The Sweet Maries—Amy Shoemaker and Susie Lofton—are a harmony forward, female fronted singer-songwriter acoustic band that plays original songs and select covers from the ’60s and ’70s. The genres touched upon include Americana, Gospel, Folk, Jazz and Rock.
Very acoustic, very much listening music, very heavenly altogether.
Amy Marie Shoemaker
Amy Shoemaker
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
Susie Lofton
Susie ‘Marie’ Lofton’s vocal quality and timbre have been remarked to be reminiscent of the classic rock vixen as well as smooth, soulful, rich and beautiful! Her contribution to The Sweet Maries as writer, vocal harmonist and recording artist has been her greatest acclaim to date.
Recording credits include Chicago Recording Company & Matt LeJune with her band SPYDER MONKEY, Doug McBride & Gravity Studios for the song "Tomorrow Comes", and most notably Grammy nominated producer Jeffrey Wood for The Sweet Maries self-titled album, the holiday release “Hark”, "Tall Trees & Riverbeds" and their newest release “Love Hurts”
Susie has enjoyed playing in notable venues including The Double Door, and House of Blues Chicago, and the 12 Bar Club in Soho, London.
GUEST ARTISTS
don stiernberg, jim cox, john rice, AND Steve Martin
Don Stiernberg (Mandolin) has been a professional musician for nearly 50 years. Along the way he has been involved in performing, writing, recording, producing, and teaching, but is best known for his mandolin playing. His path was set very early on as he grew up north of Chicago. Emulating his older brother, he experimented with playing various stringed instruments, finally landing on the mandolin. Things got serious when an ad played on the radio: “Study Mandolin with the great Jethro Burns”… At his first lesson he discovered what he wanted to do: play the mandolin, be a musician, and try to be as cool as Jethro Burns! Within a few short years he was playing professionally, first in a bluegrass band with his brother, later standing right next to his hero in The Jethro Burns Quartet. There was no turning back, and thanks to encouragement and mentorship from his family and hero he is still out there trying to achieve those early goals.
Jim Cox (Bass) grew up in Champaign Illinois where he also attended and graduated from the University of Illinois in 1979. He has worked as a full time professional musician since then based out of Chicago. He toured with Earl "Fatha" Hines from 1979-82. He also worked regularly with Marian McPartland for almost 20 years. Jim continues to free lance locally and globally, performing and recording in various musical genres including jazz, klezmer, bluegrass, pop, cabaret and classical. Some of the artists he has worked with include Rosemary Clooney, Michael Feinstein, Debbie Boone, Liza Minelli, Ann Hampton Callaway, Christine Ebersol, Wesla Whitfield, Phil Woods, Don Stiernberg, Judy Roberts, Ray McKinley, The Maxwell Street Klezmer Band, Lyric Opera of Chicago and the Chicago Sinfonietta, Shari Lewis and Lamb Chop.