would have. 

Sue has one more song, by which she's identified perhaps more than any other.  That one is "Quail Sisters," written by Pat Maloney, Tony Norris, and Stan Young and others.  You can also hear it on the "Tall Tales & Treasures CD" and at almost any of her live performances that include more than three songs.  It's hard for her to get away without including it. 

Recently, Sue added another song about another "Christmas Trail" to her repertoire.  This one is "Rock Springs," written by Dean Cook, Lon Austin, and Tony Norris.  It's a song about the "Christmas Trail" Dean's family took, traveling from the very high elevation of Flagstaff to the very low elevation of Phoenix, going tot their grandparents' home many decades ago.  Dolan heard Sue sing that song at a Scottsdale Community College concert in 2003, and has now added it to his own repertoire.  Look for a description of it on Dolan's "cover songs" page.   

Just so everyone knows Sue is really very pretty and not the stern-looking woman posing with Dolan in their take on "American Gothic," the photo below shows her with Kyle and Peter Rolland in July 2004.  And of course another star of the show, Kokopelli himself, is playing his flute above Kyle's head. 

Photo by Grace Rolland

You can learn more about Sue, and listen to clips from her "Tall Tales & Treasures" CD (including many of the songs listed here), at her page on the AFP site, www.arizonafolklore.com/sue.htm.  You can purchase Sue's CDs at the AFP, or you can order them at www.cowboyminer.com

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