Susan Bailey

I've been writing, singing and performing for many years. Mostly I play in the New England area in churches and coffeehouses but I've also performed at regional and national conferences such as the "Gather Us In" Women's Conference for the Diocese of Worcester, MA in 2002 and 2005, and the National Catholic Conference on Youth Ministry (NCCYM) in Pittsburgh in 2004. I had the privilege of performing several times at World Youth Day 2002 in Toronto. Later this year I will be appearing on the Eternal Word TV Network (EWTN) on their "Backstage" series and on the Catholic Familyland TV Network (Marty Rotella's "His Love"). I've also appeared on Boston Catholic TV during their telethon and on their program, "This Is the Day."

My ministry has evolved so much over the years to include speaking, writing, publishing GrapeVine Magazine, broadcasting on the radio and internet with the GrapeVine News Minute, and promoting Catholic music and Catholic artists. This is my passion!

I love doing praise and worship music and have worked for several years with the Worcester, MA Diocese Charismatic Renewal team.

I also love doing liturgical music and have ministered in song for over ten years at St. Luke the Evangelist Parish in Westborough, MA. I have also served as a soloist at numerous weddings, funerals, retreats and prayer meetings.

I've been happily married for 27 years to her husband, Rich, and we are the proud parents of two nearly grown children, Stephen and Meredith.

I go wherever I'm asked to go and as often as I can. Mostly I play in the New England area but I've gone as far north as Toronto, as far west as Utah and as far south as Delaware. Wherever I'm called to go, I go. Lately my playing has focused more on liturgical settings (mass, adoration, etc.) and I am especially partial to devotions. I love leading my Sung Rosary and having a church full of people singing to Jesus and Mary.

I count Joni Mitchell, the Beatles, Linda Ronstadt, Emmylou Harris, Karen Carpenter, Amy Grant and John Michael Talbot as major influences.

I do small gigs now mostly and have my eye set on the Roland Street Cube, a Shure SM58 vocal mic and the Shure PG81-XLR condenser mic. Sweet!

My whole life flows my from my love of Jesus Christ, especially through his mother, Mary. My songs are prayer, most especially the Sung Rosary. My daughter asked me the other day why I never wrote any songs about anything else but religion and I told her I couldn't imagine writing songs about anything else but my faith. To take a song, especially with scripture in it, to listen, to meditate to it, to repeat the phrases and then have them repeat in your head over and over throughout the day so that you always stay close to your Beloved, Jesus - if there's anything I truly want to accomplish in this life, it is to help others to see how music can open the door, and the heart, to a relationship and a love truly beyond all understanding.