BIO
"…we’re haplessly, hopelessly in love with the voice of Anita Suhanin.” – Boston Magazine
Anita Suhanin’s vocals have earned her no shortage of accolades from the press: she’s been hailed as “an extremely gifted vocalist,” and “an amazing singer,” with “a lovely, smooth voice and a compelling style.” Whether performing a fluid mix of vintage-sounding originals and original-sounding covers in her five-piece band Shwang, recording laid-back torch and twang for her 2002 solo release, REDLAND, or laying down harmony vocals for local luminaries such as Chris Smither and Peter Mulvey, Suhanin grabs the heart of just about everyone within earshot.
Growing up as an army brat in Georgia, Alaska, Hawaii, Indiana and Texas, Suhanin’s career was off to an auspicious start when, at age 14, she took to the stage of the Grand Ol’ Opry with her high school choir. At 17 she had her first solo gig at a local bar, which went surprisingly well until she got kicked out by the owner for being underage. After high school she moved to Boston to study voice at Berklee College of Music, where she met the musicians with whom she would collaborate for more than ten years afterwards - first with two-time Boston Music Award winners Groovasaurus, and then with Shwang – David “Goody” Goodrich (guitar-Peter Mulvey) and Lou Ulrich (bass-Radio Kings).
When Groovasaurus disbanded in 1988 (it was voted Boston Magazine’s Best Rock Band that same year), Suhanin formed Shwang as a vehicle for her original tunes that didn’t quite fit comfortably into the Groovasaurus repertoire. Joined by her Groovasaurus cohorts, as well as Andy Plaisted (The Mother Brothers) on drums and Tyler Wood (The Jeff Coffin Mu’tet, Noam Weinstein) on piano, Shwang has won over Boston audiences and critics alike with its low-fi foray into classic Americana, without being cutesy or kitsch. “Shwang exudes vintage cool without a trace of tongue-in-cheek,” writes Joan Anderman of The Boston Globe, describing Suhanin as “gracefully soulful and impeccably tight.”
REDLAND, yet another collaborative effort with Goodrich, was deemed “a great thing” by The Ectophiles Guide to Good Music. Steve Morse of The Boston Globe praises the album as well, lauding Suhanin’s “captivating” vocals. When not performing or recording, Suhanin spends her time giving voice lessons and writing music.