Biography
Geographical Background (From whence she came):
Susan Leigh Picking (SLP) is a Midwestern gal with Pacific Western cool. She worked her way west from her native Michigan on a circuitous path. Upon graduation from high school, she studied in Nurnberg, Germany as an exchange student. She Earned a BA in Broadcast Journalism from The University of Wisconsin, and spent several years on the slopes of Colorado. Susan instructed skiing in the Rocky Mountains at Copper Mountain Ski Resort. Her love of the slopes and passion for travel sent her to the Southern Hemisphere chasing winter on the South Island of New Zealand. She landed in Long Beach California using it as her home base in between trips as a flight attendant. Susan transitioned back to Grand Rapids Michigan for a few years enjoying the hip and vibrant arts, culture, and music scene. She started working and recording with children here in Michigan. She then moved to the North East poaching on Canadian borders in Montpelier VT. This is where she completed recording the School of Life CD. Currently, Susan resides in the midwestern college town of Beloit Wisconsin enjoying the Rock River, The Farmer's Market, and the inevitable extremes of the seasons.
Music Background:
On arrival in Southern California she found the inspiration to explore her musical self. As a youth Susan began studying piano and cello. It wasn’t until her move out west that she discovered her voice. She continued piano studies and began to study voice privately under local Long Beach vocal instructors Karen McLain and Ellen Johnson. Her music studies brought her to the Commercial Music program at Long Beach City College earning certificates in Songwriting and Vocal Performance. This musical immersion confirmed Picking’s life passion of music.
Picking’s Irish heritage drew her to Celtic music and the study of Sean Nos singing- traditional acapella singing. She has studied with Krysia Kocjan-Haber, Lillis O Laorire, and Moira Smiley. Being a part of the L.A. Irish music scene she sang in the Celtic Band Crannog. Picking will pull out the Bodhran (Irish drum) for such events. She has performed at The Taste of Encino, The Summer Solstice Festival (California Traditional Music Society), The Library Concert Series in San Juan Capistrano, Southern California Dulcimer Heritage Harvest Festival, and with the Santa Barbara Symphony Orchestra.
In recent years Picking has made her name proud by learning to play, pick, and strum the ukulele. She has added this instrument to her musical repertoire with her own unique musical stylings.
Most recently her musical studies have drawn her to Sound Healing and Sound Therapy. Picking has studied Kirtan leading and harmonium under Michael Cohen. She performs at Holistic Health and Self Empowerment Conferences around the globe. Music is a transformative lyrically, melodically, and vibrationally. Music can transport you to another time and place, retrieve memories, and shift moods. She frequently pairs with inspirational speakers providing background and inspirational music for meditation, hypnosis, holistic healing, yoga, and self empowerment recordings as well as workshops.
Music Style (The Genre Question Unanswered):
Susan has received praise for her moving melodies and stirring lyrics which reflect a deep soul. Susan’s songs are about life, but not as we usually think of life. She cajoles the listener to see the quirky underbelly. Her wistful wit comes through a voice rich with lovely cadences, one might even hear a hint of an Irish lilt. Susan Picking is influenced by 70’s folk rock.....with the likes of Carole King, James Taylor, Van Morrison, Billy Joel, and Joni Mitchell. Susan Picking on the piano, has been likened to Carole King, Natalie Merchant. Sarah McLaughlin, and Norah Jones. On the Uke you might draw likeness in style to Patti Griffin, Alison Krause, or Celtic singer Niamh Parsons. Her arrangements are Americana influenced .......based in folk, pop, jazz, blues, bluegrass, and maybe even a little celtic. Fitting nicely into the vague category of Independant Artist, Contemporary Folk, Singer/Songwriter. The School of LIfe lands in the multi-genre category including Hip Hop/Rap, Reggae, Pop, Jazz, and Americana.
Releases: 5 Recordings
Susan Leigh Picking (SLP) is a Midwestern gal with Pacific Western cool. She worked her way west from her native Michigan on a circuitous path. Upon graduation from high school, she studied in Nurnberg, Germany as an exchange student. She Earned a BA in Broadcast Journalism from The University of Wisconsin, and spent several years on the slopes of Colorado. Susan instructed skiing in the Rocky Mountains at Copper Mountain Ski Resort. Her love of the slopes and passion for travel sent her to the Southern Hemisphere chasing winter on the South Island of New Zealand. She landed in Long Beach California using it as her home base in between trips as a flight attendant. Susan transitioned back to Grand Rapids Michigan for a few years enjoying the hip and vibrant arts, culture, and music scene. She started working and recording with children here in Michigan. She then moved to the North East poaching on Canadian borders in Montpelier VT. This is where she completed recording the School of Life CD. Currently, Susan resides in the midwestern college town of Beloit Wisconsin enjoying the Rock River, The Farmer's Market, and the inevitable extremes of the seasons.
