Suzanne Vega
Suzanne Vega is one of the most critically acclaimed
songwriters of the last two decades. She made major
inroads on the pop charts with her U.S. top-five hit "Luka"
(RealAudio excerpt) in 1987. That song was a precursor
to the confessional folk-based style pursued by many
artists 霠several of them female 霠in the '90s.
Vega was born 40 years ago today in Santa Monica, Calif.
Her family moved to New York's Spanish Harlem when
Vega was 2. She was encouraged to pursue her interests
in music and dance by her Puerto Rican stepfather, who
was a writer and teacher.
Vega attended Manhattan's High School of Performing
Arts, where she began writing songs on her guitar. At 16
Vega started performing in Greenwich Village
coffeehouses. She then went on to Barnard College.
In 1983 Vega fortuitously met lawyer Ron Fierstein and
producer Steve Addabbo, who had founded their own
music production company. They were impressed with
Vega's hushed vocals and incisive, introspective
songwriting. With Fierstein and Addabbo managing her,
Vega was signed to A&M Records.
Her eponymous 1985 debut, produced by Addabbo and
Lenny Kaye of the Patti Smith Group, received wide
critical praise in the U.S. and was a #11 hit in the UK.
Solitude Standing (1987), spurred by the success of the
child-abuse saga "Luka," broke Vega into the mainstream
in the U.S. It was a top-20 LP on the Billboard 200 albums
chart.
Days of Open Hand (1990) was something of a
commercial disappointment due to its lack of hit singles,
but Vega was still respected in the music industry. Also in
1990, Vega's career benefited from the British remixing
duo DNA, who added a new rhythm track to her "Tom's
Diner," from Solitude Standing. After Vega acquired rights
to the new track, it became a top-five smash on both sides
of the Atlantic.
Her next album, 1992's 99.9 F (RealAudio excerpt of
title track), also failed to sell in great numbers. Vega's
last LP to date is 1996's Nine Objects of Desire, which,
despite the commercial appeal of such tracks as "No
Cheap Thrill" and "Caramel," was not a big hit. The album
was produced by veteran Mitchell Froom, who is also
Vega's husband.
Movie soundtracks which Vega has contributed to include
"Pretty in Pink," "Dead Man Walking" and "The Truth
About Cats and Dogs."
Earlier this year, Vega released a book, "The Passionate
Eye," a collection of poetry, anecdotes, interviews and
lyrics.
Her appearance on the TV show "Sessions at West 54th"
is available on CD in Japan only.
Other birthdays: Jeff Hanna (Nitty Gritty Dirt Band), 52;
Bonnie Pointer, 49; Peter Brown, 46; Benny DeFranco
(The DeFranco Family), 45; Peter Murphy (Bauhaus), 42;
Richie Sambora (Bon Jovi), 40; Li'l Kim, 24; and Blind
Lemon Jefferson (1897-1929).
-- Frank Tortorici
[ Sun., July 11, 1999 3:04 AM EDT ]
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