Sue Pyper

Sue Pyper

Sue Pyper is a singer and songwriter from London, UK, who later builds a career in British Columbia and on Vancouver Island. She first decides she wants to sing after hearing John Denver’s “Annie’s Song” on the radio. She buys her first guitar at 12 and becomes the first musician in a non-musical family, initially teaching herself to accompany her voice by singing pop songs from books and imitating sounds from records.

Early life and work

Pyper studies art and design and later works in photography, design and communications for several large international corporations. At 27, she leaves that career to travel through Europe and Africa and then to the United States and Canada. She reaches the west coast of British Columbia after seeing an advertisement for Fiddlehead Farm, a wilderness adventure, and spends 12 months there chopping wood, milking cows and weeding gardens. She later says that period changes her life and gives her music a new direction.

Bands and collaborations

After returning to the UK, Pyper starts singing in local venues and meets bass player Pete Bolan at The Riverside Vegetaria. Together with lead guitarist Chris Ezra, she forms Out of Our Trio, a band that draws on styles ranging from folk to rock and roll. She later emigrates to Canada in 2000, settles on Vancouver Island, and begins performing at local song circles and venues. A meeting with guitarist and recording artist Rodrigo Figueroa leads to the production of her first album. She also performs as part of the female songwriter trio Voices Three.

Recordings and recognition

Pyper’s debut album, Before You Learn to Fly, is released in 2002 and includes original songs as well as cover versions. It earns her a Vancouver Island Music Award for Best Song and brings international radio play and reviews. Her second album, Tail Lights In The Rain, follows in 2009. Her music is described as combining poignant lyrics, a haunting voice and musical comedy, and she performs both solo and in collaboration with other artists.