Susan Johnson Music

Durham, NC’s Susan Johnson has been a big part of the thriving local Americana scene for over ten years, both as a member of the Americana group "Fair to Middlin’" and the folk trio "Old 86." She is also a house concert presenter and board member of PicknBow music camp. Susan's debut album, "Forget Me Not," contains 14 original songs, reflecting disparate influences from old-time and bluegrass to showtunes and classic 70s singer-songwriters. The album was recorded at FJ Ventre's Good Luck Studio, and was produced by Jon Shain. These songs are as moving and engaging as her voice, evoking home and heartache, love, and the possibility of transformation. For fans of Nanci Griffith, Joan Baez, and Linda Ronstadt.

Susan grew up in Ann Arbor, Michigan, went to the University of Michigan and spent time in Mississippi before landing in North Carolina. She loved musical theater and has played such roles as Anna and Tuptim in the King and I -- not at the same time! She loved playing the narrator in Zorba, Rosie in Bye Bye Birdie and the Baroness in Sound of Music. Setting music aside for a long time, Susan trained in medicine, practiced endocrinology, and ended her career in drug development. It wasn’t until she turned 50 that she really turned her attention back to music, writing songs for the first time. She fell back in love with singing, guitar playing and, finally, songwriting.

Susan says, "A funny thing happened between recording this album and releasing it. I was diagnosed with breast cancer. But a touch of breast cancer didn’t stop me from enjoying the process of releasing my music into the world."