Music Background:
On arrival in Southern California she found the inspiration to explore her musical self. As a youth Susan began studying piano and cello. It wasn’t until her move out west that she discovered her voice. She continued piano studies and began to study voice privately under local Long Beach vocal instructors Karen McLain and Ellen Johnson. Her music studies brought her to the Commercial Music program at Long Beach City College earning certificates in Songwriting and Vocal Performance. This musical immersion confirmed Picking’s life passion of music.
Picking’s Irish heritage drew her to Celtic music and the study of Sean Nos singing- traditional acapella singing. She has studied with Krysia Kocjan-Haber, Lillis O Laorire, and Moira Smiley. Being a part of the L.A. Irish music scene she sang in the Celtic Band Crannog. Picking will pull out the Bodhran (Irish drum) for such events. She has performed at The Taste of Encino, The Summer Solstice Festival (California Traditional Music Society), The Library Concert Series in San Juan Capistrano, Southern California Dulcimer Heritage Harvest Festival, and with the Santa Barbara Symphony Orchestra.
In recent years Picking has made her name proud by learning to play, pick, and strum the ukulele. She has added this instrument to her musical repertoire with her own unique musical stylings.
Most recently her musical studies have drawn her to Sound Healing and Sound Therapy. Picking has studied Kirtan leading and harmonium under Michael Cohen. She performs at Holistic Health and Self Empowerment Conferences around the globe. Music is a transformative lyrically, melodically, and vibrationally. Music can transport you to another time and place, retrieve memories, and shift moods. She frequently pairs with inspirational speakers providing background and inspirational music for meditation, hypnosis, holistic healing, yoga, and self empowerment recordings as well as workshops.
Music Style (The Genre Question Unanswered):
Susan has received praise for her moving melodies and stirring lyrics which reflect a deep soul. Susan’s songs are about life, but not as we usually think of life. She cajoles the listener to see the quirky underbelly. Her wistful wit comes through a voice rich with lovely cadences, one might even hear a hint of an Irish lilt. Susan Picking is influenced by 70’s folk rock.....with the likes of Carole King, James Taylor, Van Morrison, Billy Joel, and Joni Mitchell. Susan Picking on the piano, has been likened to Carole King, Natalie Merchant. Sarah McLaughlin, and Norah Jones. On the Uke you might draw likeness in style to Patti Griffin, Alison Krause, or Celtic singer Niamh Parsons. Her arrangements are Americana influenced .......based in folk, pop, jazz, blues, bluegrass, and maybe even a little celtic. Fitting nicely into the vague category of Independant Artist, Contemporary Folk, Singer/Songwriter. The School of LIfe lands in the multi-genre category including Hip Hop/Rap, Reggae, Pop, Jazz, and Americana.
Releases: 5 Recordings
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Down in Your Soul
Susan Picking is a singer songwriter with lashings of talent. SLP released her much anticipated CD Down in Your Soul in February of 2008. She recorded it at Mambo Sound and Recording in Long Beach with engineer and producer Steve McNeil. WYCE 88.1 FM A Community operated radio station in Grand Rapids Michigan nominated this CD as best Female Solo Release and A Listeners Choice Award for 2010. This is an uplifting collection of songs about how the answers are within us and to not sweat the small stuff. |
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Take Three
In March of 2009 she released a 3 track demo titled Take Three. This CD has two award winning tracks “Why” and “Wonder in the Wander”. It was recorded at Charlaquinn Studios by Ray Echlin in Long Beach, CA. “Why” was chosen for the 2009 SongsAlive! Compilation CD. Songsalive! is an international non-profit that supports Indie Artists with exposure, performance, and creative opportunities. It was also the winner of The Independant Singer/Songwriter Award (ISSA) in the fall of 2009. “Wonder in the Wander”, garnered 2nd prize at the RiverFolk Music Fest in Manchester MI in August of 2009 and selected to be on the 2010 Songsalive! Compilation CD. |
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Wonder in the Wander
In August 2011 Picking released CD Wonder in the Wander. She rereleased this title track surrounding it with Ukulele based songs. Picking affectionately named these the “Susukie Sessions”. The wonder in this wander.....or wandering in this wonder is about how we, in our diversity, are all connected. This was recorded in Grand Rapids, MI by Christopher Andrus of Mackinaw Harvest Studios. Nominated by WYCE as Best Americana CD 2012 |
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School of LIfe
In October 2016 which is Bullying Prevention Month, Picking released this children's CD. This is a message driven CD with the intent to teach Kindness, Tolerance, Diversity, Inclusion, Celebrating our Uniqueness, and Bullying Prevention. The album is produced with fresh arrangements including Hip Hop/Rap, Reggae, Pop, Jazz, and Americana for youth appeal. The recording, mixing, and production was under the musicianship of Christopher Andrus Speak Hip Music, Grand Rapids, MI; Grammy Award winning Audio Engineer Michael Hopkins, Black Hill Recording, CT; Arranger, Musician, and Producer Erik Peterson, Studio Fourty, CT.
