14 Years ago......

 Dear lovely ones.

 

14 years ago last week my first single, Got The Monkey Off My Back, was released and I excitedly found myself planning a last minute trip to Tamworth for the Country Music Festival in 2007.  The song made it on Nick Urby's playlist for the month of January 2007 and I was invited to play at the Mildura Country Music Festival that year as well.

 

In the years that have passed since, I've had some lovely moments on and off the stage.  I was a finalist in the Victorian Country Music Awards in 2012 and I've been a finalist a few other times with various song writing awards as well. I've done radio, I've played many gigs, recorded a new album, and wrote/produced/directed my one woman show at Adelaide Fringe in 2017.  Through music I've met so great people I wouldn't have if I'd not started to write and perform it.

 

My one regret is that I've never been able to fully tour.  There's always been a roadblock for me with this.  When I lived in Melbourne I was on my own and had to keep working to retain a roof over my head.  In Adelaide, well it feels like it's too far from everywhere and I now have a man and a furbaby who need me here (plus I still need work to pay for a tour and it's hard to find casual work or a job that will let you go tour for 6 weeks).  

 

I am not sure what the next few years are going to bring me.  I am tired, and shorter lol, from trying to wear all the hats you have to when you're an independent artist.  It's not easy to find the money and then if you do, it's hard to find the time because of daytime work needed to support the musical habit we original artists find ourselves in.  I'm a small fish in a big pond of music and my second album has not sold as well as I would have liked it to.  I'm so grateful to those who have purchased any of my music.  You're all so special to me and I'm blessed that my music resonated enough that you had to buy it.

 

In case I can't ever make it back to performing and recording, I would like to thank each and every one of you for supporting me in whatever way you have.  Those smiling faces at gigs, the airplay I've had across the nation and the world, and the people who I've worked with and shared a stage with.  I truly don't know what 2021 will bring. I hope it's a better year for everyone and, personally, I hope I can find my musical mojo and combine it with my life here in SA and create some more memories with my own brand of musical mayhem.

 

Bless you all and thanks for being a Lily-Darling all these years.

love

Susan Lily xxx

SUSAN LILY FEELING LOVE WITH TOP SPOT IN TOP TEN MOST REQUESTED SINGLES 12.03.2019

Dear  Lovely ones, 

It would be remiss of me not to publicly thank all the listeners who have voted my song this week's number 1 most requested song on Alan Gilmour's country music show which goes to air each Tuesday night.  I've been blown away by how many people who listen to Todays Country 94One over in the Hunter region of NSW.  I'm also grateful and equally stoked that my song FEELING LOVE has been requested so many times!  

this is the original post on Facebook for the chart and the show tonight 12.03.2019

If  you haven't heard this single yet, please check it out either at 

Feeling Love iTunes

or if you don't use itunes, then pop over to

FEELING LOVE - BANDCAMP

It's a great joy to write music that has a mass appeal with people who come from all walks of life and perspectives.  Thanks to all who are enjoying my music thus far, I'm feeling love today and every day

Susan xx

TSA Awards and Nominatons 2019

Dear Lovely Ones,

As I wrote on FB a bit earlier, to say I'm proud of the certificates that arrived in the post yesterday is quite the understatement.  I'm so very proud and now it all seems real.  Big thanks to Tamworth Songwriters Association , Anthony Stewart from Red Brick Recording Studio right here in Adelaide, Graham Burkin, all my gorgeous fans, and all the support I get from community radio across Australia and overseas.  This is for YOU!

this was such a wonderful surprise to me

this is the gorgeous song written about Port Adelaide and the humble geranium that grows there.

As Shania has sung recently..."life's about to get good"  and it certainly is

Love to all,

Susan xxxx

What a Lovely Way to end 2018!

Dear Lovely Ones,

Yesterday marked a significant event in my music career as I became a semi-finalist in the Tamworth Songwriters Association annual songwriting competition in two categories.  This is a first for me and I'm so grateful to so many people for the opportunity to record and then to showcase my songs around the world as well as inside my home country.  

Here are the categories my songs are in:

The first is the bluegrass section and it's my current single FEELING LOVE.  this song reached into the national charts in October to #25 and just made its debut into the TYGA FM top 40 chart at #19 this week.  It's a track about gratitude to friends and how much they mean to each and everyone of us.  Friends are there for our good and bad times and it's during the harder times that friends can make a true difference to our lives.  A great friend can be the difference in our recovery time from heartache or sorrow.

The second song that is a semi-finalist is the song I wrote about our wonderful Port Adelaide, TOUGH AS GERANIUM.  It's a song about the relationship between the wild geraniums that grow on the streets of the Port and the tenacity of the suburb to weather some of the storms of it's recent past.  Historically a busy port, it became a shadow of it's former self until recently.  Like the geranium, the Port has survived the dry times and is now enjoying a resurgence as it so richly deserves.

