Susan Jean Repath was born in Southern Ontario and raised in a household where singing was an everday event. As a singer and guitar player Susan began performing folk music in the fertile coffee house scene of southern Ontario.
"My earliest memories are of my sister and I singing while we did our chores. It made the work go faster. We sang rounds, kid's songs, folk songs and popular songs. My father also sang and had the greatest voice for telling stories". Another strong family influence for Susan was her great grandfather who emmigrated from Scotland in 1916 to Canada where he felt he could make a better life for his family. He was a professional singer and a great story teller. Susan tells stories of how even well into his nineties he would walk for miles to come and visit and tell tales and sing songs.
While studying nursing she performed in church basements, bistros and folk clubs in the Niagara triangle from the Niagara Region to Toronto. After a few years there she put music on the backburner for family commitments and to pursue another love sailing and in the late 1980's moved to B.C. for the great cruising grounds.
In the 1990's the resurgence of traditional music brought the guitar out of the closet and the celtic harp to her attention. She began to revisit the music of her family and in particular her great grandfather. She built her first harp several years ago as a "camping" harp but was so delighted with it's sound she currently uses it for many of her performances and is in the process of building a larger version.
Currently A resident of the Cowichan Valley on Vancouver Island Susan is an active Cowichan Folk Guild member and one of the founders of the Mill Bay Coffeehouse. She has been performing in coffeehouses and Festivals on Vancouver and The Gulf Islands including the Islands Folk Festival and the Hornby Island Celtic Festival. Susan has begun to perform original work as well as traditional and following in the family tradition has begun to add a few "tales" accompanying herself on celtic harp, guitar, bodhran and occasionally fiddle. She is sometimes joined by other musicians such as Wendy Robb, on fiddle, Jane Way on flute or Irish whistle and Allie Evans with voice or flute.
Susan's debut album was realeased in March 2002
"The Parting"
It is a compilation of Traditional, Celtic and original tunes.
Susan Repath: Voice, Celtic Harp, Bodhran. Guitar
David K. Guitar, Bass, Irish Bazouki, BU vocals
Wendy Robb Violin on #4 & #12
Jane Way Flute & Whistle
Keith Malcolm violin #1
Allie Evans Back up Vocals
