Susan Anders is Making a Scene

May 26, 2025

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Making a Scene Presents an Interview with Susan Anders

Susan Anders is a singer-songwriter whose music blends Americana, folk, pop, and jazz with emotionally resonant vocals and insightful, often witty lyrics.

Born and raised in Berkeley, California, she earned degrees from UC Santa Cruz and San Francisco State before launching into a musically adventurous early career. During her twenties, she performed across Northern California with a cappella, jazz, rock, and Motown bands—while also making ends meet through delightfully unconventional gigs like delivering singing telegrams with a table strapped around her waist and teaching doo-wop to Buddhist monks.

In 1990, Susan relocated to Los Angeles, where she met producer and guitarist Tom Manche, her future husband and creative partner. Together, they formed the band Susan’s Room, touring throughout the 1990s and releasing a series of critically acclaimed albums that showcased Susan’s evolving songwriting and genre-bending style.

After Susan’s Room disbanded amicably, Susan and Tom moved to Nashville in 2002. There, she launched her solo career, releasing four albums: Release (2005), Swimmer (2010), Loop de Loop (2016), and 13 Women (2021). In 2023, the couple relocated to Santa Fe, New Mexico, where they wrote and recorded Susan’s upcoming album Now I’m a Kite, set for release on May 30, 2025.

Over the years, Susan’s songs have been recorded by a range of Americana, country, and soul artists, including The Four Bitchin’ Babes, The Irrationals, Renee Hayes, and The Viper Creek Band.

In addition to her work as an artist, Susan is a respected vocal coach who has guided thousands of singers across genres. Her clientele has included high-profile names like Hillary Scott (Lady A), Dierks Bentley, Chase Bryant, Josh Gracin, Rose McGowan, Joey Heatherton, Jerry Douglas, and the band L7. She is the creator of several popular instructional resources, including The No Scales, Just Songs Vocal Workout, Singing with Style, Harmony Singing By Ear, and the app Sing Harmonies.