Susan Erwin, a dueling piano performer, recently relocated to Branson, Missouri in January 2008 to be a full-time dueling piano player and the Entertainment Director at the new Branson Landing hot-spot Ernie Bigg's Dueling Piano Bar. At times, she can also be heard performing at other Ernie Bigg’s locations such as the Westport District of Kansas City, downtown Springfield, Missouri and Little Rock, Arkansas. Stay tuned to her myspace schedule or www.susanerwin.net for dates and locations.
Susan was born and raised in a small rural town - Magnet Cove, Arkansas - and has been playing and performing piano for over 20 years. Her piano days started with classical training at the age of six and continued for ten years. She started performing in bands starting in college and has not stopped since. She grew up singing in high school choir, church, and performing in various talent competitions and pageants all over Arkansas. She started professionally performing full-time as a dueling pianist in 2004 at Willy D’s Piano Bar in Little Rock, Arkansas Susan has seen success as one of the nation's few female dueling piano performers in a typically male-dominated field. "I was in a rock band performing on weekends for a year after I graduated from college with a Mathematics degree. Right out of college, I tried corporate world as a telecom engineer at Alltel for several years, but I decided I needed to be true to myself and do what I love – music. The dueling piano gig has been an awesome spring-board for other opportunities in music for me, which I hope continues, and I love that I have a venue to rock-out and perform in 4 to 5 nights a week!!â€
It is clear Susan’s energy on stage and musical talent show a passion for music and that it must run in her blood - every member of her family plays an instrument. “My primary instrument is piano, but I can make a decent showing on a saxophone, guitar, the drums, and harmonica. She is even a distant cousin of the late Johnny Cash.
What Susan has to say about Branson and Dueling Pianos:
“I have absolutely fallen in love with Branson and the people here. At the dueling piano bar, each night up to 400 people join us in a very crowd interactive show. I love throwing a party and watching people have a great time. It may sound odd, but I think what we, as dueling pianists, do is very tribal in the sense that we lead a group of people to together sing along and party. To facilitate that, as a performer, is the greatest high I’ve ever had, and also why I keep coming back for more.“People always ask me what my favorite song is to perform. It’s hard to say. Me and Bobby McGee is almost always the first song every night that people request me to sing. Not sure what that is about, but I like to sing it. I love all genres. Although, I have to admit, I love to beat box and rap. I think it’s funny for people to see this country girl bust out in some Salt-n-Pepa, Fergie, Vanilla Ice, Soulja Boy, Sir Mix A lot – you name it, I’ll bring it. LOL!â€
If you are interested in hiring Susan and/or the Dueling Piano show for corporate gigs and private parties, send an email to
[email protected]
Here is a short video of Susan performing at the Arkansas State Fair - opening up for the band "Hedley" after she won the Alice 107.7 Arkansas Idol contest.