There are many people to thank, and here is but a few:

Anthony Stewart from Red Brick Recording Studios in Adelaide and all the musicians who played on the tracks

Neville Clark from Disk Edits who mastered the album tracks

The late John Baker, from The Baker Suite for his mentorship during the Semaphore Songs Project in 2015.

The TSA for hosting these awards

to my darling handyman, Graham, thank you for your unending support and belief.

If you haven't had a chance to listen to my new album FREE SPIRITED, and the semi-final songs, then you can do so via the link below the album cover.

https://itunes.apple.com/au/album/free-spirited/1354663730

Many thanks also to all my mates, and social media friends and radio presenters.  You all make up a wonderful part of my world and I'm so grateful to everyone.

lots of love

susan xx

A Rebel Redneck Rock'n'Roll Kinda Show

Dear Lovely Ones,

Today we lost a man whose passion for country music was so big that it will take some time for community radio to recover.  Roger Lloyd was a champion of country music on community radio and also a staunch social justice advocate for those in need.  His fervour for country music extended to attending more live music shows that I can remember to diligently videotaping many of our live performances to upload to his youtube channel: Roger Lloyd. Over 200 edited videos are up there and will live on in the ether forever.  Sadly Roger lost his battle with the big C this morning and has gone to spin discs with the angels and boxercise with the other spirits.

What I remember the most about him was his big grin, his honesty and his joy at playing new music on his Casey FM radio show "Rebels Rednecks Rock'n'Roll.  His legacy will continue and so will his spirit.

Vale Roger, I'll miss your posts and your wit.  Thank you for giving me a great start as a recording artist.  You were there from the beginning....see you on the flip side xxxx

2016...Another Year of Firsts

Dear lovely ones,

This year has been one of big change and high end learning so that I am set for a MASSIVE year in 2017.  Sure it's been a challenge, but what better time to be alive.  So many new things to explore:

 A fun Tamworth CMF in Jan 2016 

I performed for my biggest audience ever when I chanced up on the Country Music Cares Concert in the Town Hall mid week... Graham and I had got chatting with a lovely man in a cafe Wednesday morning and he turned out to be the organiser behind the charity event.  So he asked me to busk out the front to entertain people as they waited for the doors to open.  As fortune would have it, someone pulled out of the night so the MC offered me a spot to sing one song... I chose "Daisy Jane" and sang to 650 people...my biggest crowd to date x

photo by Vickiree2016

Sadly, Kalesti Butler's father passed away just as the festival was in full swing and we did not get our annual catchup.  My darling friend gave her spot in the cavalcade to me and I will always be grateful for this opportunity as it was great fun! Even though we did get belted with lashing rain just as we began our journey :)

Oh, ok then... selfie time!

Lovely open top car with a moment of respite from the rain. Photo courtesy of Graham Burkin

So, I arrived back home in time to get ready for my support spot with the very talented Adelaide songwriter Samantha Edge.  Together we launched her long awaited album "Moments" at Nexus Arts Centre on Jan 30th.  What a beautiful night that turned out to be.  Thanks Samantha!

Then suddenly it was Adelaide Fringe time!!!  I'd been asked by Steve Charles to join him in a show all about water/the sea.  Staged on the permanent ketch in the SA Maritime Museum we performed 3 shows to almost sellout capacity.  I got to dress up and have fun curling my hair the oldfashioned way (with socks tied into my hair), acting somewhat and singing my heart out each night.

Also in February I recieved a lovely surprise of a number 1 spot in an online publicly voted chart.  Spectrum Radio Petts Wood is in the UK

My mate Darren Scott and I had been in the Iceman's New Country Top 40 for 23 weeks and reached into the top 20.  We were the only Australian act to do this in 2016 and it's something I am very proud of to this day.

During the Adelaide Fringe (Feb-Mar) I joined in the crazy fun of working for a comedy group at the Griffins Hotel in town.  I met a great deal of wonderful Fringe goers each night at the box office and saw the world from a different perspective.  Thanks again to the hotel and to Terry North for a great month.

Another highlight during the fringe was being a special guest of Kylie Brice for her EP launch in Salsbury Secret Garden.  The Salsbury Institute will never be quite the same after my set of entertainment.  I gained so much more than anticpated and met a beautiful group of people that night.

The fun in February did not end there.  I was also invited to join forces with another songwriter/entertainer called Steve Charles.  Steve had moved down from Tamworth (via Melbourne)  a few months before and, to my delight, had wanted me to join him in singing sea shantys and other nautical songs to complement the open tallship "One and All"

This was our stage tent :)

this was us enjoying our break and some coffee and pancakes .........

