The Sweet Maries

Friday Night Folk Concert

The Sweet Maries are a harmony-driven, female-fronted acoustic band playing original songs and select ’60s–’70s covers in Americana, gospel, folk, jazz, and rock styles.

Amy ‘Marie’ Shoemaker is an artist by every definition: painting beautiful songs with her colorful lyrics, she blends musical genres together as a singer-songwriter, poet, producer, and musician.  With a background in theatre including MFAs in acting and directing, it’s no wonder that she inspires others with her classic songs and music, bringing that familiar sense of playfulness and stage presence to the concert hall. She has performed across the US, Ireland, and Canada with several bands: The Rolling Mothers, Ladies View, Fizgig, Earl Fly, The Shoemakers, and Amy and the Rhinos.

Amy is self-taught on the guitar and also plays piano and bazouki. Amy has played at many of the Chicago area’s finest establishments including a residency at SPACE in Evanston with Amy and the Rhinos, Pick-Staiger Concert Hall, and her musical compositions have been performed at Chicago’s Symphony Center.

Susie ‘Marie’ Lofton is a vocalist and recording artist. Her vocal timbre has been remarked to be smooth, soulful, strong and beautiful. Her collaboration in The Sweet Maries as vocalist, percussionist, writer and recording artist has been a blessing to her.

Some of Susie’s recording credits include Chicago Recording Company w/ engineer Matt LeJune & her band SPYDER MONKEY, Doug McBride & Gravity Studios for the song "Tomorrow Comes", by John Kopp and most notably with Grammy nominated producer Jeffrey Wood for The Sweet Maries self-titled album, their holiday release “Hark”, sophomore recording "Tall Trees & Riverbeds" and their latest release “Love Hurts”

Susie has performed at notable venues including Chicago’s Double Door, House of Blues Chicago, Evanston’s SPACE and the 12 Bar Club in Soho, London. She has also performed live on WFMT’s classical radio station.

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