Starting Out

Singer, songwriter and actress Susie Allanson was born in Minneapolis, Minn on March 17th. Though labeled a country singer, Susie did not have a "classic country" voice -- she possessed a strong voice that would have been well suited for pop recording or rock music. She also had theatrical intonations in her voice, which was perfect for the heart felt type songs she recorded. The latter was not surprising, as she began her professional career in the road version of Hair in 1970, also touring with Jesus Christ Superstar a year later. She stayed on for 18 months, singing on the U.S. cast album and appearing in the film.

Susie moved to Southern California in the early 1970s and began arranging and singing backvocals for artists on major record labels. In 1975 she promptly audition for a bicentennial project to be produced by Ray Ruff, who later became her husband and manager. She was hired to sing on the bicentennial project and recorded 5 songs for the album which was titled HAPPY BIRTHDAY USA. It was during this project that record producer ray Ruff became interested in Susie as a solo recording artist. With Ray's help Susie signed with ABC Records in late 1975 and went to work on her first album.

ABC Records released her debut album in mid 1976, simply titled Susie Allanson. The first single was Me & Charlie Brown b/w Love Is a Satisfied Woman. Susie's next release came in 1977 on her new record label, Warner Brothers, the single Baby Don't Keep Me Hangin' On, led to a deal with Curb Records. They took over the single, which made it to the Top 30.

In November of 1977 Susie released an LP titled A Little Love on the obscure label MC Records. Not many copies were pressed, but I was able to track a copy down in 1994 for $125.00. I am thinking that MC stands for Mike Curb. The LP basically contained left over matieral recorded during her first LP and sessions held later.

Her next album, released on Warner/Curb in 1978, We Belong Together, contained two hits, the title track which was written by Susie's good friend and fellow singer and songwriter, Carol Chase and her cover of Buddy Holly's Maybe Baby, which reached number 2 and 4 respectively on the charts. In 1979, she changed to the Elektra label, and released the album Heart to Heart, which contained two major hits, Words and Two Steps Forward and Three Steps Back. A follow up album for Elektra Records titled Without You was completed and slated for a later 1979 release, but was never issued, which was a blow to Susie fan's all over.

In 1980, Susie moved labels again, this time to United Artists/Liberty Records. There she released her LP Susie, which contained two hits- Dance The Two-Step bw You Never Told Me About Goodbye. This single was followed with Michael b/w While I Was Makin' Love To You.

In 1981, following the success of her Susie LP she released two Top 50 singles, Run to Her (a cover of Bobby Vinton's Run to Him) and Love Is Knockin' at My Door Again. Both songs were from the LP that was to follow her 1980 Susie LP. The LP titled Sleepless Nights was completed, but never issued, again a blow to Susie's fans. Many singles from the unreleased LP were issued into early 1982 on Liberty Records. Susie made no other recordings for label release until 1986 with the single Where's the Fire b/w I Can't Say It On The Radio and the 1987 release She Don't Love You b/w Girls Get Lonely Too both on the TNP Records label out of Los Angeles.

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