Also during the Fringe I met these two gorgeous gals from Canada and went to as many of their shows as I could so I could learn about etiquette.   In short the word of the festival was "quality" and, if you look really closely at the back right of the photo you will see my darling man Grahan (hat), myself, my sista from another mista Michelle Walker and her hubby Steve.  What a joy to host them both for a few days.  As some of you will know, Michelle and I have forged a wonderful relationship both musically and in life.  She's an awesome friend and mother to 3 wonderful children.  Plus she's scored a number of charting songs this year and won an award in Tasmania recently.  

Wonderful to see.

the gals from Canada also painted my face :)

As the months flew by, many more things happened that have made this year a wonderful one for me.  I had some dayjob work in a a great environment.  In May/June I successfully completed the radio presenter's course for local community station WOW FM in Semaphohre.  Since then I've programmed over 80 hours of music and have interviewed quite a few Australian artists.

WOW FM in Semaphore SA

I now have my own fortnightly show "Melody Sunday" 6 - 8 pm wowfm.org where I showcase new and recent releases from SA, the rest of Australia and, some from overseas.  I love it!  One of the best things that's happened to me.  I feel I am giving back to a city that has given me chances and opportunities

The fun did not stop there either!  In July I was taken to the Entertainment Centre where we saw one of my favourite overseas bands play! 

The Cure - awesome show!

It would not have been possible with out my darling Graham's help.

Myself and my lovely man Graham, as we await the concert to start

In August I received my first passport and, together with my darling Graham, travelled to New Zealand for the first time.  What a great city Auckland is!!

View from my lunch space of the great harbour and the tall ships moored outside the Maritime Museum there.

View of Auckland from the 360 Orbit restaurant

View of the tall ships moored near the New Zealand Maritime Museum in Auckland.

Brilliant museum to visit if you get the chance.

They have 1 hour harbour cruises when the weather is good and there hasn't been any earthquakes

We travelled across the North Island to Napier, then Taupo where we stayed with a view of Lake Taupo.

One of the biggest surprises for me was to go see the snow and play in it.  

Even more surprising was the changing landscape as we drove closer and closer.  It actually becomes semi-desert looking, with spiky natural foliage that obviously can withstand the extremes of temperature.

Here I am with my darling Graham my cheeky monkey Coops (who had also never been overseas until this trip), 

posing for a happy snow selfie :)

In late September my fortunes changed again for the better when I was called upon to bring my band to the main stage in Harts Mill on Sunday 2nd October at 3 pm.  I was originally booked to play on the acoustic stage and was now to bring my music centre stage.  Excited, nervous and grateful, we stepped onto that stage and owned it!  What a brilliant feeling and many thanks to Debra Thorsen for taking a chance on me.

Once again, through chance, I entertained the travellers on the train from town to Glanville station on the saturday of the festival.  Someone had not been able to take the 10 am spot so I stepped up and did my very first train entertainment.

More "firsts" were to come along, with my successful application to Moorook Riverstock Festival with my backing band.    The wind was high and we had lost power overnight after a spectacular electrical and rain storm.  Ensconced in the caravan park dining area we shared the space with some funloving bikers who gave us some light.  I had a friend curl my hair using ties and in the morning had lovely curly locks to perform in.  We had a blast and again, I'm forever grateful to Lance and his great crew for a wonderful day.

What a great birthday month I had!!!  I also was chosen to become the resident acoustic act for Port Adelaide's "The Boat That Rocked" summer series.  On November 27th I played the top deck and The Incredibles ensured the lower deck was fun and lively.  Many thanks to Samone Wear and Platinum Event Agency for these opportunities

Our Stage setup on the top deck...complete with Hacker Girl :)

I will have 2 more dates:

Jan 21 with "Clearway" and

March 18 with "Rumours"

However, that is not ALL the wonderful things that have happened to me.  As some of you may know, I've not been able to afford to record any new music for the past few years.  It was also coming up to the tenth anniversary of my debut release "Got The Monkey Off My Back" to radio across the nation.

In October I released the title track off the "Butterfly" album and to date it's reached a high point of #11 on Country Tracks Top 40 and is now sitting at #21 as the best christmas present ever!

I've also got some other projects in the wings and a relaxing NYE to look forward to.  All in all, 2016 has brought me some more "firsts" and some beautiful times with my darling Graham.

Thank you 2016, You rock!

love 

Susan xxx

TYGA FM TOP 30 Chart - 26.11.16

Dear lovely ones,

I'm stoked for all who attended and received awards this past weekend at the Tasmanian Independent Country Music Awards.  My dear sista from another mista, Michelle Walker, earned herself an award.  The sweet and gorgeous Becci Nethery, and the fabulous duo The Long & The Short Of It are just some of the winners this year.  So very well deserved, every one of them.

