From playing in Sugar’Town and Legion Of Mary, local singer-songwriter SUE RAY now releases her debut solo record. On the eve of the ‘mini-album’s’ launch show MORGAN JOHNSON catches up with the alt-country infused lass whose creative output meanders attractively like the river around the city she holds dear.

MORGAN JOHNSON: You recorded your debut at Troubadour operator-Jamie Trevaskis’ Junkship Records Studio. How important has the Troub been to your development?

SUE RAY: Well I can’t thank Jamie enough. Years ago he let me play at a Wooden Hearts acoustic night that used to run on Tuesday nights at The Troubadour. After that I kept annoying him for more shows and somewhere along the line we became mates. I think partly because of our mutual appreciation for similar musical genres. When it came time for me to record I was chewing his ear off about who he could recommend for recordings and he casually said “well, what about me”? At the time I had no idea that he had already been involved in recording such other amazing artists as Jacob S Harris, Nathan Hollywood and A Fleeting Glimpse. As soon as I listened to their recordings there was no question about who I would choose, it was Jamie hands down.

He is such a fascinating musician and he has a wonderful ability to hear something raw and just add the tiniest thing and make it sound so incredibly good. He was integral to how the recording sounded, I don’t think anybody else could have taken my songs and made them sound they way they do, I’m just so lucky to have had him involved. Also, without people like Jamie and venues like The Troubadour, musicians like me in and around Brisbane would be at a huge loss. The Troubadour consistently supports and helps nurture so many of our local artists and we should be very thankful for it. 

MJ: How did you find cameoing with that other polymorphous organism – the Gin Club – on Junk?

SR: Well I basically only sang some harmonies for a few tracks. I wasn’t involved with the recording process, but from what I hear it was a pretty amazing experience for them. I did however feel very lucky and honored to be involved, they are a spectacular band.

MJ: A Rave Magazine live reviewer recently described your live show with “Hear that lonesome whippoorwill? ... It’s the sound of songbird Sue Ray. The Queen of the mid-west (Toowoomba that is...) has a voice of honeyed gold and a six-shooter aimed straight at your heart.” What can we expect from your launch show on Saturday?

Wow! Someone said that? That’s so lovely. My live shows are always a little unpredictable as I’m a bit of a fly by the seat of my pants girl, but I promise that a lot of hard work has gone into this, I have some truly amazing musicians involved and I can guarantee that there will be more Sue Ray in this show then there has ever been before. Oh wow, that sounded like a commercial for liquid washing detergent!

SUE RAY launches her debut mini-album Best Beware at The Troubadour on Saturday July 19.

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