In October 2016 which is Bullying Prevention Month, Picking released this children's CD. This is a message driven CD with the intent to teach Kindness, Tolerance, Diversity, Inclusion, Celebrating our Uniqueness, and Bullying Prevention. The album is produced with fresh arrangements including Hip Hop/Rap, Reggae, Pop, Jazz, and Americana for youth appeal. The recording, mixing, and production was under the musicianship of Christopher Andrus Speak Hip Music, Grand Rapids, MI; Grammy Award winning Audio Engineer Michael Hopkins, Black Hill Recording, CT; Arranger, Musician, and Producer Erik Peterson, Studio Fourty, CT.
School of Life - In Session
The School of Life - In Session was released in November of 2016 and is the accompaniment CD for the School of LIfe Artist-in-Residence Program. It includes the songs The School of Life, DiverseCity, There is Only One of You, No Bully, Be Kind, as well as the instructions and instrumental tracks for children to sing-a-long.
The School of Life - In Session was released in November of 2016 and is the accompaniment CD for the School of LIfe Artist-in-Residence Program. It includes the songs The School of Life, DiverseCity, There is Only One of You, No Bully, Be Kind, as well as the instructions and instrumental tracks for children to sing-a-long.
Projects Past, Present, and Future (Where from here) :
Picking has toured the West Coast, Midwest, East Coast, Route 66, and portions of NSW and Victoria Australia. Picking, an extensive traveler, spent many years as a ski instructor and flight attendant tramping around the globe. She was inspired to write the award winning song “Wonder in the Wander” while on Safari in Tanzania in east Africa. She writes about the magic and synchronicity that happens every day if you are open to it. She collected essays in a Wonder in the Wander contest from fans and fellow writers in order to compile an inspirational book about true life stories of people experiencing serendipity. Though The Wonder in the Wander essay writing contest has concluded, and prizes awarded, Picking is still accepting entries to be considered in the "Wonder in the Wander" book.
Working in collaboration with Author and Hypnotherapist Gale Glassner Twersky creating background music and songs for her upcoming release to accompany her book Reprogram Your Subconscious.
Picking has toured the West Coast, Midwest, East Coast, Route 66, and portions of NSW and Victoria Australia. Picking, an extensive traveler, spent many years as a ski instructor and flight attendant tramping around the globe. She was inspired to write the award winning song “Wonder in the Wander” while on Safari in Tanzania in east Africa. She writes about the magic and synchronicity that happens every day if you are open to it. She collected essays in a Wonder in the Wander contest from fans and fellow writers in order to compile an inspirational book about true life stories of people experiencing serendipity. Though The Wonder in the Wander essay writing contest has concluded, and prizes awarded, Picking is still accepting entries to be considered in the "Wonder in the Wander" book.
Working in collaboration with Author and Hypnotherapist Gale Glassner Twersky creating background music and songs for her upcoming release to accompany her book Reprogram Your Subconscious.
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Also adding Kirtan Chant to her reperatoire of Healing Music. Susan has been studying under International Kirtan musician Michael Cohen. She provides live music in local yoga classes adding chants and original music on Harmonium and Ukulele.
Her song Namaste was licensed for use in DVD yogAttitude by witty yogini Nadine Falwell. Check out her fun blog Yoga with Nadine. She joined Nadine in Ubud Bali at her Bliss Bali Retreat. |
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Celtic Band SKIRL- performing music from the Emerald Isle and the Americas. Consisting of 3 Grand Rapids based Singer/Songwriter's with a penchant for story telling and the Irish melody. Consisting of J. Oscar Bittinger on Guitars and Vocals, Karisa Wilson on Fiddle and Vocals, and Susan Picking on Whistle, Bodhran, Keyboard, Ukulele, and Vocals.
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Currently Susan Picking is focusing on her work with children sharing Mindfulness and Music in the Schools. She teaches Kindness and Compassion and supports the development of schools creating a culture of caring. Picking performs at Children's Museums, Festivals, Libraries for families and children of all ages.