The Death of Susan Alcorn

[Gary James Peters]

Hi All

I have been informed by numerous mutual friends that the pioneering steel player Susan Alcorn that the has passed away. She was battling away on Facebook in her usual fearless manner (politics and social justice mainly, as well as a bit of steel guitar promotion) until last night in the US, so I have no idea what has happened. While Susan is rarely mentioned on this forum, she has been a great inspiration to me, she generously wrote a great review of my Beginnings album, and had agreed to work on a duo album with me this year, so I am absolutely devastated. A real loss to the steel community.

G

[Jim Pritchard]

Very sad to hear this news of Susan.
I did hear earier in the afternoon of her passing, and posted on a number of social media Groups that I Admin (facebook).
Only chatted with her before Christmas. No updates yet from her family.
“Widely admired “ and “influential”, a world wide musician & entertainer.
Those “in the know” respected her talent & skill, even if they might not have understood why or what she did with it.
I believe she was actually more better known and influential outside the cloistered steel guitar world, although a good country picker in the Bakersfield style.
Collaborating with other world-class musicians, showing the world different facets of the limitless possibilities of the instrument.
I don’t think she got the respect or acknowledgement she deserved from many of her peers, and may have even been “shunned” by the fossilized and ignorant.
My condolences to her family & friends. RIP Susan

https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=deskt ... TT_tLLLqrQ

[Gary James Peters]

Beautifully said Jim!

[Gary James Peters]

I can't think of many (any?) steel players apart from Buddy Emmons or Lloyd Green that would get this kind of obituary in the NY Times....and yet only one person on this forum has responded to my post. Wow!!!

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/06/arts ... O6-kawuHAw

[bob adams]

The passing of any of our steel players is undoubtedly sad and especially if it untimely as with Susan Alcorn at 71 years of age and of course we send our condolences to her family.
I can only speak for myself although I know it to be the view; certainly of some others, Susan’s particular style did not appeal to the majority of us who have been grounded in the main on country/ jazz/ blues. That does not make it bad nor does it make us fossilized or ignorant (strong words Mr Pritchard in which I am a tad surprised.)
The lack of comment may simply be that with the above said it may seem hypocritical for some of us to go into raptures when in reality we were not like minded.
None the less it is sad to see the lass passing and if we have failed in our duty we must stand corrected.
R.I. P Susan

[Jif]

I am sad that she has passed. TBH I wasn't a big fan of her work, though I admired that she was trying to do something different from the norm and she was undoubtedly a great steel player and musician.

I was going to post something earlier, but felt that it was better to remain silent than post how I felt about her work out of respect. However, perhaps I could have just posted something along the lines of,

Very sorry to hear that, a sad loss.

[Ken Byng]

Susan took a little bit of criticism on here a few years ago because she didn't play country style, which was a shame as she did her own thing. I liked her a lot, and she was very kind about some of my stuff on YouTube. RIP Susan.

[Gary James Peters]

Nice one Ken. She was indeed a very kind person...and a very fine player (in her own way).