For me, I'm rather stoked to see that my single "Buttterfly" has moved up a notch to #25 this weekend.  A slow and steady climb is just what the doctor ordered for this gal.

Ever grateful to the team of radio hosts in Tasmania for their support.  In particular the team from TYGA FM who've been a great support to me.

Have a lovely rest of the week, team Susan Lily.  I will also be awaiting the results of this week's voting for the Country Tracks Top 40 with anticipation.  Butterfly debuted last week at #17...could I end up with a top ten national hit on my hands?  Only time will tell, but I'm sure you will hear the squeals of delight if I do.

lots of love

Susan xx

Butterfly Jumps Into Chart

In the true tradition of a roller coaster, tonight and all day today I've been wandering around with my metaphorical arms above my head. Being on the top part of the roller coaster ride in any industry is pretty darn good.  In the music biz it marks recognition for all the hard work put into our art.  Yesterday my latest single, a track a number of people had encouraged me to release, made its debut into the Country Tracks Top 40 at Number 17!  Wow, top 20 already?!!  I'm not sure that has happened before so I'm basking in it, soaking it all in while I can.

I have many people to thank, all the community radio presenters who are playing it, and giving it the oxygen it needs to keep alive.  That's the beautiful thing about community radio; it gives life where the commercial world doesn't seem to want to.  As any independent artist, of any genre, will tell you it's a grand thing to hear your music on a community programme.

So, to all the radio presenters I'm eternally grateful and please forgive me if I do not thank you personally.   I do try to when I see a fb post or get an email, but just know I adore each and every one of you for giving me air time on your shows.

To all my lovely fans out there, this song is for you.  I hope you are enjoying hearing it on your community radio.

lots of love

susan xx

Consider This, With Musical Love

Hi lovely ones,

I've been in the music biz for a little over 10 years and I've been a part of our community for a lot longer than that.  As time has gone on I've become more and more inclined to spend my money on more local projects: including buying the music an independent artist sells at their gigs.  It brings me great joy to know I've directly assisted someone in their life AND has given me a rather unique and eclectic music collection thus far.

Why am I telling you this?  It's twofold really.  The first reason relates to becoming a radio presenter.  I've recently undertaken radio announcer training for my local community radio and have begun collating my extensive music collection and added it to my pc so I can make playlists for the shows I'm programming.  Having such a grand variety of music will make it easier for me to help out when someone cannot do their show.  It also reminds me of those I've bought from and how they are doing.

The second reason relates to helping others.  If I've really enjoyed a show and they DO have music for sale I try to budget these days so I can take a piece of them home with me AND also feel great about financially supporting an independent artist.  Afterall, no one spends time and money creating and recording an album or EP so it can stay in storage.  All artists, including myself, appreciate when someone buys from us at a gig.  It's a wonderful feeling to know where your "babies" go to and that they are truly loved.  I've got some wonderful "short run" EP's and Albums that I know will be collectors items in years to come.

So, the next time you plan to see a band or a show, see if you can budget in the album/EP too.  You will give joy and appreciation directly to the artist and your music collection will be even more unique and special because of this.

lots of love

Susan xx

Thursday 7th April 2016

Hi lovely ones,

How cool is it to get to the waterfront every now and again.  Last thursday was a very special day for me as I got to programme one hour of the show I do with my mate Jim Manning.  I've been involved with WOW FM for some time now and the more I go there the more fun I have.  It was great to sit and work out a songlist to play and then get behind the desk to work it all.

After the show I took myself down to the beach at Semaphore and wandered around to capture some of the serenity that I feel when I'm near the ocean.  It's a great spot no matter the season and a perfect place to quietly celebrate my first show.

So if you can't get to an ocean then I'm very happy to share mine with you.  I'm sure I will have more footage again soon.

If you would like to tune in to hear me on air then please drop by WOW FM website...http://wowfm.org/

and press the live button or you can find the station on your tunein app.

Thursday mornings 0800 - 1000 (Aust Central Time) , 0830 - 1030 (Eastern Standard Time), 0600 - 0800 (Western Australia Time)

thanks for tuning in and have a great week

love 

Susan xx

Thank You Community Radio - Australia and the world!

This is turning out to be my best birthday EVER!

Firstly, our song FLY IN FLY OUT is sitting at #29 on The Iceman's top 40 as of Monday 17th November.

It's also reached #7 on the TYGA FM top 20

On TOP of THAT we've made our debut at #17 in

Country Tracks Top 40!

Thank you to Australian and International community radio!

Without your assistance and support we would not be in the position we are in now!

Many thanks

Susan Lily and Darren Scott

Fly in Fly Out is available on iTunes