Biography

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"Though I’ve sung all of my life," writes western North Carolina's Susan Graham Pepper about her third album, When the Islands Overflow: Traditional Song From Appalachia, "it was in 2001 that I found my calling to sing traditional unaccompanied ballads from Southern Appalachia. I’ve been performing, teaching and carrying them with me ever since. My influences and the musicians to whom I am indebted are too numerous to name; I am grateful to each and every one. On this record, I share songs and sounds that are a part of me.

"I have had the pleasure and privilege to learn traditional “mountain songs” from a variety of singers both in person and on old recordings. Over the past 20+ years, I have been influenced and inspired by more musicians than I can list here. However, this album represents a sampling of some of the voices that are most dear to me-- who have shaped not only my approach to music but also how I see the world and walk through it."

Pepper, ballad singer, multi-instrumentalist, and songwriter, has been performing concerts and teaching workshops for more than two decades. Oxford American calls her “a seasoned singer” with a “celestial upper range.” She is featured in the Blue Ridge National Heritage Area’s Traditional Artist Directory. She teaches for Junior Appalachian Musicians and has worked in a number of capacities for that program. She has released three previous albums, one a collection of field recordings of mountain ballad singers. Her historical short play A Singer Needs a Song based on the story of ballad singer Ethel Brown, a Jackson County, NC native, was produced by Calliope Stage and performed at the Mountain Heritage Festival at Western Carolina University. She also co-produced and sang in the feature length film The Mountain Minor. Pepper cherishes the opportunity to teach and pass on these songs to singers of all ages, abilities and experience levels. Her favorite place to sing is while walking in the woods. Susan earned a Master of Arts degree in Appalachian Studies. She and her family call Jackson County, NC home.